Still looking for the perfect organizing tool?

Is your Filofax too bulky and heavy to fit in your bag and carry with you?

Have you tried a Palm or other handheld and found it awkward to use when you’re on the go?

Ta Da !! – Try simple 3×5 cards, you already know the small ones you use for cooking recipes.

Why? They are affordable, easy to find, and fit in your pocket or purse. They come in pretty colors so you can color code your projects.

eg one for family, work, personal goals, home projects, hobbies / crafts, etc. Note: If you can’t find the colored ones, use a colored marker to outline around the outer edge of the card. This is enough to help you quickly sort them into groups if necessary.

Here are some examples of how you can use them. (I use one for each project, but you can combine as many as you want on one card)

Daily to-do list

Grocery lists

Personal goals: one for weekly, daily, monthly, yearly life goals

Mission statement for your life

Favorite prayers

List of books on your Wish List to Buy (or those you want to read / search for in the library, etc.)

To jot down your hot ideas when you’re on the run.

Record book and meeting notes.

Phone calls (work, business, personal, etc.) also write down the phone number so you don’t have to look it up before calling.

Keep some blanks in your pocket, purse, car, next to your bed to record dreams, ideas that wake you up at night.

Keep a stack next to your computer to keep track of your passwords, bookmarks, and keyboard shortcuts.

Examples:

I have one with my credit card balance and I record new purchases in it as I make them so I can mark the transaction when my monthly bill reaches the end of the month.

At the moment I am in the process of setting up a new bank account and I have made a list of all the utility bills that we paid through the automatic payment of the old account and that I now need to notify about the details of our new account. I have all of this on one card and can check off each one as I complete it. With a separate card for this project, I feel organized and can immediately see how far along I am in this process. When I finish the project, the card comes out.

Oh, and by the way, don’t forget to use them to record your favorite cooking recipes.

I have a small plastic folding sleeve for my cards with two flaps on the inside that prevent them from falling out. I picked it up at my stationery and it prevents my cards from bending and spoiling in my purse. This is not necessary

since you can put them in any bag, but it is useful for me. My daily to-do list is always at the top, so I can open the lid and see my list.

I’d love to hear from those of you who already use tabs to stay organized. If you try them for the first time after reading this article, I’d love to hear how they work for you.