When the bulbs freeze, they stop the rooting process. Lots of people try to force bulbs this way, but very few succeed. Usually the basement isn't reliably cold enough and the garage fluctuates between being too warm and too cold, resulting in bulbs that send up undeveloped blooms. All this means is that the first few weeks of chilling have already taken place before you buy the bulbs. This does not mean you can force them without the cold period, but they should root out 2-4 weeks earlier.
Some varieties are much better to force than others and it is usually marked on the packages.
Generally, the best varieties for forcing are the ones that are early and short. Blooming dates and chilling dates vary too much between bulbs. Planters that you see with crocus, daffs, tulips and muscari blooming at the same time have been put together at the last minute with individually forced bulbs. If you don't mind the crocus blooming first and then the tulips or daffs, you can plant them together and chill the grouping for the longest time required for any of the bulbs. Pot the bulbs in clean containers using a good potting soil.