Recipe Organizer: How to Organize Recipes in a Binder

[@findingkelly]

I did this. I'm literally going to use this system for the rest of my life. It works so incredibly well.

[@Tregnier52]

I agree! I'm in my last year of medical school and am slowly getting organized so that I'll be more efficient as a doctor. I now enjoy organizing and am more on top of things. All of my friends are impressed. Thanks Alejandra!

[@krystal1722]

My bookmarks: • 1:25 - binder • 2:14 - Avery dividers • 2:50 - sections, 4x6 index cards, sheet protectors • 3:58 - sheet protector • 4:50 - Avery extra wide dividers • 6:50 - binder pocket Thank you!

[@rustybell2722]

I did something similar to this with my son's kids (8&10) when their parents got divorced. Their dad was not adept at cooking. We took the grandkids' favorite recipes (and I added a few of mine I knew he liked) and put them in a binder. Then when the kids spent the weekend at Dad's they would cook together. This was a good Father's Day gift that he still uses years later.

[@kaleis.2753]

Hey Alejandra, I am big on binders for organization! I learned from a friend that when you buy the sheet protectors & divider tabs, if you don't have extended divider tabs here is what you can do. Align your tabs up with your sheet protectors make a small cut in the sheet protector with scissors on each side where the divider tab lines up. Then place the scissors inside slit & cut along fold to the other side. Slide divider in newly adjusted sheet protector...Voila! I like to add paper in with it because I get the transparent dividers (the rounded tabs are more appealing to me ;-) . Also when your cutting be sure to align paper how it will fit inside & not by aligning the edges of the paper & sheet protector as the cut will not align when the paper is inserted ;-) . Hope this helps!

[@KansasGrammy]

I've done something similar, but I also included a section with "helps" with info like safe cooking temps for meat, conversions for metric, substitution lists, freezer storage info, etc. I have been amazed with how often I use this section, and how often my husband uses it as well.

[@helenshields9279]

Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos. You are very natural and have a lovely voice, You have also give lots of helpful hints re organizing my own life. Thank you.

[@RealOrganized]

I know right. She is so "real". :) She has definetly been an inspiration in our channel. Great video.

[@RosiesCottageBlog]

I had huge collection of recipes in poly pockets & folders and I too had books kept for one or two recipes, taking up a lot of space. I've scanned the recipes I want to keep and then recycle binned all the clippings as they are scanned, and donated the recipe books to our local charity shop. The scanned recipes are then sorted into folders (deserts, main meals, starters, occassions ie: christmas etc) in a designated USB flash drive :) Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas, you're amazing!

[@kj7653]

Thanks for the info on the extra wide dividers.

[@kelseyjones4309]

The way you color code things makes a lot of sense to me, like I always think of yellow for the kitchen, blue for bathrooms, brown for bedrooms and personally i like reds and oranges in the living/ dining rooms. I love your videos! You remind me of my best friend from high school to a T, even the way you cup your hands! It's weird lol. Please keep making the videos!

[@briannaconnelly1603]

Hey subscribe please

[@roadaroom386]

brianna connelly To who?

[@betsycosmos7786]

I liked this a lot. I had started a handwritten book several years ago (just bought one of those journals) but even when I was 100% sure it was a good recipe, sometimes all of a sudden my husband would say he didn't like it. Then I have to put a slash across the page. Plus, I make mistakes when I write, so it's not always that neat. You've inspired me to go with this approach and then Goodwill will be happy to have my old recipe books and my kitchen bookshelf can house pretty kitchen bling! Thanks so much, Alejandra!

[@wolfsangeleyes]

Talk about good timing. I'm currently rearranging my kitchen cabinets and came across a lot of recipe books and loose recipes that i barely use but hate to throw out. This will be so helpfull and i also like the idea of having the warranty's in the same binder. Thank you very much for showing this.

[@BubblezFly803]

It'a good that you chose yellow as your recipe binder. The colour yellow brightens your feelings, that's why some houses the kitchens are painted yellow, to brighten up their mood before starting the day :)

[@sandymcclay9739]

Just got the dividers and the pages....waiting on binders! Making 3 for my sons. Love this idea!

[@debrtx]

Great idea! Thanks for the heads up on the Extra Wide Dividers. This is my next project for the summer. I also have a binder full of various recipes, but it needs to be cleaned up & purged. I think this would also make a great bridal gift, of course mostly empty for the bride to fill up with her favorite recipes.

