5 steps to stay on top of what's in the freezer

A couple of days ago my deep freezer was caked in ice. Mystery bags of long forgotten food lurked at the bottom; their once snappy labels fallen off.

I've been talking about emptying the freezer for a while now but it took longer than I'd anticipated.

Now that its finally clean and frost free, I'm determined to stay on top of what's inside.

These are the 5 steps I'm following to stay on top of what's in my freezers.

1. Stock up on freezer containers and bags.

I bought a 50-pack of oblong takeaway containers, multi sized ziplock bags and multi sized freezer bags.

2. Buy good quality permanent markers.

I've tried using adhesive labels on containers but they either fall off while in the freezer or leave a sticky residue on the containers when you wash them afterwards. Permanent markers stay put and are easy to read on frozen items. My marker of choice is the Sharpie Pro (they write on wet surfaces!)

3. Make a "What's in the freezer" list and laminate it!

My previous attempts of freezer lists always got messy with crossing out items and constantly having to rewrite the list. Now I can write and edit the list using a fine tipped whiteboard marker and rub out used up items so it always looks neat.

My What's in the Freezer lists take pride of place on the fridge next to my weekly planner, shopping list and monthly planner.

4. Keep your What's in the Freezer list in a high vis area - on the fridge is ideal.

You'll never add or update the list if it's hidden away.

5. Update your What's in the Freezer list every time you add or take something out (and teach the other members of your household to do the same).

Meal planning and shopping lists will be so much easier because you can see at a glance what you have.

Linking up with Domesblissity for Thriving on Thursdays

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