Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On InstagramVisit Us On Linkedin

Organizing Recipes

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 27 Comments

We have a lot of cookbooks.

I have a bin full of handwritten recipes from my husband’s two grandmothers. I plan to scan those in to my computer so they’re never lost. I’m working to organize them in page protectors or even a printed scrapbook cookbook.

All recipes tell a story.

I have two BHG cookbooks. My mom’s with handwritten notes and a newer one. I prefer my mom’s where she jotted down when I made wheat bread for a colonial class project. She also added the years she made which Christmas cookies or cakes.

We also collect a lot of recipes – from magazines and online sites.

How to Organize Recipes

Recipe Binders

Super easy to make a recipe binder and fun for gifts for the cook or foodie.

I have started compiling recipe binders for my kids as keepsakes of our favorite family recipes for them.

What you need for a recipe binder:

  • Big 3 ring binder or several small binders for various cooking styles (desserts, main dishes, grilling, baking)
  • Pretty cover for binder
  • Dividers
  • Clear page protectors
  • Clear small pockets for small recipe cards and/or recipes clipped from magazines

Cooking Journals

I have a couple recipe journals to make notes when I try new recipes.

I seldom follow a recipe exactly, and it’s a huge joke with my kids that no recipe is perfect for me. I always want more of something, add a little of this or that, or don’t measure.

My grandmother never measured anything.

We measure garlic with our hearts.

My husband is often irritated that I don’t make the same dish twice because I often don’t measure or follow the recipe the same way or I don’t remember how I tweaked it last time and everyone loved it. I’m trying to remember to make notes in the journal!

Computer and/or Software

Apps

Many cooks prefer to declutter and have recipes digitized.

This makes recipes searchable by several criteria, saving time and space. You can easily pull up a recipe on a tablet or laptop on the counter or table while you cook.

Pinterest

I have pin boards for lots of our family interests, and several for various cooking genres.

This helps me to find the recipes easily again and also share my faves with you!

Organizing recipes is a huge task to undertake, but I may digitize most of our recipes this summer to clear up space and get them all in one place.

Share
Pin46
Share
46 Shares
You might also like:

Online Yard Sale Tips

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 7 Comments

It’s that time of year again.

Spring cleaning.

Purging.

Minimizing.

Everyone who got guilt trips from Marie Kondo’s Netflix series.

My kids are growing up and outgrowing toys and homeschool curriculum.

We donate most of our used stuff to thrift stores. One year, we had a huge yard sale. Now, I try to sell nice items online for a little extra cash.

Typically, these online yard sale transactions are done in a public space with cash in hand. Big furniture items are usually viewed in home. I like to have someone with me for exchanges. Always be safe!

Occasionally, items are shipped with shipping extra. Money can be exchanged through Facebook or Paypal. I seldom go this route because it’s extra stressful to pack and ship and I haven’t received the money twice.

Some items are banned for resale, such as firearms, mattresses, car seats, baby formula.

Some groups or sites don’t allow handmade items.

Also, these online sale sites are not the place to promote your personal MLM or home business. I’m tired of all the clutter and ads for actual and online stores now.

Online Yard Sale Tips

Know the lingo. Be kind. Be on time.

Be the seller/buyer you would want to work with.

Online Yard Sale Terms

P/U = Pick-Up. This is usually followed by the location and/or time to meet to sell an item.

PPU = Pending Pick-Up. The item has been agreed to a time and place for pick-up. This may change if someone cancels, changes their mind, or doesn’t show.

Cross-Posted = lets potential buyers know that the item has been posted in more than one place

Bump = Sellers use this term to comment in their own listing and “bump” the item back up to the top of the feed, to give it more exposure. There is usually a rule about how often an item can be “bumped” – typically once a day.

ISO = In Search Of. People often ask for specific items in groups.

OBO = Or Best Offer. The buyer would consider other reasonable offers.

Next = People use this to let the seller know they are interested in the item if someone has already shown interest before them.

NWT = The item is new with tags.

