What do you do with your old CLs?

[DSH]

I'm curious as to how far back people save their old CLs. I have not been able to bring myself to throw any of them out yet (or, worse, cut them up!) and consequently found myself making "Cuban Beef and Peppers" from the 1996 issue this week. This is probably neurotic behavior but I group them by month and use them in the appropriate month. Problem is I'm running out of storage space.

I'm also a cookbook addict, so you can imagine what my kitchen bookshelves look like.

(The beef and peppers were much better today for lunch than they were for dinner the other night, by the way.)

Donna

[Svadhisthana]

Donna ,
I keep mine too. I have about two years worth in my kitchen. I just bought a rolling utility cart and placed a leftover peice of partilce board on top and made a tablecloth for it. It holds my old issues of CL and keeps them out of my pantry where they were. The tabletop also doubles as a "secretary", holding an in/out box that I use to hold the current month's magazines and bills.

[Grace]

Here is another thread where the same question was asked:

http://www.cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8600&highlight=binders

[Mandy]

I don't have a lot of space in my house, and I don't like clutter, soooooo.....
I throw them out every year and buy the annual cookbook. I only save the current year, until my cookbook arrives.

Mandy:D

[ebobbitt]

I pass a year's worth along to someone as soon as I purchase the cookbook for that particular year.

[CAROL ANN]

I keep my CL until the annual cookbook comes out and then I get rid of the copies for that year. I had too many magazines taking up space in my kitchen.

[JulieM]

I have every issue since I joined and can't bring myself to part with them. I probably have 7 or 8 years worth of issues. I love going through the old issues.

[RobinC]

I not only get the annuals every year, but I keep my issues too. :D I can't bear to part with any of my past issues. I use the annuals for tried and true recipes - the reapeaters. I like to browse through the past issues for recipes I've overlooked. One of the biggest factors for me to try a new recipe is a nice glossy photo. The magazines have a lot more photos than the annuals.

I now have a new reason for going back through my old issues, the fittness articles. I've recently begun a new fittness program that includes running, weight training, and streching. Going through the past issues has given me some great ideas on new exercises.

Now, what do I do with my growing pile of issues.... Well, the current year issues are in my "cookbook bookcase". The past years are in an easy to access storage box in my office at home.

[jazzcat]

Hi CL Magazine Lovers! Does anyone know where to find the binders or cases for past issues? I looked in the "Book Store" but didn't see them there this am when browsing thru. I'm sure I saw them somewhere on this web site in the past. I sent an e-mail to customer service but don't have an answer yet. TIA

[Rae]

I like to keep all my old copies because I like to look through them again and again. I find I especially go back to the old issues when everyone on this board is talking about a new issue I don't have yet. So, then I go back to my old issues and look for recipes I may have overlooked.

I have started copying recipes that I use over and over again into my recipe box to save time looking through all the old issues. I do this with all my "tried and true" recipes so that way, I know right where they all are. Recipes I have saved that I "want to try one day" go in a different spot.

I haven't really gotten into the annuals because I find that I miss the colored photos. I have checked them out of the library, for some of the years when I let my subscription to CL lapse, but I always find that I enjoy the actual magazine so much more.

[beejayw1]

Well, I hang onto mine as long as I can. Between CL, Victoria and Martha Stewart, that's quite a few, but I've had 4 moves in the past 3 years, so I've lost some. I actually went onto Ebay and started buying back issues.

It's funny: I got the issues from 1998 (the year of my first out of state move), sat down to read them, and while I remembered the recipes and such, it was really enjoyable.

There's something about the mags that encourage me (at least) to linger, consider things, and basically enjoy them.

[scnewton]

Uh oh... Guess I'm in the minority here. I probably shouldn't confess this but I rip out the pages of the recipes I want to try. The rest of the magazine goes into the recycling bin.

(Is everyone cringing right now?)

[Julia1Pin]

I rip out the pages I want too, and put them in a binder so I can refer to them later. Also, most of the recipes I try are on the hard drive, as usually someone will post the recipe anyways. When that happens, I copy it to a word doc and print it out. Then the "real" recipe from the magazine doesn't get dirty ;)

[LSB]

I had 10 years of CLs on top of my fridge until last weekend. I finally broke down and went thru 1992-96 and tore out recipes I've tried and liked and those I want to try. The ones without anything torn out are gong to the local library. I don't know what to do with the ones I've torn pages out of - probably just recycle them unless any of my friends want to look thru them.

It was hard to do, but now that I have a little more room - I'm glad I did. Now how do I bring myself to get rid of 1996-2000??

[LaraW]

I have about 4 1/2 years worth of CL, as well as various other magazines that I have kept over the years. Maybe its because my mother is a librarian that I cannot seem to rip out pages of my magazines.

We will be moving into a new home soon, I intend to get 12 magazine holders and put together all of the January's, February's etc so that I can refer to them during a given month.

