Recipe Binder

I love to try new recipes and collect all the "keepers" I find. Over the years I have tried a few different methods of storing recipes. The longest running method has been a 3 ring binder with clear sleeves filled with 8 1/2 by 11 sheets. There is one recipe per sheet and they are hand written. My binder is bursting at the seams and in order to fit more I need to go to smaller recipe cards with typed details.

I started to search for a new binder to work with. After looking at several options I remembered a binder I purchased 3 years ago. I had started to hand write my recipes when I first bought it and must have tired and put it away. Do you ever do that? Before I bought yet another binder, I wanted to see if the one I had would fit the recipe cards I have made this year. I have been saving my files in a Publisher postcard format so they print out 4 to a page. It seemed easiest to just keep them 1/4 page size. Well, the binder fits 4x6 cards. Sheesh! Good thing for me I haven't made too many yet. I can still make adjustments. Here is my new binder...

It came with plastic sleeves that fit 2 cards per page, well, actually 4 per page if you put them back to back. The plastic should help keep the cards clean---bonus. It has the divider pages with tabs for different categories. As you can see below there are 2 different sized cards in my sleeves. The top version is one of the old cards I made, I had to cut it down to 4" by 5 1/2". The latest card I made for the banana bread I did in the 4x6 size. I don't feel the need to re-do the old ones, I can live with it the way it is.

In the back of my mind is also a plan to give my boys a collection of our family's favorite recipes when they are old enough to be on their own. It seems like it would be easier to work on 3 at the same time rather than 1 now and the rest later. Especially since my cards print up 4 to a page anyway. I can't promise they will all be paper crafted. Of course, that means I need to find 2 more binders. Nothing is ever simple is it, lol? But the good thing is that now I can share my findings with all of you and maybe you will find it helpful. I know I would have gotten emails about it anyway so I will save you the effort.
My binder is made by CR Gibson. You can find several on their site here. Mine fits the Q12 size refill pages. When I did a bit more searching, I also found them on Amazon, and for less money. Another option is Century Photo. They have a specific recipe binder set but if you want to save some money, order just the refill pages (packs of 25 for $7.40) and a plain junior size vinyl album for $4.00. They sell divider tabs for $1.85. I have ordered other items from them before so I don't hesitate to direct you there.
I am excited to finally have decided on a new system. You'll probably see more recipe cards from me in the future.
Happy cooking and creating!