[@ladoctoralola]

I just wanted to thank you for all of these great ideas. Watching your videos and applying your ideas to my home is just so relaxing and useful. I'm moving with my boyfriend in november, and you're making it so easy to get the house ready so we are more efficient. We are doctors, so we study lots of hours a day and we really needed help to make the domestic stuff faster. Now we'll have more time for ourselves. Thank you Alejandra. XOXO from Spain

[@deannam3009]

When I am feeling really organized I pull out the recipes I am going to make each week and put them in the front of the book. That way I can dinner plan (at least) and shop accordingly. When I make the recipe that week, I re-file it.

[@sellyourhomenowbook]

I love this!

[@RealOrganized]

It is a really nice binder for sure. Super organized. Until resently I used to have a my recipes in a few different places (binder, cookbooks, pinterest, myrecipes.Com) and it worked OK. But then I discovered a meal planning/recipe app that allowed me to enter my own recipes AND import them from online. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! My husband seriously caught me giggling as I was descovering all its features! I'm never going back! Haha

[@Woodworkjunkie]

Love you his idea!! Thanks for sharing!!!! 👍🏿👍🏿😁

[@anniegriffiths4288]

If can't find extra wide pockets you can put a divider in a normal pocket and you can cut a slit in the side and pop out the tap then you have an extra wide divider

[@Yanecita1986]

Hi Alejandra, I love, love, love your organizing tips. You have inspired me to reorganize my house and install funtional systems everywhere. Anyway, I wanted to share an idea of something I do with the issue of the dividers and sheet covers. An alternate solution is to place the dividers inside a plastic sheet cover, measure and mark where the tab will be coming out from. Then I make a small incision with the scissor or razer where the tab should go out and this allows the tab to stick out and

[@bakeladybake9302]

Hi Alejandra, I just placed an order with Amazon for the Avery extra wide ready index dividers I also have a 2- inch Staples better binder in the color green. When I think of the kitchen I think of the color green, so I got a green binder and I love it. Thanks for the great idea :)

[@barbvogel8677]

Great idea! I will revamp my system now and will add one thing. To ensure all the cooks in the family put the recipes back into the correct place, I will label each recipe according to the section it belongs in. I am notorious for not replacing the ones I have used and usually end up stashing in the front of the binder. Thanks again for your excellent recipe organizing. 😊

[@Thenebraskahanger]

Hi. I am so glad I found your KZbin page. I have a small house and find it so hard to be organized ect. I also have been trying several methods for my receipes and it still ends up being a mess. Thank you for all your great ideas !!!!

[@wendyp8488]

Thank you for sharing this. I also got rid of my cook books as I find I only look up recipes on the internet when I want to cook. This is helpful to store the favourites that I print.

[@irenegarcia5429]

This is a great idea. I have all my printed out recipes from the internet just shoved inside a cookbook in my kitchen cabinet. I am definitely trying this!! I learned that lesson about the color-coded labels getting covered by the sheet protectors, so what I did was insert my paper in the sheet protector and then cutting off the part that has the binder holes and then just adding my own holes with the 3-hole puncher. This was it's still in the protector, but it's not as wide so you can still see the tabs! The extra wide are a good idea too!

[@somerlyn98]

This video is just in time. I'm in the middle of sorting through all my cut-out recipes and had no idea how or where to store the. I will be making a trip to Office Max (only office supply store in our town) for supplies. Now I can't wait to do this project that I was dreading.

[@gerberagirl5]

Alejandra, I meant to ask you what label maker do you use? I looked on you favorite tools list and didn't see it. I love your recipe book. You are truly and inspiration!

[@Judy4903]

Really like your recipe organizing ideas. I am a chef and have a ton of recipes...and the details you show are perfect. Thank you.

[@Gaomulan]

I like your Recipe binder idea, I am recently diagnosed with gluten intolerance and I plan to put favorite Gluten free recipes in one binder. Enjoyed your KZbin channel.

[@klkriege]

Finally! I've been stalling to create binders for months because of the divider/page protector issue. Going to order those extra wide dividers right now! Love your videos! They are so inspiring!

[@georgeswales782]

Thank you for this simple and easy system of recipe management. I am somewhat new to the kitchen and am moving toward taking over as my wife's Alzheimer's advances. This system satisfies my type-A/slightly OCD style easily.

