How To Organize Recipes: Ideas From Readers For Hall of Fame

by Taylor @ Home Storage Solutions 101

Ever wondered how to organize recipes? Well, there are actually lots of different methods, and none of them are right, or wrong.

All that really matters is that the method you choose for yourself is easy to start, and then to maintain.

Below I've created this hall of fame, with pictures of readers organizational methods for cookbooks and recipes, that they've worked on as part of the Organize Recipes and Cookbooks Challenge.

If the ideas you see inspire you and you take on this project yourself, or you've got your own methods for organizing recipes that you want to share, I encourage you submit your tips and pictures to the Creative Storage Solutions and Home Organization Hall of Fame.

So, without further ado, scroll down to see all the pictures and ideas from readers as part of this Hall of Fame.

Photos from Lizi Beth

Tracey's Organized Recipe Binder

by Tracey

Tracey sent me this picture of her new recipe she did as part of the challenge about how to organize recipes. Doesn't it look great?

Tracey says:

I got it on Amazon. It's $22 and made by Galison. I just cut out recipes from my favorite cookbooks and tape them on the paper inserts (then it slides into a clear protector).

Taylor says:

Thanks for sharing your picture Tracey. I did a search on Amazon and found the binder you got (see the picture on the right).

Basically, this is one of many types of pre-made binders that you can buy if you don't want to create your own. The nice thing about this one, or similar pre-made binders, is they tend to already have the tabs created for you, with general categories of recipes, and come with page protectors, etc.

This is certainly one way to organize your recipes, or you can create your own binders or use a completely different method too. Below are even more examples and ideas.

Organizing Cookbook Shelf Plus Creating A Recipe Binder

by Crystal @ Crystal's Ramblings

Crystal from Crystal's Ramblings blogged about how to organize recipes, and shared her before and after pictures from this week's challenge.

She uses a small bookshelf in her kitchen (such as the ones below) to organize and store her cookbooks, and if you've got enough room this is a great solution. Then, the books are close at hand, when you need them, but aren't taking up valuable kitchen cabinet space.

In addition, you can choose to place the bookshelf somewhat far away from the stove and oven to lessen the likelihood of heat or humidity, or splattering grease, harming the books.

In addition, I think Crystal had some great advice about how to best use your recipe binder. She says:

as we use recipes that we like, I add them to my binder. You may even notice in this one below there is a little note that says, "Rebecca loves!" I also write notes to myself if I don't like a recipe. I usually do this in the actual cookbook itself.

I think really individualizing and personalizing your recipes is the best way to organize them. That's because food is such a personal matter, and everyone's tastes are different. The more you can remember who likes what, or tweaks to the recipe you've made to make it more to your family's liking, the more useful your recipes will be.

In addition, your organized recipes will eventually become a treasured family keepsake, reminding your family of how much you loved and cared for them with something as simple as the food served.

Creating A Recipe System For Tried And True Recipes And Those To Try

by Stephanie

Stephanie shared her picture on the Home Storage Solutions 101 Facebook wall.

Stephanie says:

Here is a picture of my new recipe system!!!! I love it!!!!

I should have taken a picture of before! But you probably can imagine what it used to look like!

I wanted to thank you for last weeks challenge of "Organizing your receipes". I finally stopped putting it off! My receipes are finally organized and planning my two week meal plan was so easy! Keep the challenges coming. I may finally get my household organized so I may better enjoy my family and life!!!!!!!!!

Taylor says:

Stephanie, your system looks wonderful!

I like that you have a recipe organization system which utilizes recipe cards, in a recipe box, for those recipes you've already tried and know your family likes.

In addition, I see you've taken my suggestion to create an easy to use binder system to hold the recipes you've still not tried yet, but want to.

Thanks so much for sharing your "after" picture, and keep up the great work!

Organizing Cookbooks And Recipes

by Bec @ 2012 - the year of challenges
(Adelaide, Australia)

Bec from 2012 - the year of challenges shared how she organized recipes on her blog post, as part of this week's challenge.

I like Bec's approach to this challenge. First, she gathered up all her cookbooks, which were scattered though out the house, and really thought about which ones she'd keep, and which she would give away.

In addition, she gathered all her loose recipes, such as from meal planning services and the Internet and put them into binders and folders, so they would all be in one location.

Since the end result was just a small amount of cookbooks and recipe binders she put them all in her kitchen, in a convenient location, so she could grab them easily for reference when she needed them.

Great job Bec!

Finally Organized My Recipes!

by Jackie
(Appleton, WI)

Jackie shared her technique for how to organize recipes, as part of this week's challenge.

Jackie says:

Thank you so much for the recipe challenge last week! I started that project over a year ago, and ever since they have been sitting in a bag in our office. I finally had the motivation to finish copying and sorting them into a binder.

I have sections for:

• Breakfast


• Soups, salads and sides


• Main dishes


• Sweets


• Dips, Appetizers, and Misc.; and


• Drinks

Within there, I put tabs on our family favorites so they are easier to find.

Main dishes were sorted with chicken together, fish, pork, etc.

I kept a pen and extra tabs with the binder for making notes and marking new favorites.

The dividers have pockets to stash new recipes in the right place until I can copy them and get them in the binder.

I also recycled about 8-10 cook books that had been handed down to me that I finally admitted I would never use. Feels great to finally have this done!!

Taylor says:

Thanks so much for sharing these great pictures with me Jackie.

I am especially loving your idea to use divider tabs with folder pockets in them! (such as the ones on the right). That's absolutely brilliant, and I can see how that would make it easier to save the recipes in the right spot until you had time to add them to the binder properly!

I also like how you've kept your supplies for your recipe binder close at hand so when you need to add a new recipe you can do it quickly and easily, without having to search throughout the house for the supplies. This, all by itself, should help you keep your recipes more organized from now on, since it will be easier to do the one recipe as it comes up.

Great job, and please send me more updates from other challenges when you've completed them too!

Are You Now Inspired From The Ideas In The How To Organize Recipes Hall Of Fame?

You've seen some great ideas and storage solutions from other readers who've taken the Organize Recipes and Cookbooks Challenge.

If what you've seen has inspired you I urge you to do the steps from the challenge yourself, and then share your before and after pictures with me for the Creative Storage Solutions and Home Organization Hall of Fame.

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