Notes & Notebooks

To me there’s something special about being able to write something down without having to unlock a phone or open a computer.  Don't you agree?

Handwriting is something I rarely do nowadays since everything is online and getting there via a keyboard.

Over the years I've used a large varieties of ways of writing tasks, logging notes, ideas and inspiration, and I have to say that the one constant thing through all the different variations, the one thing I never stopped doing, is writing handwritten notes.


Is it better using only digital ways of storing your ideas, or is old school pen and paper the way to go?

My verdict is to use both!  :)

This little guy illustrates it elegantly :) Scholar Notebook Case for Kindle Fire HD 7

At the moment I'm using a combination of ways that I'll list up below for storing ideas and inspiration, as well as keeping track what needs doing.  It works really well on a small scale, so for a single person like a blogger, this is a great way to go.

Sharing some Ways of Keeping Track

 


The Scribble Book
For many years now I've had a little notebook that comes with me almost everywhere I go, and this one is for scribbling down information down in a hurry... the poor thing usually looks very sad after a month or two - loose pages, bent paper - you name it.









The Notebook
The things is, I don't have just one notebook... I have two!  I need one in addition where I write up an organized version of my previous rushed scribbling.  Sometimes just trying to understand what I've been writing can be a challenge in itself.  This notebooks should look good, and definitely not have any loose pages. ;) 
Opening an organized notebook is like a breath of fresh air after leaving the chaotic world of scribbles behind.







 

 
The Digital Notebook
Of course there are digital notebooks out there as well. You have The Netbook, the EEE, and the Macbook to mention a few too choose from as well.  The digital version of a notebook, light and easy to carry in your bag.



 

Love this Japanese version!

Stickies/Notepads
I wonder how many of these I've had hanging around practically all over the place!  I'm sure you know the feeling - yellow square notes wherever you turn!
They are absolutely awesome if you have a short note of reminder that you need to stick up right in front of your eyes.
They are even great to use in companies with relatively small teams for tasking.  :)









Take a picture
This I do a lot, and I think it's one of the fastest ways to capture something in front of you.
I always use my Iphone, it's so quick and easy.
It can be anything - a magazine cover, a poster, clothing, people - you name it.
As long as it's visible, it's there for the shooting ;)





 


E-mail it

Find something amazing on the web you want to keep for later?  E-mail it to yourself!
A quick and easy way to save sources and links.  Never underestimate the power of the good old e-mail! :)










Pintrest
When it comes to inspiration, Pintrest has a large amount of categorized images within almost anything you can imagine.  Creating some Pintrest Boards is a great way to store images with sources online.  You can browse the web and upload to Pintrest with all the information you want.










Inspo Folders
The internet is, as we all know, a vast ocean of information, so go ahead and dive in!  Google is your friend!  I spend so much time online browsing for inspiration, and saving in individual categorized folders locally on my computer.




That's that! Tons of ways to store all your inspiration, old school and digital.  They compliment each other nicely.  :)



In the end, with all these great ways of storing information, I think that one of my favorites still has to bee a nice tangible notebook.  It has it's own charm, a bit of nostalgia.

To me an old notebook is like a treasure trove. I love flipping through the pages. 

Seeing old scribbles, sketches, notes from old colleges, an attached picture - they are all wonderful memories I wouldn't want to be without.  The text on the page brings it all back to life.