I went through and removed recipes I have tried and didn’t like and recipes that I have never made and decided I never would actually make. Also I added to the binder the recipes that I had loose in the front pocket.
Here is an example of a recipe collected several years ago. At the time, I thought I would like to make it but today, I realize I’ll never make beef tenderloin steaks with shitake mushroom sauce (because of cost and other factors). It was purged from the binder.
After she removed unwanted recipes, she tackled the front pocket of the binder which had become a catch all for unsorted recipes.
The front pouch of the binder overflowed with recipes that either needed to be added to the binder, taste tested, or just tossed.
I also wanted to make sure all recipes were in page protectors so they could stay neater.
- add to the binder- ones that I’ve tried and liked
- toss- didn’t try and will not try
- need to try
- need to type up- (currently scribbled on a piece of paper) and then added to binder.
45 minutes later, Natalie’s once beautiful binder was now not only more beautiful but also more functional and organized!!
Now it is more streamlined; just like cleaning out a closet and removing the clothes that you never wear. This is going to make it easier for me to go in and find the recipe I want or at least browse and find something good that I actually want to make!
Her recipe binder had an amazing foundation and just needed a little tune up to make it flawless! I also love that her recipe binder now reflects her current tastes.
Just like purging your clothes of items that no longer suit you; throwing out a recipe that might have seemed like a good idea at the time but now feels stale can be freeing. You are making more room in your life for things that you will actually use and enjoy… more space for living!
Do you have any systems that you tweaked that ended up making a big difference? Is there a project you need help finding a system for? Share away!
