Thursday, July 19, 2007

My favourite organising tools #1 - notebook & pen

Edited to add the button - this is not the original person who was supposed to make the button for me!

This is a new series that I'll be posting on the blog, one post per week.

I battled a bit with perfectionism because I asked someone to make me a button and I wanted to wait for that first before starting the series. I'm still waiting for the button as you can see but since I've had this ready for about 10 days now, I decided to go ahead and post. I can always add it in afterwards, right?!

At the moment I have planned 10 tools but who knows? It could and probably will stretch to include more tools.


Why do I love notebooks and pens?

It is easier to jot some notes down immediately without losing the thought than to have to try to remember it.

I have notebooks all over the house, one next to my bed, one on the entrance hall table, one in my handbag, one in the car, etc.


This one is in the kitchen and I use it for my helper, Bea, to leave her any notes

This one is on our phone table



Pink notebook in my handbag



on my bedside table


Some uses for notebooks
  1. Notes for your helper or gardener
  2. To-do lists
  3. To-blog lists
  4. Client notes
  5. Meeting notes
  6. Great ideas - business and other
  7. Recipes to try
What else do you use notebooks for?

16 comments:

Lu said...

This series is a great idea! I hope you don't mind if I do something similar in my blog. Of course I'll link your blog telling my readers you always inspire me!
Thanks for all your great ideas!
Hugs from Brazil!!!

~Bren~ said...

I love a pen and notebook. Problem is, my kids take the notebooks. I ended up buying blank journals. The kids somehow do not feel they have "permission" to take these. Plus they are pretty! Love the idea for your series! Organized is good!

Anonymous said...

I use what we call here in the U.S. - memo pads (they are small). The only problem is sometimes I forget where I put them. Would you put a limit as to how many you have at one time?

Also, is a helper like a housekeeper? Or would that be like an assistant? Sometimes the different terms in countries are so interesting.

Marcia Francois said...

Lu
Of course I don't mind!Link away!!! BTW, we are coming to Brazil next year for a friend's wedding.

Bren
Well, you are worth the prettier ones anyway!

Lyn
Yes, a helper is a housekeeper. We also call them maids. She is my cleaning lady.

I don't like too many notebooks, but these ones live in those spaces fairly permanently. I have others too like for Books Read - that one lasts me a couple of years.

Annie said...

Matt is a notebook/pen junkie. He goes nowhere without those two things. I keep one by my bible and one in my purse too. I keep most of my notes on the computer.

Hope things are going great this week!

Unknown said...

Oooh, you know how much I love my composition books! You also know that I haven't sent you yours yet! I am horrible friend and I am sending them to you today!

I use mine for:
1. Voicemails Only!
2. Each of my clients have their own where I keep all of my notes, to do's, and their action items.
3. I have one that I use for general business notes; blogs, podcasts, website, newsletters, etc.
4. One notebook is used strictly for my eBooks.
5. I have another for business meetings outside of client specific meetings.
6. Another one for my random thoughts of nothingness.

I LOVE my notebooks!!!

Marcia Francois said...

Annie
Matt & I are kindred spirits! I know you're a computer whiz :)

Suzanne
I was wondering about that! I LOVE all your uses for notebooks.

Annie said...

I'm replying to your comment (since the email nerds won't comply)...

I think they are just friends. He is two years younger than her. He was a new boy at church in the youth group and at first she thought he was really cute, but now says that he is too young and they are just friends. They have hung out with each other all week after vbs though.

Yep, the mail is taking forever! I will let you know as soon as it arrives though. I was relieved when you received your mail from me!

Sorry about your computer problems!

Jan/lost-strayed-or-stolen.blogspot.com said...

I use a notebook to record my daily weigh-in, blood pressure, breathing meter, blood sugar. Then when I talk to the dr. or the nurse, I have it all right there for reference.

Constance said...

I use my calendar for everything ! Or my blog... Or WordPerfect files...

Happy Saturday evening to you, Marcia !

MrsNehemiah said...

I keep a small spiral notebook with house improvement, decorating ideas

each page is for a different room, sometimes I write down specific "to do's" other times I just list what bothers me about that room.

when I'm in the mood to clean/organize/ or decorate I refer back to my notebook.

Mrs N

MrsNehemiah said...

I keep a small spiral notebook with house improvement, decorating ideas

each page is for a different room, sometimes I write down specific "to do's" other times I just list what bothers me about that room.

when I'm in the mood to clean/organize/ or decorate I refer back to my notebook.

Mrs N

Multi-tasking Mommy said...

how have you been doing lately? i've been thinking about you a lot!
notebooks are great instead of the loose pieces of paper i leave all over my house! thanks for the great tip. off to the dollar store i go!

Sarah said...

Great post! I have a notebook that is solely dedicated to all of the notes I have taken while looking for my grandmother who has been missing for 40 years. I couldn't risk losing any of the info, so writing it on loose paper would be dumb. I'm going to buy more notebooks as you've suggested. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Hi! Love the idea of more than one notebook. Everytime I get one there are so many different catogories of 'things' I can't find anything! I always thought it would be chaotic to have one than one at a time, no?
Thanks, Jo Ann

Unknown said...

I discovered a new notebook - by Levenger. They have loose paper that you put into this book & put dividers in for their catagories that you can take out & put back in with 11 rings for the letter size. The covers can be very colorful - I picked vivacious - and can be bent backward to make it easier to write - or take out the paper & put back in. I can change it as often as I need to. I love it!

ShareThis