What devices will help me organize my small freezer space?

June 9, 2010 8:11 AM

My freezer has about 24 in (W) × 16 in (H) × 14 in (D) usable space. There's no internal shelving, so things are easily disorganized. Is there a good plastic shelf I could get to help? Other helpful devices or freezer organizational ideas?
posted by grouse to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

Best answer: Get a few wire racks (usually found in the kitchenwares section of a store) to create shelves.
posted by runningwithscissors at 8:17 AM on June 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'd probably glue in a couple of strips of half-inch square timber using epoxy. Then you can make a shelf from whatever you have handy, such as thin plywood.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:25 AM on June 9, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions! I don't own the freezer so I can't make permanent modifications, and I am not handy with things like plywood.
posted by grouse at 8:28 AM on June 9, 2010

I use some like these. I got them at the grocery store, and they were cheaper than the prices on that site, and work fine.
posted by Some1 at 8:41 AM on June 9, 2010

Another non-destructive option is plastic food storage containers. Find some nice square ones that stack nicely inside your freezer. Then either store your packages in, or empty them into, the containers.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:44 AM on June 9, 2010

I've actually just have a small box in the center of my freezer and stack things on, in, and against it. Free!
posted by travertina at 8:44 AM on June 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm thirding the plastic coated wire racks. We got a similar freezer setup and that's what we use. They work just fine and will last a long time in the freezer.
posted by smallerdemon at 8:57 AM on June 9, 2010

If you have a Container Store near you, they have loads of plastic-coated wire racks in a zillion sizes like the ones Some1 linked to.

I also recommend using a Leftovers List like this one from The Kitchn.
posted by bcwinters at 9:09 AM on June 9, 2010 [1 favorite]

If there are grooves for shelves but no actual shelves (ex: the former resident threw them out or you want to add an extra level) you can order replacement shelves from appliance repair dealers like Repair Clinic or Appliance Zone. Perhaps that seems obvious, but I had a crappy fridge for years and never thought to look!!
posted by Gable Oak at 9:14 AM on June 9, 2010

Response by poster: Good point, Gable Oak. It's a General Electric Americana A3316ABSARWW. I now notice there are a couple of notches in each lateral interior wall of the freezer, although they don't align with each other. There don't appear to be shelf parts available, or shelves shown in the photographs of this model.
posted by grouse at 9:22 AM on June 9, 2010

I use plastic/wire bins, which can be easily removed for cleaning. Also, I've started doing all of my own freezing (soups, etc) in mason jars, which stack much more easily than ziplocs, and are much nicer for carrying to work & reheating.
posted by judith at 10:54 AM on June 9, 2010

I used a wire shelf like the ones that Some1 linked to, but the area underneath the shelf was too low to just put things in - I couldn't ever see anything in the back. So I, a big cheapskate, used a cardboard box lid (from a box of copy paper) to put small things into. It was able to slide in and out underneath the wire shelf and let me reach the back. Easily replaceable when it got a bit grungy. You could get a wire bin to fit underneath the wire shelf, but that wouldn't be as much fun.
posted by CathyG at 12:18 PM on June 9, 2010

Response by poster: A single stackable shelf from target has done wonders in improving the organization in there. Thanks!
posted by grouse at 5:43 PM on June 14, 2010