Organizing Your Kitchen with Vision Loss: Taming the Freezer

A freezer is great for storing food until you need it—but without a system, it can become a cave of frozen mysteries. Here are some helpful strategies to keep it organized and accessible, so you can find what you want, when you want it.

7 Tips for Managing Your Freezer with Vision Loss

1. Group similar foods. One handy method is to keep all the vegetables on one shelf, meats on another, desserts in a different area, and so on. 
2. Create meal kits. Another approach is to group related foods—like meatballs and spaghetti sauce—so they’re ready to go. Try large zip-top bags, or tie things together with elastic, which lasts longer in the freezer than rubber bands.
3. Be consistent. Put the same foods in the same place every time—for example, ground turkey on the right, ground beef on the left—so it’s easier to grab what you need. 
4. Swap out boxes for bags. Many foods are easier to tell apart by touch when they’re stored in a bag. For example, fish sticks feel different from chicken nuggets.
5. Label everything. Index cards and a dark marker are great for large print labels to attach with freezer tape or elastic. Reusable braille freezer labels are also handy—and audio labels like WayAround tags or Pen Friend labels can include cooking instructions and expiration dates. For more ideas on labeling, try these tutorials.
6. Keep an inventory list on your phone or using a digital assistant like Alexa—or post a list on the door in braille or large print. It helps you track what’s stored and cut down on forgotten [MM1] items and duplicate purchases. Using headers like “Veggies” and “Juice” makes it easier to scan line by line—or try separate lists for each category.
7. Create a personal space. If other members of your household aren’t sticking to the system, reserve a bin or a shelf to keep your special foods organized—like your favorite ice cream. 

With a little planning and a few tools, your freezer can be neat and organized—instead of a frozen guessing game.

Connect with others with vision loss

Join What’s Cooking, Hadley’s monthly discussion group where you can learn kitchen tips and techniques, and share your own.

More practical help

Check out our workshop on Organizing Your Kitchen, part of the Organizing Your Home series.

Coping with Vision Loss

Debra Erickson of The Blind Kitchen YouTube channel shares her journey and her favorite kitchen tips in the Hadley Presents podcast episode In the Kitchen with Vision Loss.

What are your favorite strategies for organizing the freezer?