[@T3COLY]

I love this idea ! One of the things on my vision board this year is make a recipe book and you helped me get started . Thank you so much. The only thing I would be adding is a picture of the dish 😋 Thank you again love ❤️

[@JHCWillis]

I bought one of those binder pockets for our home school binder. I LOVE them they work for so many things. Thanks for sharing

[@candym27]

I had the same idea, but was unsure how to execute. Thanks Alejandra for sharing. I can't wait to do this.

[@dancingwannabe100]

Great Video. I actually found the extra wide dividers in Officeworks in Sydney. I have used them to help my mum organise her unmounted stamps. They are fantastic. Love the idea. Now I have an excuse to get rid of all of those extra recipe books that I never use as well...

[@malabooluvu]

Where do you find good recipes to print off line ? Love this binder ideas! You inspire me to get organized!!!

[@aprilbowen5166]

I loove your ideas!! Ive been "bindering" all sorts of stuff for the last two yrs and it is an awesome way to stay organized. Especially in a time crunch!! I subscribed as I bet you ll have loads of more fun n creative ideas. Thank you, for showing this busy mommie that im a great track to staying organized!!! Great Job!!

[@DeniseOBerry]

Great way to organize all those recipes that can get really unwieldy at times. It's very cool that the office supply store has so much neat stuff to help you sort this out. Thanks for sharing your method!

[@sherryshell55]

Thank you for sharing this!! One of my goals for 2013 is to organize my recipes and I've been trying to decide what type of system to use, I think this one would be perfect for me. I always get sooooo much from you videos!

[@robind7421]

Hi Alejandra, Your are an answer to my prayers (seriously) I just loved your video I have purchased the items you mentioned online and can't wait to start saving our favorite recipes in the binders and clearing out my cookbooks. Thanks so much!

[@pcking2008]

Perfect! Thanks for sharing the Extra Wide divider brand. I made a binder of my Top Secret recipes from Angel's Bistro and put regular dividers but my sheet protectors overlap them thus I can't see the number. Excellent! Alejandra I appreciate your video. Ima a guy that loves to cook and bake from scratch Angel from The Bay

[@Stephjam63]

Really good ideas for creating a custom recipe book! Wish I found this video when I started to organize my recipes a few months ago, it would have saved me a lot of time and trouble. I've got the Staple's big binder (green); the Office Depot Heavyweight sheet protectors; and just received the Avery 10 Tab Extra Wide Dividers from Amazon. Now I'm just trying to decide on the 10 Categories for the Table of Contents which is how I accidentally ended up here. Anyway, great job! Thanks

[@francineporter4128]

thank you!! i was so bummed because i did just what Alejandra did..just happened to look at your comment and you saved me a bit of money!! thanks! YES, her videos are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@XxBeautyfiedLovexX]

Hi Alejandra! I just wanted to say that you are my favorite organizing guru on here. I'm about to be a first time mom and am very passionate about my day planner but to stay more organized, I'd like to know if you carry a day planner and what you put in it. I need help staying motivated to use mine so that I'm more organized when baby gets here!

[@DarkMoonDroid]

How'd the organization thing with kids work out?

[@nellieluvs0509]

Hi! I found that the index dividers with pockets sold at target work just as well. They are long enough to extend over the sheet protectors. Time and money savings !

[@twopeasonaspoon]

Paprika is the BEST digital recipe app EVER! I just went to all recipes, found your fav banana bread recipe, and with 1 click it is now on my iPad AND my MacBook to make anytime I want! I was even able to add the extra ingredients you have written on your sheet very quickly & easily! Do you drizzle the butter/brown sugar before or after baking?

[@melissaespinoza4997]

Glad I saw this before I started my recipe binder :) Thanks, Alejandra

[@787Carlota1]

Thanks for sharing all these tips. I love your videos! Great job. These videos are for those people that really want to be organized in their life. Its worthy!

[@SD-qv4ro]

Great ideas. Thanks!

[@TonyHickschick]

I love your idea. I also only use a few recipes per books and since you can get so many recipes on line, it seems unnecessary to have books anyway. For these reasons I am going to make a recipe binder like yours.

[@ODEY-G0]

ANOTHER awesome video!!! I picked up two more binders today..4 colours in total now l=)I was so happy to see they have the extra wide,I saw that lady do a video response on your site regarding the dividers and she experienced the same thing I did awhile back! Thank you for the info!Tip re. Avery cover page.Why not cut out the holed edge and slip the page into a heavy duty sheet protector and label on the sheet protector? That way you can rip the label off easy and re label or toss and restart!

