I love it when one single project allows you to accomplish two goals. I fondly call these projects organizing two-for-ones: two tangible benefits for the price of one organizing project! This week’s organizing two-for-one is to create a three-ring binder, loaded with your favorite healthy recipes. If you’ve resolved to eat healthier or to lose a few pounds, this simple project will help reenergize your health goals while also eliminating a common source of paper clutter. How great is that? (Don’t you see why I just love these organizing two-for-ones?)
1. Select and categorize.
Pull out your collection of loose recipes you’ve gotten from friends, family, or magazines. Decide which recipes to put in your binder—those that will help you accomplish your health goals and are tried-and-true favorites. Categorize your recipes into groupings that make sense to you. You could categorize by main ingredient, such as chicken, vegetarian, or beef; or you could categorize by type of dish (main dish, side dish), or meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Simply choose categories that make sense to you.
2. Assemble your binder.
Label binder tabs with your categories, and then slide your recipes into sheet protectors to keep your recipes free from spills and other midstream cooking messes. Use the front pocket of your binder (or add a pocket folder) to stash recipes you’d like to try.
3. Use your binder.
This is the fun part. Won’t it be great to have quick and easy access to all your favorite healthy recipes? When you’re making your grocery list, pull out your binder and make a list of upcoming meals and recipes to prepare. Add the ingredients to your list shopping list and you’re good to go! Organizing two-for-one accomplished!
What’s your favorite way to organize recipes? I’d love to read about it in the comments below!
Happy organizing!
P.S. If you’re ready to start your journey to a life free from paper clutter and the stress it creates, hurry on in to my Organize Your Paper Clutter online class. This self-paced online class shows you how to organize every type of paper in your home, eliminate clutter, stress and worry.
I use three-ring binders with “magnetic” photo album pages and extra-wide index dividers to corral and sort my snipped recipes. For recipes written front-and-back on index cards, I use a plastic canvas recipe box my late aunt made me. (I admit, I do love having these handwritten artifacts!)
One thing any paper system lacks, though, is the ability to search. So, one of my “to-do list bingo” tasks (thanks, Janine!) is to upload recipes into my recipe box at my favorite recipe website. That way, I can use their search engine features on my personal collection as well as theirs, making it easier to find recipes that fit my time or the ingredients at hand.
Thanks for your comment Linda. Great ideas! And I’m so excited that you’re using Janine’s to-do list bingo system!
~Aby
This is a great idea. I have two big binders of Portuguese recipes and they are just laying there I’m going to try this idea. Also all my Food Network magazines. Thanks