Organize your freezer

I have a small stand up freezer down in the basement.  It seemed the logical place to put this unit, since it's cooler down there, which helps it to run more efficiently.  There are three shelves along with a few narrow shelves on the door.  No matter how I tried to organize the food I put in it, there was always a battle as to what was were.  Especially when I sent 'the other half' to retrieve something.  I wrote lists in my PDA.  I typed lists into a folder on my computer- top shelf, middle shelf, bottom shelf, door.... Still, it could take forever to find what was needed.

I decided to get it organized for good or get rid of it.  I shopped at several places.  Nothing that was designed for the freezer was adequate.  I wanted white metal baskets with ventilation holes.  Finally.... at the Container Store, I was left to my own devices and found the perfect solution. They are stackable mesh baskets intended to help reduce clutter in some part of the house.

I bought five baskets.  They are 15" deep, 12" wide and 8 1/2" tall.  Two of them can sit side by side on a shelf.  While one basket sits alone, the surrounding open space is for larger items.  Trying to figure out how to label my new containers was a challenge, because we all know that tape and labels always come off in the freezer.   I came up with a diagram and basic legend -Seafood, Chicken, Vegetables..and so on, that I can slip into a plastic sleeve on the front of the freezer door.  Now there is no excuse for anyone not to be able to find what they went looking for.