I would like to introduce one of our guest bloggers – Chantelle. We would like to thank her for sharing her organizing tips, especially from the perspective of being a mother.
Hello, my name is Chantelle and I am a runner, wife, mother, full-time fundraiser, volunteer, sister, friend and daughter and I have a very full life. Sometimes it looks “busy” but the word busy always feels like I’m not in control. I take full responsibility for my schedule and although sometimes it gets out of whack, I work hard to keep it organized so that the result is less stress and more fun which can only happen when you know where the child’s favourite pair of sunglasses are (not the other three pairs that are right where they are supposed to be, but the “favourite” pair)! Cooking is not my favourite thing and I strive to keep my family fed and watered without dreading every step of the way.
And SINCE i love creating order out of chaos, I look for ways to plan meals that are simple, fun and try not to get overwhelmed at the many different tastes and requests in a family of only 4!
Step 1 – every “day” of the week has a theme. i.e. for this month: Mondays are sandwiches, Tuesdays are pasta, Wednesdays are breakfast foods, Thursdays are crock pot, Fridays are leftovers and Saturdays the kids make supper – so…pancakes 🙂
Step 2 – sit down once a month to find recipes and plan out specific meals for each day
Step 3 – once a week quickly review the meals planned for the upcoming week and recheck recipe list and go grocery shopping
Step 4 – make and eat – if something is good I mark it down already for the next month (one meal planned and 29 to go!) and if it’s a bomb I throw the recipe out
I’m stuck on Step 1 now because my recipe box has gotten out of control. I have a few new cookbooks from Christmas presents and have marked many many pages on prospective ideas but I know I have some tried and true gems in my recipe box somehow so the plan this spring break is to vett the current recipe box and collection of magazines and find a better way to keep those recipes in front of me.
Here’s what my Grandmother’s recipe box looks like. it remind me so much of her. The best part – in the section for “SALADS” there are 4 recipes and 3 of them are Jell-O salads!
Here’s what I’m starting with…
And here’s the final product. All wonderfully captured and organized in a beautiful recipe binder that now contains only my favourite and my tried and true recipes. I discarded many recipes and I have about 10-20 recipes in a folder where I want to make them and try them out before placing in the binder – which is helping me plan the next couple weeks of meals. Feels good.
All in all a valuable process which will help streamline future planning and creating meals!
Here is a link to one source for this Recipe book.
4 comments
Nina June 8, 2015 at 1:17 pm
I love these ideas, Chantelle! My recipe box overfloweth with so many great-sounding recipes that I never actually try cause my recipe box area is too overwhelming to go near! So, I’m totally going organize it just like you suggest. I’m actually excited! Thanks girl!
Crystal Blair June 15, 2015 at 8:57 am
Hi Nina – Chantelle says thanks for the comment and she’s thrilled you like her suggestions. We hope we can continue to provide more useful tips. Enjoy organizing your recipies!
Williamml May 27, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Say, you got a nice forum post.Thanks Again. Wolvin
Lu Hall May 28, 2016 at 4:53 am
Thanks Wolvin. Chantelle will be pleased to know you enjoyed it.