We are spending more and more time on our mobile devices, and although I don’t really encourage being on your phone all the time, there are some amazing apps to help keep you organized and on track! Digital versions of things take up less physical space, do not collect dust, are easier to delete/dispose of, and are portable so they’re always with you on your phone.
Here are some great apps that help you cut down on the clutter, and can help to keep you organized and on track!
1. Libby
I absolutely love this app! Connect your library card(s) and gain access to whatever e-books and audiobooks your library has to offer. When you “borrow” them you can listen to/read these materials on the go without using data. Personally I prefer to read a physical book over listening to an audiobook or e-book, but they can be a great alternative until libraries open back up, and are also a lot more portable if you don’t have room to take a book with you. Also, audiobooks can be easier to focus on than actually reading a novel, which may be especially helpful now.
2. Flipp
This app is a great alternative to using physical flyers that come in the mail! You can “favourite” your regular stores, save specific on sale items for easy reference, and easily search specific items to compare prices between stores. Do you like price matching? Don’t worry about having the paper flyer on you, and instead refer to the app which always has the most up-to-date flyers. Now all you need to do is put up a “No Junk Mail” sign on your mailbox to stop receiving paper flyers.
3. Google Drive
Saving documents on a web-based storage platform is a great way to preserve documents and photos that take up unnecessary physical space. It is always a good idea to have paper and digital copies of important documents so you have multiple backups. Download the app and have those documents and photos on the go with you! You can even “scan” documents with you phone by taking a picture of them and saving them in the Drive. Just keep in mind that there is a limited storage capacity of 15 GB for the free version.
4. Notes
Every mobile device comes equipped with a notepad app, each a little bit different, but always very helpful! I like to use my notepad to have an ongoing grocery list for when I’m out and can’t remember what I need to purchase. I also use it for to-do lists, either for that day/week/month. Or if you hear about a book or TV show you want to check out, jot it down in your notes section and look it up later.
5. Calendar
The calendar app that come on your mobile device can be fantastic to help keep you on track of schedules or due dates. Put in your calendar app your work/social/chore schedules and colour-code them so you know to which category it belongs just by glancing at it. Set it so you get notifications of important things. You can also have items recurring, such as a regular work schedule or appointments. Having a portable calendar on your person at all times can be extremely helpful for when you are out and needing to know your availability. Just be sure to keep on top of actually filling it in and updating it.
6. Transit app
For those that take public transportation, the Transit app is crucial! The nice thing about it is that it updates based on your location, so unlike your local transportation app (like GRT for KW), it will show you busses and trains when you are out of your hometown. It will also give you info on GO and Greyhound busses that may not show up on a specific local transportation app. This app gives you up-to-date information on delays, and will show you a little icon of a bus going down the road so you know exactly where it is.
7. Gas Buddy
For those that drive a car, the gas buddy app is so helpful! You can search your area for the best gas prices, or you can just look up where the nearest gas station is to you if you’re in an unfamiliar area. The only thing about this app is that the gas prices are only updated by app users so it is not always up to date if the gas prices changed in the last hour or so and no one else has updated it since then. So if you use the app, let others know the accurate price of that gas station you visited!
8. Waste Whiz
This app is great for determining whether an item is trash, recyclable or compostable. There is a search function for you to type in your item, and it will let you know what to do with it. If the item is not listed, you can make a suggestion for them to add it. You can also look up your trash pick-up day based on your address, which is very helpful if you’ve just moved into your home. If this app is not available for your area, check out Recycle Coach which is more universal, and you can search by area.
9. Pocket
Pocket is a great resource for saving content that you want to look at a later time, and can be used on your mobile device or computer. How it works is you download the app and you can save articles, videos and websites to your Pocket account. After that the content is visible on any device if you are logged into your account, and can be viewed while offline.
Happy digital organizing! What are your favourite apps to keep organized?
