Do you ever go grocery shopping and buy something just to find it hidden in the depths of your freezer? Find yourself diving head-first into your deep freezer to look for something, only to come up empty handed? I can confidently tell you this has been me many, MANY times. Therefore, my need for a freezer organizer.
I throw together a lot of freezer meals, and then I forget what I have in the freezer. As a result, I wind up digging through it to take mental inventory. Then, thanks to mom-brain, I forget what I saw approximately 5 seconds later. Or I’ve stored some leftover broth, veggies, etc in the freezer, bought more, and repeat… so I have about a thousand frozen blocks of chicken broth taking up all the space.
How about when you are freezing bags of breastmilk? You bury it as far back as you can to preserve that hard earned liquid, only to forget about it and have it go bad? (RIP about 100 oz still sitting in my deep freezer.)
STOP THE MADNESS! There has to be a better way!
Then one day, I had an epiphany! Why not create a list of what is in my freezer so I can just glance at that instead? Sure that’s an incredibly simple concept that seems like a no-brainer… and I have no idea why I never thought of it before… but here we are!
My freezer organizer sheet started with some trial and error. A basic piece of notebook paper should work just fine, right? In theory it should, but updating it wasn’t the most efficient or easiest. Plus, I wanted something that would stand out a little to remind me to look at it and update it as needed. (Once again, I blame the mom-brain…) Not to mention, it looking cute hanging on my freezer door wouldn’t hurt either.
As a result, I took to the computer and created exactly what I wanted! It turned out so great that I wanted to share it with other moms (as a free printable) who may find themselves in the same cycle I found myself. You’ve got enough on your plate, let’s make things just a little simpler when it comes to organizing your freezer!
But won’t I just have to keep re-printing it?
This is one thing I did not want to have to do. Having to re-print my freezer organizer would just be another thing to add to my long list of things to do. No thanks!
I put my freezer organizer printable in a clear, writable pouch. You could also use a page protector, or have it laminated. This will save yourself from having to re-print it every so often. Personally, I like the pouch because it has a spot to put my marker so I am not searching for it when I need it.
I also started using a fine tip, wet erase marker instead of a dry erase. A dry erase marker works fine, but I found that I would accidentally wipe things off when I was updating it. However, do whatever works best for you!
My freezer inventory list has saved me so much time and frustration that I had to share it! In hopes of creating something that wouldn’t just fit my needs, but also yours, I have created two options to choose from. Both freezer inventory lists are pretty simple, but let’s break it down!
Printable Option One: Freezer Organizer With Categories
In this option there are blocks for meats & seafood, fruits & veggies, bread & dairy, and prepared food. I like the blocked option as it helps me quickly find what I am looking.
- Meat & Seafood: This is where I write down any uncooked meat I have. Such as ground beef, chicken breasts/thighs/etc, pork chops, bacon, sausage, fish, and so on.
- Fruit & Veggies: Here I list bags of fruit (strawberries, blueberries, smoothie packs, etc) and veggies (steam-able bags, veggie mixes, tomato sauce/paste, etc). I also use this category to keep track of fruit juices like orange juice and concentrate.
- Bread & Dairy: This is the block where I write down things like dough, dinner rolls, biscuits, garlic bread, cheese, frosting, ice cream, popsicles, and more. I also list things like chicken/beef broth, sauces, and dips here.
- Prepared Foods: This is where I list any prepped freezer meals I have made, chicken nuggets, french fries, pizza… Basically anything that is ready made.
The next thing you will see in the blocks is a set of empty circles. You can use these to tell you how much of that item you have. I purchase meat in bulk, and separate it into individual servings. I mark a circle per bag or serving I have. You could also do it per pound, really any way that makes sense to you is the right way.
To show how much of an item you have, fill in the circle (it’s giving scantron) per bag, and then as you use it, cross it off with an X. Easy day!
Option Two: Freezer Organizer Printable Without Categories
If the categories in the first option don’t suit your needs, or if you just prefer to list out the items your own way this may be the best option for you. (This would be a good one if you have 2 freezers. One side for your regular freezer, the other side for your deep freezer.) In the first column you can write your item and in the second just mark the quantity you have. Easy Peasy!
You’ll also see on the bottom of both options, my website here at justplanejane.com. That is so you can remember to pop back in and let me know how using this printable is working for you! 😉 And to catch up on all the other good stuff here. (psst, I have more exciting adult-y freezer things in the works! Follow me on Pinterest so you don’t miss a thing!)
I’m excited to hear back from you! And I hope this comes as a help to you too. Simple as it is, it’s been very helpful for me.
Remember, you’re killing it!
I know you are super excited to print your copy, but if you don’t have access to a printer this very moment, pin it for later! Don’t just pin it for yourself though. Share with all your mom friends! I’m sure they will appreciate it too.
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