[@Yanecita1986]

message continued... Then I make a small incision with the scissor or razer where the tab should go and this allows the tab to stick out and be seen. It works wonderfully because I am then able to see the dividers and the tabs and best of all the dividers are protected as well. Hope this helps.

[@smartkylie123]

Thanks for the great idea, I tend to have dozens of cook books with flagged recipes and generally looking untidy. So now they are all in one binder with all of them in, just need to get more dividers because well there are more categories than I realised!!!!!!!!

[@angelangethe4409]

This was really useful - getting to organize my recipe's . I love all your video's very practical and fun to do

[@sammybowen111]

Alejandra, you are fabulous and I love your videos. I have a suggestions you might find useful for ideas on your next youtube video - organizing a business plan! I am thinking of starting my own business and would love some tips on how to organize all the information and research collected...............What do you think? Can't wait for your next video - much love from Australia!! xo

[@sandyfischl4004]

Just finished my binder today. Love it Love it Love it. Wish I could share a picture of it.

[@breezesimpson5396]

VFCRDFTH

[@MsSassyMT]

This is so much better than what I have been using.

[@StephA322]

I love those dividers too. I've been using them for years and really enjoy them! Great videos as always!

[@joelmichener8438]

For further references of that table of contents instead of waisting labels go to the website Avery witch makes those tabs and you can customize one and print it out !!!!!

[@breaktime5926]

I just got my Avery extra wide dividers..I'm so happy..u gave very nice tip.

[@aspiringmuslimah]

Hello.. i want to create and follow your way of organizing recipes. However I am having a hard time finding on your link which binder you used. Can u please write here? I found the extrawide dividers:) Thanks!!

[@Lesley1000]

You could take the recipe out of the binder and use a fridge magnet on something. I do this, but it depends if you have an extractor hood cos I put mine on this then its just at the right height for me see and it keeps clean with the sheet protector. I just wipe it down and put it back in the binder when Ive finished. hope this helps:)

[@witzken1]

Awesome idea! I use a binder too, but I love the indexed divider idea. Do you have a menu planning system that you like for keeping track of meals/grocery lists for the week? I would love to see that!

[@coindawg]

you can find the extra wide avery ready index dividers at staples i think or just the normal avery ready index dividers

[@bevann8624]

Good organizing tip, especially for new cooks. I have been doing this so long that I now have categories broken down for a total of 7 binders . Since this video is 5 years old, by now you may have started to break yours down too. :)

[@MrBeezydidi]

This will be very helpful to collate all the recipes under 1 book. Thanks for the vid! I'm gonna start doing this.

[@Mhairitschka]

Request please :) To-do lists :) What is your system? I know you have the wall o'post it notes, but do you ever list things, etc?

[@lovekikuevideos]

I love this video and how you organized everything and gave us tips on what worked and what didn't work. I was wondering though, what's the difference between your other sections (i.e. sea food and pastas) vs. the MAIN DISH section? Just wondering what would be considered in the MAIN DISH section vs the others.

[@TheScruz8611]

I like to type out things I look up all the time like temperatures and time conversions from slow cooker to instant pot etc. and add it to my recipe book in the back for easy access.

[@maslegris495]

Well done! very organised and thank you for sharing your ideas.

[@DebThomas]

I am attempting a HUGE project of a recipe box from my son's grandmother as a wedding gift for my son and his wife to be. He cherishes this old Betty Crocker recipe box but some of the recipes are on very fragile paper and I want to preserve the original recipes because they are handwritten. I love your binder idea and would like to have links to what you use. Could you include them in your video?

[@KristenMajetich]

I love this! Thank you! Could you make (or do you have) a video talking about the binder that you keep on your desk? I think its your routine binder? Please and thank you! PS You have given me the power to be organized!!!

[@anja5686]

+Kristen Majetich In her video "How to organize your desk" she shows her desk binder and what lists and routines she has in the binder. You could look at that video :)

[@mouzanalnuaimi]

After this video I will create a binder instead of my recipes box.. thanks you rock :)

[@cecibeck]

What inch binder did you get? Is it big enough? 3" or 2" or 1.5 " ???

[@Lacoux]

I use Evernote for my recipes. I can pull any recipe from the internet and categorize it inside of Evernote. Everynote is viewable on iphones and Ipads, so you can look it up on the go and offline. I'm going to try out Ziplist. It basically takes recipes from online and then add those ingredients to a grocery list for you.

