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The freezer is one of the greatest kitchen inventions, and it’s often kept like a teenager’s bedroom — messy and unorganized. It’s where leftovers go to die, lost among pints of ice cream, bags of frozen veggies, and the 25 pounds of fish your significant other caught on vacation. Freezer dysfunction happens. But whether you’re trying to organize your freezer before the holidays or just want to get rid of the clutter, there is a simple office supply you probably have in your desk drawer that can help you keep things stored where you want them: binder clips.
Binder clips are great for holding together contracts, briefing documents, and book manuscripts, but they can also be used in the freezer. Fasten them onto the racks and shelves, and label each with a different food category. They come in all shapes and sizes, and for a little less than $8, you can purchase 100 binder clips from Mearun Solar in assorted sizes and colors on Amazon, which could come in handy if you want to create a color-coded system.
How to use binder clips in the freezer
If you already have black binder clips but still want to do a color-coded system, consider purchasing a variety pack of colorful Wapetashi craft tape from Amazon. Tear pieces off that fit on the black part of the clip, and write various food categories on the tape with a Sharpie to create some DIY labels. Then, place the clips wherever you want in the freezer. Stack your bags of frozen peas, corn, and broccoli above the clip that reads “veggies,” and your pint of Blue Bell below the binder clip labeled “ice cream.” This freezer food hack will save you time and money, as you won’t lose food in the back of your freezer anymore and you’ll always know what you have on hand.
What if you don’t have shelves, but freezer bins instead? You can easily clip them onto the bins as well. Then when the kiddos go to put things away, they know their Eggos go back to the bin labeled “frozen breakfast foods.” And if you are trying to create more space for frozen fish or a sale on your favorite cut of steak, consider hanging bags of frozen food from the wire racks. This trick is great if you have half-used bags of taquitos or corn and want to ensure they don’t spill all over the freezer creating even more chaos. This will also help save your frozen foods from freezer burn; so find your binder clips and start getting organized.
