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#Recipe #Organization (Part 1): How to Organize Printed Recipes!

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RecipeOrganizationTips

In addition to my cookbook addiction and my big card file box of handwritten (or cut and pasted) recipes, you should see the millions of bookmarks, my new Pinterest account, my kid friendly recipes index, emails, and folders on my computer.  I was starting to get a bit frazzled and figured I couldn’t be the only one. 

With the Holidays coming up, I need to be able to put my hands on certain recipes pretty quickly.  So, I went to the experts to find their best tips and products for taking control of the recipes and getting a system that I can actually use!  My inbox flooded within hours of asking and the tips are phenomenal. 

Michelle Morton* says she simply uses 3-ring binders to organize all of her printed recipes She was even kind enough to share a few pictures with us.  Michelle says that her binders only hold recipes that she has tried and approved.  Now, that makes sense.  I could see me spending hundreds of dollars on getting my recipes all printed out and being in the same fix I am in now. Smile

Recipe Organization 1

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Melinda Massie*, on the other hand, doesn’t try them before putting into a binder, but she only has ONE binder.  Her system seems pretty reasonable, too:

When the binder gets full, I don’t get a second binder. I weed through the recipes and remove anything that I haven’t tried yet and most likely won’t make. Also, if I try a recipe and don’t like it, it doesn’t get returned to the binder.

Oh, isn’t that smart?  I am not sure I could get all of my recipes into one binder, though.

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Elizabeth Pitts didn’t talk about tearing recipes from magazines or printing them from your computer, but her tip really struck a chord with me!

Instead of meticulously copying a new recipe onto a recipe card, write the name of the dish, the book or magazine title, and any other reference information, then file in a decorative recipe box. Organize the cards just as you would actual recipes.

I have a really pretty recipe box and I try to keep recipes in it that we actually use.  But, when I go through my periods of wanting to try new things, I get behind on copying recipes to my recipe cards.  Or sometimes, I run out of cards and get behind before I can get to the store to get new ones.  How smart to make a note within the card box, binder, email, or other program of a recipe that lives elsewhere!?

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The response was so awesome that this one post just turned into a month-long recipe organization series.  Stay tuned for the coming posts on how to organize your recipes(will link as they go live):

  • Part 2:  How to Organize Digital Recipes!
  • Part 3: How to Organize Hand-Written Recipes!
  • Part 4: How to Organize All Your Recipes!

    How do you handle your printed recipes?

*SOURCES:

Michelle Morton: Michelle Morton is a DIY Mompreneur who wants to help others find that balance of being organized, living simpler and making the time to achieve their personal and professional goals. With humor, style and a special savvy for decluttering, Michelle will share her simple tips on conquering chaos, saving you space, time and money –TODAY. Michelle has been featured in several national magazines, online journals, and is always enthusiastic in her mission to teach others that YOU can do it for yourself too!

Melinda Massie: Melinda Massie is the owner of Organizing with a Side of Fabulous. If your home is a hot mess of clutter, she’ll help you take control over it and make it fabulous. If you’ve got a "before" in need of an "after," you’ve come to the right place.

Elizabeth Pitts: Elizabeth Flanders Pitts,  Distinctive-Decor, LLC

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Elizabeth

Wednesday 5th of October 2011

Thanks for the mention! Great information here.

Kelli

Wednesday 5th of October 2011

TY for the tips, Elizabeth!