NWOT = The item is new without tags.

Interested = What potential buyers typically write in the comments of your post if they want to buy your item.

Sending PM = Sending Private Message. This is how a potential buyer communicates with you as a seller. Typically, since these people will not be your actual Facebook friends, any messages from them will be filtered into your “other folder.” This is found at the top of your Facebook website, under your message folder. You can make adjustments in your privacy settings to view new messages immediately. This is helpful.

Porch pick-up = Usually, the seller leaves the item on their porch and the buyer places the money in an envelope in a hidden spot. Or vice versa. I don’t like doing this! What happens if they money gets lost or stolen?

Online Yard Sale Etiquette

Know the group or page rules. Follow the rules.

Lately, people don’t even comment on the post, but immediately private message to “get in line.” It sometimes becomes difficult to keep track of message order on a popular item. I often just reply to messages with a number to help keep things straight. I’ve had some people get frustrated with this, but it only seems fair. Occasionally, I have someone who wants to rush the process and claims they will pick up the item right this second.

It’s important to post if you have pets, smoke, or have other circumstances that could cause allergic reactions in sensitive people.

Be prompt in communication. Answer questions in a timely manner or you’ll lose the item to the next commenter or messenger!

Please don’t ask stupid questions and waste everyone’s time. If you’re not familiar with a product, do your own research. Don’t ask the seller to give you the rundown on the item’s pop culture, history, or random trivia.

Unless it’s a big furniture item or a pricey collectible or antique, you just have to take your chances. Don’t ask to come “see the item” without bringing money or intending to purchase. It’s just rude.

Park in an area that’s not very crowded for meet-ups. Tell the color and make of your vehicle in a message so the seller can find you.

Show up on time to purchase or sell an item. My son will never let me live it down that we once waited 45 minutes for a buyer who never showed. He kept messaging that he was stuck in traffic, but apparently, he was just a troll who never wanted the item anyway.

Have exact amount of money that is requested.

Posting Items for Sale

When posting your item for sale, be honest about its history and the condition.

Be prompt replying to messages.

Be available to meet up to sell.

Include:

  • good images, with proper lighting and all angles
  • condition of item
  • dimensions, if relevant
  • reasonable price

I am continually amazed by how many items people try to sell that are very damaged, really dirty, or otherwise a poor product to resell. Some of these items I wouldn’t even donate and these people are setting high prices on items that are just rubbish!

Have fun! It’s kind of exciting getting some cash for items no longer needed or wanted. And it’s really great finding a good deal for something you want!

Do you have any tips for online yard sales?

Share
Pin20
Share
20 Shares
You might also like:

Purging Clothes

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By Leave a Comment

When we moved into this house almost three years, I turned around all my clothes hangers.

The goal was to purge all the clothes on the unturned hangers after a year. And I mostly did. Last week, I purged even more.

I’m not really fearless enough to trim down my clothes to like 15 items as a capsule wardrobe. Or even 30 items. I just can’t. I’m not ready for that and I may never be.

For me, that’s not very practical. We move around so much and travel frequently, so I need seasonal clothes and specialty items. And I’m not able to give up some unique pieces I’ve collected and love. I just love coats, jackets, cardigans, and scarves. They can really pull a rather boring outfit together!

I also purged my pajamas, lounge wear, and workout clothes for items I no longer need or wear. I got rid of almost all my high-heeled shoes. I just can’t wear them anymore and they’re not good for my feet anyway. I gave away more than half my purses to my teen daughter and the thrift shop.

I kinda like the idea of a monochrome color scheme. Years ago, it might have been easier when I wore mostly earth tones and black. But, I’ve expanded my color palette over the years and have many textures and fabrics. Most of my clothes are in the greens and blues and neutrals, with some orange and coral.

My teen daughters shopped through my castoffs and scored with some great things that look better on them than they ever did on me. Then I donated all the rest.

Also, we move frequently. There’s no need to pack and move stuff we don’t need.

