Freezer Drawer Organization

Organizing the freezer drawer in my Samsung fridge has been a long time in the making. I kept postponing it because every time I researched freezer drawer organization, I found myself going back to the same old bagging system. It seemed easy in theory, but in practice, it led to clutter and waste. This new method, though, has made all the difference; it’s streamlined, and finally makes our freezer drawers feel functional.

After months (okay, years!) of dealing with a chaotic pile of Ziploc bags, bags inside of bags, wet cardboard boxes, freezer-burned food, and forgotten items, I finally tackled it. The outcome is a system that is simple, easy to maintain, and genuinely helps me buy less and waste less.

If you’ve been overwhelmed by your freezer drawer, too, this post is for you. I’ll walk you through the thought process behind choosing the right freezer organizer containers, how I divided up the space, and the benefits of getting intentional, even when organizing a freezer drawer.

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A Quick Note on Our Freezer Setup

For context, we also have a chest freezer in the garage, where we store meat (we get monthly ButcherBox deliveries) and other overflow items. The freezer drawer organization I’m referring to here is the pull-out drawer in our kitchen refrigerator. This is where I store the foods we use daily, such as quick lunchbox items, smoothie ingredients, frozen pet food, breakfast favorites, and a few frozen treats.

That said, this setup isn’t one-size-fits-all. These are simply freezer drawer organization ideas that work for our routine. Feel free to adjust them to suit the kinds of foods your family uses. Your freezer drawer and how you decide to organize it should reflect your family’s eating habits.

My Freezer Storage Before: Bag Overload

For years, my freezer drawer organization relied on Ziploc bags, bags inside bags, stacked in bins, and often forgotten at the bottom. Here’s a look at my previous freezer drawers setup—original bags, bags inside Ziploc bags, gallon bags, quart bags, disorganized bins, and too much wasted food.

In one of my many attempts to create a functional freezer drawer organization system, I followed advice from my fellow blogger Paula, and used medium-sized open bins (The Container Store) to corral everything. However, over time, things just got buried. I’d lose track of what we had, buy duplicates, and waste food more often than I care to admit. It wasn’t a total disaster, but it wasn’t working either. These bins are really practical, here’s a link to a similar set on Amazon.

For this freezer organization project, I didn’t eliminate the bins, but I reduced the number from four to two on one side of the drawer. This change allowed me to make room for the new freezer organizer containers I purchased. These bins can be functional if used correctly, and I believe I really hit the nail on the head with this one!

Rethinking Freezer Drawer Organization

As you can see from the before pictures, Ziploc bags and the original packaging of each product were taking over. The more bags I added to the drawers, the deeper things became buried. Each time I searched for something specific, I would end up finding five forgotten (freezer-burnt) items instead. I kept reaching for the same things repeatedly, with only those in the very top drawer being easily accessible while the rest remained neglected. Eventually, I had to admit, for an organization junkie like me, this wasn’t working.

For a while, I have been using the open bins (just tossing the bags in to keep them upright), but as you can see, it eventually resulted in a buildup of bags. What I really needed was structure. And you know, how much I crave structure!

Freezer Drawer Organizers and Containers

I measured every inch of my Samsung freezer drawers—depth, width, and height—and searched high and low for airtight freezer containers. My wish list included the following requirements: the items needed to be BPA-free, freezer-safe, and stackable.

These are the sets I settled for:

• Vtopmart Airtight Food Storage Containers with Lids (Set of 4) – This set came with chalkboard labels, a marker, and two measuring scoops. I used all four containers in the top drawer.

• Vtopmart Airtight Food Storage Containers Set with Lids, 15 pieces – This set also includes chalkboard labels and a marker. I used nine containers on one side of the bottom drawer.

I did not use labels because I consider them unnecessary, especially since I know I will be rotating items inside the containers. The labels would likely smear in the freezer. I was able to fit nine containers of various sizes stacked inside the right side of the bottom drawer.

Finding the Best Configuration

Before I started transferring food into the containers, I spent time adjusting the configuration, testing different layouts to determine what would fit and function best in our Samsung freezer drawer. Once I found a setup that felt intuitive, I committed to decanting everything. This extra step made all the difference and helped me avoid the trial-and-error frustration later.

At one point, I considered placing the tallest upright container inside one of the bins to maximize space. Technically, the drawer could still close, but the top drawer couldn’t open all the way, which immediately made it a no-go. And once I started decanting food, I realized I didn’t need that tallest container anyway. The largest unopened bag I had was a 2-pound mix of frozen vegetables, and it fit perfectly inside the second-tallest container. Sometimes planning saves you from overcomplicating things!

Now everything has its place, nothing is buried, and I’m happy to report that I haven’t used a Ziploc in two days (ha ha!). Honestly, the waste from plastic bags was starting to aggravate me. They’d get wet and floppy once slightly thawed, making them hard to reseal and reuse. This new system feels cleaner, more efficient, and, if I may add, a little kinder to the planet.

