Cookbooks: I’ll Organize Them My Shelf!
Cookbooks… you tend to love them or hate them. They are handy to have around, but they can also take up valuable space in your kitchen or pantry. Here are a couple suggestions for organizing your cookbooks, whether you a have a few or a slew:
How do I decide if I need all my cookbooks?
If you are needing to purge your collection, ask yourself a couple of questions:
- Do I ever use it?
- Do I have the expertise needed to cook from this particular book?
- Do I even like this kind of food?
- How many recipes do I like in this cookbook?
- If you have books with one or two recipes, make a copy or write the recipe on the card to keep or and donate the book.
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, consider keeping an empty box nearby and make a collection to donate to Goodwill or exchange at a secondhand shop.
Where should I keep my cookbooks?
If you do not have shelves in your kitchen, a great way to store your them is on the top of the fridge between two bookends or in your pantry on a low shelf.
How should cookbooks be arranged?
If you’re going for a neat look, organize them by height. Another way to group them by type of cuisine. If you want to get uber organized, you (or one of your kids) could alphabetize them by title or author.
What about all the loose recipes?
We have some suggestions on organizing recipes, read “Let’s Get Cooking: Organizing My Recipe Box”.
photo credit: GranniesKitchen via photopin cc
Kathy Jenkins is the President of Come To Order, a professional residential organizing company based in Richmond, Virginia. She is a nationally recognized Certified Professional Organizer®, speaker and author dedicated to help her clients simplify their lives by reducing clutter, organizing their homes and offices, and managing their time. Click here to follow Kathy on Twitter.