Since we sometimes move to a location that has four seasons, we clear out all the clothes that don’t fit my youngest children, or will not fit next season. Since it’s still cool in one place and the weather is quite unpredictable, we have to pack rain jackets, jeans, and some long-sleeved shirts…in addition to summer wear we’ll need when we arrive in our new home.

I purged all the clothes that…

  • Don’t fit – and probably never will fit again. I had some shirts that have shrunk or just never fit right. I had some pants that were too tight and low cut that were never comfortable.
  • Are in poor shape, like a tear or bleach spot or unrelenting stain or stretched out. I had some white tops that had yellowed and bleach didn’t fix.
  • Are ridiculously out of style and I will never wear again, even for a theme party.
  • Shirts that I had in every color. I really don’t need that many T-shirts or tank tops.

How I maintain my closet:

  • Shopping isn’t entertainment.
  • Buy only items I love that fit perfectly on my body.
  • I don’t have to fill up the space. American closets are huge! I don’t have to cover every shelf, rack, pole, or loop with stuff.
  • Turning around my hangers again after we move this summer. I can purge again next year – anything I haven’t worn.

It’s really quite exhilarating to let go of stuff. We accumulate so much and need so little.

I love the Buy Nothing Groups so things can go to someone who needs and wants them.

How do you maintain your closets?

Resources:

Share
Pin14
Share
14 Shares
You might also like:

Minimizing

This blog may contain affiliate links: disclosure.
Please see my suggested resources.

By 20 Comments

Do you have issues in your house with too much stuff?
Do you struggle with keeping the house tidy and neat?
Do you want more, more, more?

Try minimizing for a simpler, more peaceful life.

If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them as half as much money. ~Abigail Van Buren

I’m not advocating for getting rid of all your stuff.

I’ve been to some homes and the people seem to have next to nothing by choice and that’s also stressful when there’s nowhere to sit and the rooms are stark and empty and echoey.

Your home doesn’t have to have a Scandinavian or Asian decor to be peaceful and clutter-free.

A home shouldn’t be sterile.

I always have piles of books – from the library, that I’m reading, that I’m going to read. I do continuously purge books as we outgrow them.

Finding a healthy balance of a home with peace and beauty while having storage for the things we love is a challenge.

I grew up with parents and my grandma buying me almost anything I wanted. But it was because that was the only way they knew how to show love. My grandma made up for the poor relationship she had with my father by showering me with gifts all throughout my childhood and I only saw her maybe two or three times a year. She passed when I was a teenager. My parents totally bought into the Big 80’s idea that more stuff equaled status and power and influence. They bought new cars every three years. My mother has shoes in every single color and clothes in her closet with tags still on them. She would hide her clothing purchases from my father. She has at least four closets full of clothing she will most likely never wear.

I blew all the money I made at my first jobs in retail and restaurants. I didn’t think about saving any of it. I never learned about good financial choices in school or at home.

I never learned the value of anything.

I spent most of my early adulthood blowing money on unimportant things, fighting debt, and learning to budget.

I still struggle. I’m still paying off debt. It seems every time we get close, there’s an emergency to set us back.

I want my children to learn the value of things better than I was taught.

We go through massive purges of our stuff every few years as we move. We’re a military family and we’re constantly re-evaluating our stuff. Our kids are growing up. They need fewer things for homeschool and playing.

We’re all maturing. We need less and less stuff to be happy. With fewer things, we’re all more stress-free. It’s easier to clean up when there’s not so much to be messy. There are fewer arguments and fewer hassles about toys and things.

I’m not into organization porn.

The gospel of minimalism, as preached by bloggers, chat rooms, and Facebook groups, is growing more nebulous as the movement of capitalist austerity—austerity as choice and aesthetic—picks up steam…Spareness is the lot of have-nots; minimalism is only aesthetic when it’s a choice. Minimalism critiques extravagance without condemning the wealth itself, making it a doctrine of the rich, for the rich. It’s the “classiest” version of inconspicuous consumption, one that at its core houses sanctimonious self-abnegation.