We'll see if it happens! :)

I currently have 4 magazine boxes full of my CL's, Cooks Illustrated, Martha Stewart, Shape, as well as some publications from my HR professional organization....it's a lot!

[SueK]

I do what a lot of others do--I buy the annuals and then give my back issues to coworkers. I keep back issues of Chile Pepper Mag and Sunset (which I found out also has annuals), so I try not to take up too much space with back issues of CLs. Plus, the people I work with also love to cook so they love keeping my old issues!

[Lynn B]

I have been a CL subscriber since 1996, and have carefully saved every issue. Recently I was able to add to my "collection" from eBay and now have every issue from Jan/Feb 1991 on. I am SOOOO excited! I keep them in magazine holders (from Walmart) on a shelf in my basement. I LOVE them!!! I read and re-read them. I take them in the car for long trips... to the beach... read 'em like novels!!! And I ALWAYS find a new recipe, or pick up a new hint, or learn something new that I missed before.

And personally -- I could NEVER rip out a page or throw a single issue away!!! :eek: I get shivers just thinking of it!!! :D

Lynn

[Leanne]

Originally posted by Mandy
I don't have a lot of space in my house, and I don't like clutter, soooooo.....
I throw them out every year and buy the annual cookbook. I only save the current year, until my cookbook arrives.

Mandy:D

I do the exact same thing as Mandy. Now as far as other magazines go.... I have years worth of National Geographic, etc.

[KValley]

I've only recently decided to keep my back issues of CL- I used to throw them out after purchasing the annual. (And prior to buying the annuals, which I started a couple of years ago, I used to clip and rip only the recipes, then recycle- sorry Lynn- that must be like fingers down a chalkboard to you!)

I love Lara's idea of binding the same months together- that makes so much sense- thank you!!

I also keep back issues of Sunset (although I clip the recipes and put those in a binder with other clipped recipes), Organic Gardening, National Geographic, Wine Spectator; NG Traveler. Health and fitness magazines I go through periodically to rip out articles and/or exercises, then I recycle; Food and Wine I am debating whether or not to keep...all other periodicals get recycled after they've been read.

[cjm]

Several years ago I purchased 5 or 6 red binders that were advertised in the CL magazine. They are 4 inches wide and have little metal rods that fit into the middle of the magazine then attach the rods to a metal strip (one at the top and one at the bottom) in the red binder. Cooking Light is on the edge of the binder...looks nice. I haven't seen these advertised in the magazines lately - but then I haven't really been looking for them. I only have one binder left so I'm going to be in the market for more the end of this year (you can get an entire year of CL into one of these red binders). I'll keep looking and when I see something about them I'll post, or if anyone knows where I can find them, please post.

For a BRIEF time I tried tearing out the recipes I wanted to try. But, they'd get lost or I'd forget where I filed them-that made it impossible to reference back to the particular magazine for the recipe so...I started photocoping the recipes I wanted to try.

[Grace]

cjm, I have the binders too. Exactly 10 of them, plus one extra still in the box for when this latest one gets full (I like ordering 2 or 3 at a time). You used to be able to get them from the website, but I just checked and don't see them there anymore. They do come from Oxmoor House though, and the number there is 800-851-3038. I need to call and order one for a friend of mine myself. Once I have twelve binders (maybe I'll order one more for myself at the same time, and that'll give me my twelve! And then I'll try and organize them by month (i.e., all the Jan. issues together, etc.). I haven't decided whether I want to do that or not yet. CL used to print odd issues like Jul/Aug combined and separate Holiday issues, so which binder would those go in? In any case, as I stated in the earlier thread, I am like LynnB (a girl after my own heart! :D ) and wouldn't DREAM of tearing up any part of my magazines! I have the CL software, so when I want a recipe I just print it out, that way my magazines don't get all messed up in the kitchen while I cook.

It sure is interesting though to see what everyone else does!

[nancy_east]

I'm still a little new to the boards, but I think I'm posting a reply as to what I do with my old issues. I have a tendency to be a pack rat, and I became blissfully wedded 9 months ago to a "when in doubt, throw it out" kind of person. So, I had to compromise and consolidate some things! I keep my current issue of CL intact and within a couple of months, I go back through the issue, and rip out pages with recipes that I have either made and liked, or want to try. I then file these in a big 3-ring binder that I have divided into different categories by using page protectors. I then stick the page with the recipe in the appropriate page protector along with the other recipes of the same sort. For each page protector, on the front page, I try to stick a recipe with a picture that categorizes that group, so I can quickly i.d. which category I need. It works very well, and it's kind of like making my own cookbook! I do miss having back issues to go through, but this takes up a heck of a lot less space and it's organized where I can create a multi-course meal fairly quickly!

[jazzcat]

Just got home from work and I still have not heard back about the binders. Sent an e-mail this am in which I did get a response that a representative would contact me ASAP. As soon as I hear anything I'll let you know.