Our small upright freezer in the laundry room is not the self-defrosting kind. This one has been around a long time and has served it's purpose well. (I must say nice things about it or it will clonk out tomorrow, you know). After a month or so of scraping ice off each package I took out of the freezer, I decided it was time to tackle the job.
I unplugged the freezer, took everything out and put in three coolers. I discarded the out of date items but left a few burger packs out to fry up for Fox, our doggie. He doesn't mind a little freezer burn and he has no idea it's been in the freezer hiding behind the frozen pizzas since December 2009.
Next came the defrosting part. I have used a hairdryer in the past but that's tedious having to stand there chipping away, so I pulled out an electric heater from winter storage and plugged it in while putting large pans and trays on the racks and in the bottom to catch the melting ice. I came back about 45 minutes later and used a spatula to scrape the remaining ice - very easy to get off. Then thoroughly drying the inside of the freezer with a towel, I plugged it back in. Things we use most frequently went on the top rack. Here was the end result:
I don't have a lot left in there, but at least I can find what I want. One of the best end results was that I found some frozen blackberries from last summer's harvest and I made a fabulous two crust blackberry pie.
See - there's little added perks from getting organized! So now, go clean out your freezer! Have a great day.
I unplugged the freezer, took everything out and put in three coolers. I discarded the out of date items but left a few burger packs out to fry up for Fox, our doggie. He doesn't mind a little freezer burn and he has no idea it's been in the freezer hiding behind the frozen pizzas since December 2009.
Next came the defrosting part. I have used a hairdryer in the past but that's tedious having to stand there chipping away, so I pulled out an electric heater from winter storage and plugged it in while putting large pans and trays on the racks and in the bottom to catch the melting ice. I came back about 45 minutes later and used a spatula to scrape the remaining ice - very easy to get off. Then thoroughly drying the inside of the freezer with a towel, I plugged it back in. Things we use most frequently went on the top rack. Here was the end result:
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| We've been eating all winter on that wonderful frozen shrimp that we bought off of a shrimp boat last fall ( containers in the middle of the top shelf). Also frozen baggies of flounder and black bass we caught on my brother-in-law's boat is on the left. Peaches frozen last August that were hidden behind a large pizza box from a school fundraiser. |
I don't have a lot left in there, but at least I can find what I want. One of the best end results was that I found some frozen blackberries from last summer's harvest and I made a fabulous two crust blackberry pie.
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| You can tell it was good - it's half gone! |
See - there's little added perks from getting organized! So now, go clean out your freezer! Have a great day.
I enjoyed reading your blog ~ thanks for posting such useful content.
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