Aditi Natasha Kini

While I like the clothes folding method from Marie Kondo, I get anxiety thinking about getting rid of anything that doesn’t “spark joy” this very moment. I have regrets of some items we’ve purged over the years. I did the closet trick a few years ago and it helped to downsize clothing. I’ve also lost some weight the last couple years. It’s actually upsetting not to be able to fit into favorite clothes anymore.

I’ve watched The Minimalists. I see the rise of the tiny house movement and I wonder how long that will last. Most of us don’t come from generational wealth nor do our families own land or property where we can just park our trailer and live rent free.

Minimalism is becoming a culture clash. Westerners see the hustle and want to detach from it, somehow connect to a more Eastern mindset without doing any inner work or systemic change.

I am just not spiritual enough not to care about any material goods. I don’t really think this is a character flaw. Everyone has favorite possessions. We cry if there is a disaster and lose things. We are human.

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

William Morris

How I minimize with practicality:

  1. Less is more.

    We really don’t need as much as we have and we certainly don’t need more stuff. Having fewer and simpler toys encourages creativity and resourcefulness. Just because an item exists or all her friends have it doesn’t mean it’s needed. Having less is also easier to keep clean and tidy. Having a smaller home means cheaper upkeep and utilities. We purged most of our worthless knick knacks and streamlined surfaces.

  2. What’s the motivation?

    Buying stuff doesn’t equal love. Yeah, I know that’s supposed to be one of the love languages, but really? If it’s not useful or needed, don’t buy it. “Retail therapy” is stupid. We gave up giving greeting cards because it gets really expensive and they’re just thrown away. We don’t exchange gifts with extended family anymore either.

  3. Quality over quantity.

    Get the best you can afford. Don’t get some cheap knockoff that you’ll have to keep replacing. Do your research and save up for it. We are slowly replacing the cheaper or worn out items we bought in the earlier years of our marriage.

  4. Set boundaries.

    Determine some boundaries for stuff and don’t let it spill over. Have a place for everything, and don’t buy more storage just to have more stuff. Do you keep certain items only for sentimental value or for some other reason? I had to get over a lot of that, and yes it’s hard.

  5. One in, one out.

    Purge often. If you get something new, get rid of something else. This helps reduce clutter and keeps priorities straight. No one really needs multiple items in all the colors.

  6. Get organized.

    Everything in its place and a place for everything. A neat and tidy house is more peaceful than a cluttered home. Get a system for those cluttery places where you find family members dropping their stuff. Work with it and not against it. Find a method that works for your family. We like pretty natural baskets for toys and simple bookcases with cabinets.

  7. Limit ad exposure.

    Ads are everywhere, breeding discontent. Limit exposure to TV, social media, and print advertisements to limit wants. Unsubscribe from store and deal emails. Shopping isn’t entertainment.

  8. Teach value.

    Limit the gimmes by having a 3-day wait rule for big purchases. If you still desire the item after 3 days, come up with a plan to afford it. We don’t have huge gift-giving events for birthdays or holidays. We give just a few desired or needed items for birthdays and about 4 items for Christmas and nothing tangible on minor holidays. We have discussions before we go to stores about goals and priorities and there has never been any begging. Our kids have never had a meltdown in the checkout line because I’m proactive and communicate.

  9. Have a plan.

    Have a budget or spending plan and stick to it. It helps to be realistic and set aside a little each month instead of splurging and feeling guilty. Ask: Do you need it and/or why do you have it? This limits anxiety.

  10. Practice what you preach.

    If you limit your kids’ toys and clothing, also limit your own purchases. Don’t go get the newest tech gadget or new car if your others function just fine. Learn to make do. Model good financial choices to your kids.

If something cost $1,000, and it is on sale for $750, and then you decide to buy it, you did not save $250. You spent $750.

Resources:

Do you struggle with too much stuff?

You might also like:

Resources:

Share
Pin19
Share
19 Shares
You might also like: