Friday, March 5, 2010

How do YOU organize your Recipes??


I have had a problem lately and it has to do with all my recipes

They are starting to show up everywhere in many different forms and a very unorganized manner-
and I 'm getting sick of it

I have many great recipe books that I cook from all the time (this one especially-seriously the best- EVERY recipe is fabulous)
 along with some recipes cards on a flip book my mom gave me

plus a three ring binder with sheet protectors that I started to put all my recipes I printed off the internet
(but they are just pilling high on top it now)
then an occasionaly clip out from a magazine
oh and I almost forget the little recipe box that holds some cards

Seriously, it's a mess and driving me crazy!!

So I am just wondering how you organize your recipes??
What do you do with recipes you get off the internet??
Any fun/creative way of storing them??
I really wanna know!!

I will try and post some ideas I have received and how I went about organizing them all soon!!

ps- you wondering where all the St Patricks ideas are that I promised I would post....
well they are coming. I was picked to be a guest blogger here and my post (which may or may not be all about St Patricks Day) will be posted on March 11th. SO stay tuned!!

2 comments:

  1. Really, there's no one method that works for everyone, but I'll share what I do so you can think about it. I'm with you - I get so many random recipes from all over that it was difficult to find a really structured way to organize them. I have tons I've printed off the internet a few random recipe cards / pamphlets, books etc. So, what works for me is a relatively lax organization system - there are just too many variables to have something really structured. I have 2 large accordian files (about 9in x 12in) that I put all my recipes in. I have about 20 different categories (a little too many in my opinion, sometimes it's hard to decide where stuff goes). And I just stick everything in the files - whether they're on 3x5 cards, notepads, post-its, full pages, magazines, whatever - they all just go in their respective section. That way I don't have to re-copy things onto matching cards (and squishing things when the recipe is too long) or cutting and taping magazine recipes onto cards etc. I tried to have a more structured and organized system, but for me it just didn't work - I spent so much time creating and maintaining it that I never felt like I got a payout from having things organized. But, with the way I do it now, I don't stress over the perfection because I can still find my recipes easily (more so, because I remember what all the random ones look like and can find them easily). I do have to flip through every recipe in a section when I'm looking for one, which isn't ideal, but in my opinion I spend less time doing that than I did trying to have the perfect (and pretty) recipe organization. Also, I've decided that there are so many recipes that we love, if I try one that's just ok, I don't keep it - I found I never make it again and it just sits in my file taking up space and wasting my time. So, only keep recipes that you LOVE. Wow, how's that for a discourse ;) Good Luck!

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  2. I like the idea of an accordion file. I have a box that I love but also have a bunch that I have printed off the computer. I might have to get an accordion for the ones that are not ready to be transferred to cards.

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