We were talking about information/articles torn out/things printed off the internet in the Declutter Group Monday.
It’s helpful to think about where you go for information when you are ready for it. If you were to plan a party, would you go to your party planning binder or file folder, would you do an internet search or would you go to the library for a book?
If you are creating a garden, or going on a health plan or planning a vacation where do you go for information?
That is the kind of information you keep. That is where you store your information.
I rarely go to any torn out magazine article anymore. I would search the web or my Evernote online notebook. So I keep almost no magazine articles or things printed.
If you automatically go to your binders, then why are you keeping a bunch of folders on your computer?
If you get most of your info from books – make sure those are organized and don’t worry about keeping the paper information glut.
Information is only helpful if you can find it when you need it.
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Photo by Evelyn Giggles
I used to have multiple piles of magazine clippings for recipes. Then one day I found a great link on Pinterest about how to organise them all in Evernote. Once I started doing this the problem was solved. Now I add recipes to an Evernote folder called “Recipes to Try” (usually be taking a photo of it) and I tag it by the main ingredients so that I can retrieve it easily when needed. Any recipes that I try and like get moved to a more permanent Recipes folder (I can also keep add notes to the entry). Periodically I sort the Recipes to Try folder contents by date and starting with the oldest clippings I delete any that I haven’t felt inclined to cook or that no longer appeal. By keeping them in Evernote I can access whenever I need to (like when and idea strikes me at the supermarket) and my PC doesn’t get filled with digital clutter too.
Great tip, Jen! I love Evernote for digital stuff and recipes.
Beth,
You are so right about the magazines. I read something and while I have a ton or projects that I love to do, I think – yep, maybe I’ll do that for Christmas and before you know it – it’s another piece of paper to file and find AND Christmas has come and gone and I am feeling guilty because it was one more thing I DIDN’T DO!
No more – and I am not renewing any magazine that comes to my house except for my quilt magazine where I get lots of color ideas for the quilts I am working on.
Thanks for a great comment.
-Maggie-
Good for you, Maggie!