I am a binder queen. I keep binders for many different areas of my life: recipes, finances, workouts. They keep me organized and sane in the areas of my life where I could easily lose all sense of control.
My recipe binder is a very important part of my kitchen. It is full of recipes from magazines, friends, and online that I have collected over the years. Some people keep their recipes on the computer, but I prefer my binder with its well-used, splattered pages. The first page in the binder is a master list of my family’s favorite, quick fix, healthy meals.
My financial binder holds my monthly to-do list, my yearly goals, our Family Balance Sheet, our family budget, and our business budget and statistics.
I keep separate binders for our Business Expenses & Statements, Business Taxes, Health Savings Account, Retirement, my passwords (with alphabet tabs), and Workouts.
PK (pre-kids), I trained and competed in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. I am as slow as molasses, but I really had a blast and took my training seriously. Remember, it was before kids, so I had loads of time to train and workout. This year, I am contemplating running a half-marathon this year, so I got out my Training binder. I use this binder to store training plans, articles, and my training calendar.
I had to chuckle when I saw my training calendar from 2004, the year before our first daughter was born. I wrote “Loser” on June 24 and the funny thing is I remember doing it. I totally blew off my workout that day.
Aside from the large 4 inch binder for our office expenses, I haven’t spent a fortune on these books. They were all bought during the back-to-school promotions at Staples or Office Max for about $1 each. I am a bit obsessive about them being all white. I find it visually calming. But I have seen a variety of binders at yard sales and thrift stores for pocket change.
Do you use binders to stay organized? Let us know in the comments.
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I’ve also got a home decorating binder for paint samples and future furniture purchases
I use a binder to keep track of our monthly budgets..I like doing it on paper rather than on the computer. I also have my passwords and such in a file in that binder. As well as any ongoing projects….
I have been meaning to get a binder for my recipes. I currently have them in a folder from my home-ec days in high school (1994 or so).
I love the different binders you have in place!
🙂 Rachel
http://livingbetteronedayatatime.blogspot.com/
Thanks for this. I am enjoying your organizational posts and hope to implement my own system. (Both my desk and e-mail accounts are a crazy mess right now!)
I am a person in desperate need of these binders. I wish I could report a decent system, perhaps this should be part of my new year’s resolution. 🙂 Thanks for the ideas.
Thank you, thank you. I will be showing this post to my husband tonight. He is always bringing up all my binders, although, he does admit how amazed he is when I can find a receipt from a doctor’s visit over 4 years ago in just a couple of minutes. (Doctor’s office in a town I no longer live in, mistakenly sent me a bill in my name but for a different patient.)
I have a binder for Medical Records , one for Financial Records, i.e., IRA and stock statements, old tax returns, paid off and closed car loans and credit cards. I have another for Monthly Bills, lease, utilities, etc. and another that has Personal Records like Birth Certificate copies and automobile titles and receipts from furniture and big purchases.
We lived in Florida for a long time and with the frequent evacuations for hurricanes a traditional filing cabinet was not going to cut it. I found binders that zip close and even have removable shoulder straps making for easy portability even in a rush. And I, too, still use a traditional small binder-style daytimer that has my passwords and monthly bill checklist that keeps me sane and organized. Binders definitely work for me!
I like this. I do use binders but tried putting them all in one. I know am inspired to separate them. Thanks
Oh, my, yes! I have a separate binder for everything – very similar to yours. I have one for recipes, personal finances, business finances, home management/cleaning, homeschooling, to name a few. 🙂
I’m not married yet and I don’t have kids but if I read a blog entry from a godly woman on great information about being a godly wife or mother I’ll print it out and store it in a three ring binder. I know someday I WILL be a wife and mommy and I don’t want to ever think, “I wish I could read that post about _________________ right now.”
I also have a binder that I put sewing tutorials that I have printed off line in.
I also have a binder that I put cute decorating tips in if I find an articlein a magazine I really like.
I use a file cabinet for things like finances and keeping track of important documents. 🙂
Tracy – The idea for a grab-n-go binder is a great idea for those in high-evac. areas. Probably worthy of a separate post.
Elizabeth – I like the idea of a binder for design ideas. I may have to start one.
Thanks to everyone for the comments.
I use binders for my recipes, computer printed out address/phone lists, Moms in Touch Prayer sheets and Attributes, to hold bills until payday, collect quilting photo ideas and my designs…etc. Binders are so handy. I like colorful ones to tell what is in each just by the color.
nice..I could never get that organized!
We have our own ways of coping up eith the pile of paperwork that we handle at home, school or work. Others prefer to use binders to compartamentalize what they are required to accomplish at a given time frame. There are those who atore their files in computers and have reminder alerts to keep them afloat with what they need to do while other use folders and shelves to organize their paper documents as well as credit card billings. With all these kins of papers that need filing, let us not forget to maximize the use of paper to avoid wastage. Aside from that, once we are done with a certain task we can already shred or recycle our used papers to exercise our practicality and ‘green’ consciousness.
Like you and the others who have commented, I like having a binder for recipes and a binder for design inspirations. I also like to store appliance (big and small)/furniture/baby gear manuals in a binder for warranty purposes and just in case I need to reference the directions again (to assemble, disassemble, etc).
I would love for you to link this up to Menu PLanning Tips at my Simple Dinner Ideas Series! http://3boysandadog.com/deals/2012/simple-dinner-ideas-setting-up-your-menu-plan-dinnerideas/
I use photo albums with the slip-in sleeves as my binders, as you can purchase them in the size that works for you & they hold a LOT.
I have 2 recipe binders – one for recipes we’ve used & like & will make again, the other for recipes to try (I’m getting better but still pull recipes out of magazines or print off from websites). Having the ‘to try’ separated out makes it easy to browse when in the mood for something new, and makes it easy to see when I have too many recipes for a given dish (lasagna) & can cull the book.
I am a binder Queen too! Totally obsessed! 😛 Recipies, music, poems, drawings from the kids and their friends, and of course all of our schoolwork stuff, since we homeschool. The kids’ school binders are all color coordianted. Black, blue, purple and pink. They even have their TrapperKeepers the same matching color as well. It makes keeping things organized so much eaiser, and our school day goes by much quicker and smoother. You can look across the room and see who’s binder is out of place just by the color. LOVE IT!
I am sharing your awesome recipe binder on Facebook. Such a great dinner solution!
http://www.crystalandcomp.com/2012/01/simple-dinner-ideas-setting-up-your-menu-plan-dinnerideas/
I’m a binder queen too! Nice to meet you–LOL :). I use a binder for my recipes as well and love it.
Here’s a video I made about my household binder: http://thepeacefulmom.com/2011/09/05/new-vlog-my-planner-a-k-a-brain-in-a-binder/
Happy organizing!
Kimberlee – It’s nice to meet you too! I’ll definitely take a look at your video. I’m always looking for ideas to streamline. Thanks for commenting.
My hubby and I each have our own cookbook binder. We both cook & bake, and since my hubby doesn’t like a lot of my recipes, he created his own! We print our fave recipes and slip them into plastic page protectors, so splatters don’t matter. I often tape the recipe I’m using to a cupboard door above my work surface for easier use.
Frugal Sheila – page protectors is a great idea, since a lot of my recipes have many splatters. Thanks for commenting.
This is a wonderful way to stay extremely organized, and I think it is great how you do it. I love the idea of storing recipes in a binder. Thanks for sharing!