Ask the Expert

Q: My freezer is always a piled up mess. I can never find anything. What can I do?

A: You're not alone. The standard freezer is difficult to organize because it has no (or few) shelves. But the good news is you can create your own shelving system. Just buy a plastic wire rack -- the kind you ordinarily get for cabinets -- and place in your freezer. You'll instantly have more surface area to utilize! Another strategy is to put food in large plastic storage containers and stack in rows. Stay organized by labeling each with the freeze date and identify its contents -- chicken, beef, vegetables, ready-made dinners, and so on. This will keep you from having to search for an item that's all the way in the back by moving -- or knocking over or dropping on your foot -- a bunch of other items along the way.

Donna Smallin, Organizing Strategist, is the author of Cleaning Plain & Simple, The One-Minute Organizer, Organizing Plain & Simple, Unclutter Your Home, and 7 Simple Steps to Unclutter Your Life.