If you know me well then you know I’m a big advocate of Evernote. Over the years I went from checking it out, to sort of using it to can’t live without it.
Here are some tips for moms on how to use Evernote and stop using your wallet as a file cabinet 🙂 Yeah you know who you are.
- Download an overactive brain…obviously happening now as I write this post. Create a note for anything you don’t want to forget, a checklist for a project, shopping lists, ideas for birthday parties, packing list,
- Scan school papers. Stop feeling guilty about not saving them for a scrapbook they’ll never want. You know these are for you, not them. Use the Evernote app on your phone to take a picture or scan the item, tag it with the kid’s name and toss it into recycling. You can also file it into an Evernote notebook named after your child, so you can browse through it later with them. Bonus – share the notebook with family so it’s easier to brag about your kid’s latest art drawing.
- Scan coupons, receipts – I used to clip coupons, then dump them in my purse or my wallet or the coupon file that I always forget when I’m actually at the store. Take a picture with the Evernote app camera and tag it as a coupon or file in a coupon notebook. The coupon will be there whenever you’re ready to use it. Be like an Evernote expert and set a reminder for the date/time you’ll use the coupon so it pops up right when you need it (like when you’re at Bed Bath and Beyond).
- Share folders. I share a folder named “Kids” with hubby . There’s also a sub-folder or Evernote notebook named after each kid. File notes here to share things like school schedules, extracurricular class schedules, clothing sizes, wish lists, immunization records, notes from doctor visits, prescriptions, etc.
- Send out links – I use Evernote to save web clippings. On my desktop, the Evernote browser extension lets me clip a web page to Evernote. On my phone, I use the Dolphin Browser app which lets me share a web page to Evernote. This is saved in my “clips” notebook. Whenever I find myself waiting in line or for my lunch order, I can read the articles offline. If it’s worthy to send/share, I can send share the link to my Evernote note to anyone via text, email, etc…
- Wish lists + Amazon. My family is remote so Amazon is a must when it comes to gift giving. To make it easier on our family, we help the kids create wish lists for their birthday or Christmas. The Evernote app makes this easy -at Target for example, I start a new note, click the camera icon and click away at items they want to add to the list. I can also share items from Amazon. I can then merge the notes together or save them to a new notebook that I can share to anyone that asks. I also try to remember to add their current clothing and shoe sizes just in case someone is thinking of those items. The reason I use Evernote vs Amazon is that it’s easier to share the Evernote link and keeps everything in one place
- Buy a scanner. With all the papers coming home from school, it was easier to use a scanner. I use the ScanSnap scanner since it’s programmed to send scanned items directly to Evernote and is blazingly fast. The school papers end up in a weekly pile that I try to scan at least once a week, then toss in recycling knowing they’re safely in Evernote.
- Tag those notes – in case multiple kids share the note. The benefit of Evernote is that you don’t really need to file anything in a notebook or tag a note. You could just leave it in the default folder. Evernote’s optical recognition (OCR) can scan through all those notes and find matching documents. The only drawback is when you get too many results. Sometimes searching by a tag is more efficient. The second reason you should use tags is when a note applies to more than one notebook or topic. For example – something in the folder “kids” applies to two kids. If you file it under one notebook named under kid #1, then you won’t find it in the notebook named kid #2. If you file it under kids, then tag with with kid #1’s name and kid #2’s name, then you’ll find it with either name.
Suggested Notebooks
- Home and Family – Where you family’s reference documents go like house projects, home inventory, pet info, etc.
- Kids – to share with hubby and family. Notes that apply to more than one kid go in here. Be sure to tag!
- A notebook per kid – to share in the future. Includes current measurements, Wish Lists, Drawings, accomplishments, rewards, medical records, etc
- Statements – If you get eStatements or eBills use a service like IFTTT or use automated filtering and email rules to forward to Evernote and delete from your email automatically. Stop pretending you’ll eventually read and file them from your email inbox!
- Receipts – this is especially great for online ordering receipts. Like statements, use automated email filters to forward to Evernote. Expert tip – add @Notebook name to the subject line to automatically move it to the Receipts notebook in Evernote. Mom tip – stop losing receipts and forgetting them when you need to return an item. Snap a pic when you clean out your purse. Receipts that rub off the ink from the paper are better saved this way too. Use the Evernote app camera to take a picture of the receipt plus any extended warranty policy so you can keep them together.
- ID Cards – use common sense on this. Obviously do not scan your Driver’s license. This is useful though to carry back up copies of insurance cards, library cards, rewards cards, etc.
- School Papers for YYYY – scan here to reference during the school year, delete at end of year. See above for more about handling school papers.
And finally my favorite Evernote tip – get rid of those post it notes you stick on top of your phone! Use Evernote to make quick notes. Better yet get a phone that lets you handwrite notes. I am using the Samsung Galaxy Note to create new SNotes that automatically synch with Evernote. It lets me handwrite a note like on paper, but saves a digital copy in Evernote so I never have to dump out my purse looking for the lost receipt I wrote a phone number on the back of.