Sounds like a great idea. I use a binder to keep operating manuals in the kitchen. Training the DH? Pick your battles. I am lucky if he puts the stuff back in it.

Barbara, formerly of sacto

I use a folder with pockets for the paper that lies around the kitchen, such as take-out menus. Being able to collect it in an area that is 8"x11" is wonderful.

You may not be able to get others in the house to put things in the binder, but when they ask you where something is and hear "look in the binder" 100 times, they might figure out the system. :)

I keep some of that stuff in a letter tray so it can be tossed in.

A binder is not that helpful for scratch paper, because it wanders to where it is needed. It can work better to actually nail/tie/glue down something by the phone; same for the pen, which is never there.

A binder with sheet protectors is especially good for menus if the menu can be opened so that all is visible and so one can "order" right from the open binder. Even if you have to photocopy it to make it fit better. Anytime you have to pull something out to use it, it has to somehow find its way back in....

I use a bright yellow folder with double-sided pockets for all our take-out menus. I keep our coupon box, menus, recipe books, address book, over the OTR in the cabinet. All flimsy books, mags, etc. are held in one of those cardboard magazine holders so they stand up straight.This way, things can be found easily and the rule is to put items back immediately. I also keep our new appliance manuals here as well. We found this to be very organized and no clutter.

Thanks!!

I effectively keep binders for many things:
projects
decorating and remodel ideas
indoor product manuals & receipts
outdoor product manuals & receipt
house diary
voice mail log (get tons of calls per week for our organization)
stock & financial statements

but not to manage my biggest challenge...kitchen paper clutter. I am going to try this idea.

For my needs, I envision sheet protectors for a pending file, coupons, (don't have restaurant menus), newspaper clippings of things to explore. I'm sure other things will come to mind. Maybe even incorporate my voice mail log in the same binder.

I use magazine files for appliance manuals, brochures, & small recipe booklets.

I use ring binders that can stand up like an easel for printed recipes, and favorite recipes in my computer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Magazine file similar to this

I keep a binder for all of those loose recipes we seem to collect. At times, it's my best cookbook.

My fil used to like to sendmy kids candy at Christmas in old cigar boxes. I use one of those for scratch paper and a pen. For grocery lists, I keep a pad of paper with a magnet attached to the back so I can keep it hung up on the fridge.

I try to keep the emergency info either on the fridge or taped to the wall by the phone in plain sight. I'd be worried about keeping that in a drawer. If you had a true emergency, you may have people in your house that are unfamiliar with your system.

I think the other stuff might work well in a binder.

Mustangs--how do you insert a photo? Maybe you could direct me to somewhere that tells me? Thanks

I like to use TinyPic.com.

You click the "choose file" button, and browse to find the image file on your desktop, then select it.

Click "upload now"

Then when it gives you the new screen, you copy the text in the "HTML for Websites" box, and paste it into the window on the "reply" screen of your GardenWeb/THS/organizing forum post.

Bingo!

Other folks use photobucket, etc., but I like TinyPic bcs I don't have to join, etc.

There are other formats w/ the link, that you can use to email people, or to post at other websites. But the first one, the HTML one, is the one to use for here.

Keeping the binder in the OTR cabinet is a great idea! Since I'm going to put it there, however, I think I will find a different spot for emergency information.

So far we've used the binder once to find a coupon. I liked it MUCH better than rifling through all the little piles that used to collect. New year appears to be off to a good start!

TS, Thanks for answering the question for Marge.

Melle, This weekend I purchased sheet protectors for my binder (with pockets). I am eager to rid of my kitchen of "piles". When I have guests, I gather up the piles and hide them in a bottom drawer in the guest room. I have come across piles that were never retrieved; what does that say?? Anyway, I look forward to managing one of my organizational nemesis.

My kitchen binder system is already paying off.

Company came for dinner, instead of grabbing paper piles and throwing them in the guest bedroom. I picked up my binder and put it on the shelf above the kitchen desk. It was easily retrieved the next day and put back on the kitchen counter.

I had a few protectors for baseball cards. I put them in the binder and the pockets are perfect for little things found around the house that you don't what they belong to. I put an unidentifiable "thingy" into the pocket. Sure enough, DH had misplaced the little nozzle from the pressure washer. Viola-I knew where it was.

Kitty knocked a wooden box off the vanity counter. A piece broke off. The piece went into a clear pocket in the kitchen binder. When I have time and the right adhesive, I know where to find the piece.

Thanks again Melle

Mustangs--I'm glad it's working for you! I've been really happy w/my binder so far as well. We had to go to the bank and I just grabbed the binder to retrieve checks for deposit. MUCH better than shuffling through baskets etc where we "thought" we had stashed them.

The baseball card protectors are a GREAT idea, I will look for something like that. It seems like I'm always finding little "doodads" and I don't know where they go. Often they belong to DH. I don't even care if DH puts things into the binder b/c it's so easy for me to take care of myself. He has asked where things are and I say "look in the kitchen binder" and that's good enough for me.

The start of a great year :-)

I use a household notebook that I put together forever ago from a web site called organizedhome.com. The link is below. :)

Pam

Here is a link that might be useful: Household Notebook