[@Mish4Mello]

i love baking more so than cooking too :) i need to organize my recipes like this! you are making me itch to move out and get a house of my own, but alas, i am but a college student on a very low budget. haha. someday soon...thanks for sharing your great organizing ideas.

[@zhongyuqing]

And I love almost all the video.here. I think they are all the wisdom of live a quality life. It is a way to love life and love yourself.

[@TheMyameeGirl]

Hi Kristen. I'm not sure if this is how she separated her recipes, but the way I am doing it is meat/chicken would would just be single meat recipes, such as a teriyaki chicken or a steak done a certain way...under main dish I have things like Lasagna or casseroles, something that is substantial enough to eat on it's own. With meat or chicken you usually have something else with it. It's not a meal on its own. Not sure if this helps, but thought I would respond. Cheers!

[@ibtravelin84]

Love it! Would also love to see how you accomplish meal planning.

[@partheniafayne9426]

OH MY GOD!!! Extra wide dividers!!! GREAT tip!!

[@sherlockholmes242]

=455

[@TheKeeperMadz]

Thank you for this, the thing is with online its easier but not optimal so this is nice.

[@acajudi100]

I just love you, and I want to be like you, when I grow up! I am only 70 now! lol I cook from off the top of my head, or I go to YT. Excellent videos and thank you.

[@MsStenofairy]

Lol, Mdlle Tatty. I get excited, too. It's like Christmas for me. Keep them coming, Alejandra. Every video you post is useful. I am really excited about this recipe binder. I have been printing and gathering my recipes all day. Where did you buy the sheets/dividers with the extra tab above. I really need that. I think I missed it. Thanks.

[@emmab2026]

Alejandra, I keep looking at all you're trick's and don't know in what room to start.. i'm moving.. school.. and living in this room with binders, and boxes with SOOOOO much supplies.. wanna help me ? ( CANADA STUDENT ) love yr channel!

[@tee978]

Love the video! Making this for my Mom for Christmas this year! Only thing is I still cannot find the brand of the sheet protectors with the top fold. I see they're by Office Depot, but do you know their exact name?

[@sandraperdomo79]

I really love this idea thanks for the divider tip I got them at amazon , need to do this asap , I have tons of recipes and is hard to keep track of the good ones

[@perriwinkle79]

Thanks for sharing your ideal, I love it! I love to use office supplies, and was looking for a way to start putting recipes that I will use together. Keep up the good work....

[@Melodie1960]

Thanks for the tip for the wide separators ! For the recipe cards have you thought of making some on your computer and printing them? I think that's what I would do because I'm super picky !

[@indigokids88]

Love it ❤❤

[@azhanzhn]

I LOVE THOSE SHEET PROTECTORS TOO! I got a pack of i think 20 for the same price of a single pack at Walmart and they were also extra wide. I think the pack should last me till high school. ^^ Im in 7th grade right now

[@mayata2915]

I think I'm going to have to show my mom this video. She has a bunch of overstuffed recipe boxes and we've always assumed it was the only way to organize... Thanks for opening my eyes:0)

[@Portugueserose]

Love the idea but was wondering what you do with recipes that you've found but haven't had a chance to try yet? Do you print them or keep them on computer in file? Really curious to know! Thanks for another great video!

[@likeamusicalride]

try Rifle Paper Co- they have really cute recipe cards! or etsy!

[@KzooDOC]

I use photo album filler pages (the kind where you peel the plastic back and arrange your photos). I type my recipes and put them on the photo pages. This way, because there is cardboard in the page, I can stand the individual page up in my iPad stand while I'm cooking.

[@sandrabillings5810]

what type of label maker do you use?

[@joannezecher1100]

Excellent video and great ideas! Thank you!!! You showed that second binder (the one with the shorter tabs). What do you keep in that one?

[@Roflmeowkitteh]

Your videos are awesome. I'm always organizing everything and these are very helpful. :) I loved your tea organizer video, I had no idea they made those until I saw your video. I have to go get me a couple now instead of using the tea boxes. :)

[@HannaDrzewucka]

I have made your quiz... You save my life.. I was in a depression from overwhelming... now I see the hope... vent not... I see the action :o

[@g00thier]

Real life Monica Geller

[@princeofdarknessxyz1]

I Know

[@hackingdevil2003]

So true

[@DarkMoonDroid]

[@lifewithbilbo7189]

And look a lil alike tho