Top Drawer: Everyday Freezer Containers for Quick Meals

If, like me, you love the convenience of finger food, you’ll love how I organized it inside the top freezer drawer. The top drawer in our freezer is narrow and shallow, making it ideal for frequently used items (aka convenience food!). I used four airtight snap-lid freezer containers, each sized just right to hold a whole bag of our staples:

• Chicken tenders and nuggets. I combined two half bags.
• French fries
• Breaded cod

One of the containers holds southwest taquitos and mozzarella sticks, separated by their original clear wrappers. Once we finish with these, I’ll probably buy something different. My son dislikes cheesy, gooey foods, so these mozzarella sticks and cheddar taquitos (oops, I didn’t check the labels!) are just waiting for someone to eat them (not me!). Come on over!

I also tucked in a slim bin for ice packs and my migraine ice head wrap. It fits perfectly alongside the containers and keeps everything neat and grab-ready.

What do I love most? These containers help me set limits. If there’s room in the container, I can restock. If the container is full, that’s my cue to hold off. It’s a simple system that keeps me from overbuying and wasting food, and that feels like a more intentional way to organize.

Bottom Drawer: Maximizing Freezer Storage

The deeper, bottom drawer of our Samsung freezer is divided into two sections. I like them because they are just the perfect depth. It works if you have well-defined limits. But if you’re going to throw bags in it, it will work against you and turn into a pit of despair.

On the left side, I kept two of the four medium-size bins I’d previously used (from The Container Store) ,or similar set on Amazon.These bins now hold items that don’t require decanting, such as the upright containers of breadcrumbs, bacon, pie crusts, garlic and ginger cubes, and vacuum-packed frozen cat food.

On the right side, I fit nine upright airtight containers in a mix of sizes. These hold frozen vegetables like peas and mixed blends (perfect for shepherd’s pie or chicken pot pie), a whole box of mini pancakes, waffles, hash browns, frozen fruit, such as banana slices, as well as blended smoothie mixes.

Just take a look—two types of waffles in two separate Ziploc bags, only because they were opened at different times. They fit perfectly in the same container. Next time, I’ll just buy one box of waffles (unless they’re BOGO at Publix!).

Having these containers upright means I can easily pull out just what I need—one or two at a time—without having to shuffle through a frozen mess. Cooking feels faster, cleaner, and far less frustrating.

On a personal note

Years ago, I heard Rachael Ray say you can freeze your breadcrumbs to extend their shelf life, and she was right! They don’t freeze solid; they stay perfectly loose and ready to use. I’ve been doing it ever since those “30-minute meals” days, almost 18 years now! But of course, that’s just what works for me. You can utilize that prime real estate in your freezer drawer to organize the essentials that best suit your cooking habits.

Let’s also pause for a moment to discuss some of my preferences, for context. I truly love cooking from scratch and using fresh vegetables 99% of the time. Most frozen vegetables (such as broccoli florets, carrots, or blends) tend to get too soggy for my taste. The only exception? Frozen peas or a mix of peas and carrots, they’re fantastic for savory pies, soups, and even pasta dishes.

And while I usually reach for fresh sliced garlic in my recipes, I have to share these little freezer gems: crushed garlic cubes. They’re a lifesaver when I’m in a pinch, especially for preparing marinades or anything that calls for grated garlic. I love using ginger cubes in beef and broccoli marinades, for stir-frying, or in any other Asian-inspired dish.

A Freezer Organization Idea That Works

This system sets limits, prevents overbuying, and makes meal prep easier and less wasteful. Beyond the practical wins, this project gave me a slight mindset shift. In so many areas of life, setting limits is a form of freedom. The same principle applies to my freezer drawer organization.

Look at this pile of tossed boxes and bags, Ziplocs, and original packaging, I had to deal with. And this is not all, I had already tossed so much before I took the picture. It feels great to have everything standing upright, neatly contained, and easily accessible. All that visual clutter wasn’t just annoying, it made it harder to think clearly. Decision fatigue is real, even when it comes to something as simple as meal prep. But when your brain knows exactly where to look and can reach for what it needs without digging, everything flows faster and smoother.

I don’t need to fill every inch of space in my freezer drawers. I just need to use the space well. These containers help me stay mindful about what I buy and what we actually eat. They also make it easy to see what’s running low, so I only restock when I really need to.

Even when it comes to freezer organization ideas, less can truly be more. Having a thoughtfully arranged space has helped me reduce waste in terms of food, money, and time.

What I Used for My Freezer Drawer Organization

FAQ: Freezer Drawer Organization

Practical Tips for Organizing Your Freezer Drawer

• Measure everything first. Knowing your drawer’s height, width, and depth will save you so much frustration.
• Group items by use. Keep lunchbox and convenience foods together, breakfast items together, and vegetables or smoothie blends in one area.
• Use containers to set limits. If it doesn’t fit in the container, or you need another container, maybe you have too much of the same thing.
• Store upright when you can. It makes it easier to grab what you need without digging.
• Stick to what you use. Stock your freezer drawer with true staples, things you know your family actually eats.

Freezer drawers don’t have to be chaos zones. With these freezer organization ideas, the right organizers, a few thoughtful freezer containers, and a mindset that values simplicity, even your frozen food can bring a little peace to your kitchen!

happy organizing, Flavia