Deep Freezer Organization tips/tricks

[TSU_Archer]

I’ve seen a few things online for some DIY organization tricks or dividers for all the meat. Was wondering if anyone else has found some good ideas for getting the most out of your freezer.

Mainly for a chest type freezer. I’m pretty good on my stand up style but not closed to any extra suggestions as well.

Thanks!

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

I own 3 chest freezers and one stand up. Salmon and halibut in one. Caribou and moose in one. And store bought in the other. The chest freezer is for the veggies and other stuff.

 

[longspeak74]

Large chest freezer here. I just cut thicker pieces of cardboard for dividers.

 

[Boarmaster]

I bought some baskets that nest on top of each other. Trick is to get the right dimenisions so they fit efficiently in your chest. I found this worked better for my use than boxes. This elevated dead space that was in the boxes as my product got consumed. That said after 30 years of using chest freezers my next freezer will be an upright. I’m ready to try one. Although I will probably miss the space on top of the chest freezer where I seem to want stack other crap.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I use milk crates in my chest freezer

 

[Trackerbacker]

Things are different with our newborns, breast milk would fill up the 21cuft upright., so we got a chest, then another chest.

Now that we are on #3, unsure if it's last one or not, but ignoring that situation

Upright for beef and game (cuts only), bacon and ground breakfast sausage.

Chest freezer 1 is stew meats (in those basket deals), fish (laid flat) and fowl (breast, wings drums separated, on top, couple whole chickens for spatchcock)

Chest freezer 2 is for garden and frozen veggies, breads, flour, butter. Heavy on the bottom for flour-butter-bread, veggies next to it.

Freezer on the fridge is, we'll, pizza and ice cream and such.

Package as it makes sense. Try to keep things either as meals (so chicken, we may have 3 drums and 3 wings in a bag), and as similars (so chicken, we will package 6 drums, or 6 wings in a bag).

Think about how you cook, then pre-package accordingly. Stacking is easier if they all have the relatively same shape.

 

[SoloWilderness]

I just put each type of meat/ cut in its own black heavy contractor garbage bag. Steaks, burger, sausage, etc. My butcher flat packs everything so it's efficient on space. My freezer has built in dividers, so it is divided in 8 sections, each one gets its own bag, fit it to the space and fill it, twist it tight and stack another on top, keep them about 1/2 full so they can be pulled out and re-arranged. Older bags get pulled to the top and used up. New animal goes into the bottom. Seem to get the most out of my space this way, and the extra layer of heavy plastic seems to help out with freezer burn. Ghetto I know. I tried milk crates, boxes, and other ways of organizing it, and this lets me minimize the empty space.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

I use milk crates. I can fit 4 crates (2 stacks of 2) in my 9 cubic foot chest freezers. It's not a perfect fit, but it does help keep things stored on the bottom layer more easily accessible.

 

[Randle]

We have a medium size chest freezer
We finally decided all the tubes of burger lay nicely in there so all burger goes in that ine freezer. beef, deer, elk just grab how many we need no digging cause they stay stacked and easy to see species.

 

[Tod osier]

Pro-tip: Get wife some insulated gloves for organizing the freezer.

 

[Glad2BNico]

We've been amassing a collection of reusable grocery bags. I've started using them in my chest freezer with different animal meats in each bag. One for deer, one for pork etc. Stacking isnt an issue, since they can just be picked up by the straps, set aside, access your desired meat and then set the bag back in.

 

[Gwchem]

24 quart milk crates are wider, and almost fit across the bottom of mine

 

[as.ks.ak]

Milk crates here as well. Separate game by freezer. And have a fish/chicken freezer a game freezer and a hide/skull freezer. AK probs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rclouse79]

I would love to get an upright, but currently have two chest freezers. Our harvest was not as bountiful last year, and I got out of the habit of cooking wild game based on a perceived shortage. Apparently, I overdid it because we didn't even touch my buck from last year. After adding two more deer, an antelope, and an elk I have been making a couple wild game dishes a week.
As far as organization, I did move my buck from last year to the top so we can eat it first. I have found a couple freezer fossils from way back and have still eaten them without issue, but eating the older stuff first seems like a good practice.

 

[go4thegusto]

I cut dividers from the 1/4 inch high density plywood...the floor underlayment stuff. I cut notches 1/2 way on opposing pieces so they "key" together. You end up with towers maybe 10-12 inches square depending on how big freezer is. I put same item in each tower...burger, deer steak, hog, frozen tomatoes etc. NO digging from top to bottom!
If anyone wants pics PM me a cell #

 

[sram9102]

Aldi bags for me. Typically fit a processed deer well. Easy to move around and keep everything organized. Have deer, pork, beef, chicken, small critters, fish, tomato, corn, etc. Downsize as needed.

 

[Longleaf]

I have 4 of these stackable bins in my 7cu ft chest freezer. You loose a little space but you can actually get to everything.

Blue 6 gal. Stackable Recycle Bin with White Handle

Shop All

www.containerstore.com

 

[TSU_Archer]

Good idea on the milk crates!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I have 4 chest freezers (don't ask why). Milk crates, baskets and heavy, reinforced cardboard boxes for me. My neighbor scored a truckload (not kidding) of Trader Joes shopping baskets and he gave me a bunch. Those work really well as they have the collapsible handles.

 

[journeyman713]

I use Boot boxes (shoe boxes).
To help achieve 'Last in - Last out', I'll pack the box with the latest game meat, and put it at the bottom of the chest.