 |
Name: Carley Knobloch Profession: founder of Digitwirl, a weekly tech web show for women Location: Los Angeles Website: http://digitwirl.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/digitwirl Twitter: @digitwirl |
Bio
Carley Knobloch is the founder of Digitwirl, a weekly web show that teaches women how to make technology work for them. Carley has held various creative positions in digital Hollywood, building some of the first-ever film and television websites for clients like Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. She is a regular contributor to Lifetime’s The Balancing Act and has appeared on ABC News and Fox News. In 2001, she started her consulting practice, Mothercraft, to help coach moms on how they can simplify and organize their lives.
Evernote, Everywhere
Women, Technology and Life/Work Balance
In my experience, I’ve found that women have different needs than men when it comes to technology. Women often ask: How will this save me time? How can this save me money? How will it help me get things done faster so I can spend more time with my family?
I use Evernote for…
When I became a mom, I was struck by how my life was turned upside down and I wasn’t as organized as I used to be — I couldn’t keep my address book or my calendar and was very distracted all the time. It inspired me to create my coaching and consulting practice, Mothercraft. I started coaching moms and writing a weekly newsletter on how they could simplify and organize their lives as moms. When I began attaching a video to the newsletter, it really took off… and the idea for Digitwirl was born!
I’m a busy mom of two, running my own business, looking for tools that can help me manage my life — and since I can’t live without Evernote, it’s no surprise that it’s been one of the most popular Digitwirl episodes we’ve aired.
Here’s a look at how I use Evernote:
- For collaboration: Digitwirl’s content director is in New York and I’m in Los Angeles, so we use a shared Evernote notebook to communicate about technologies that we want to cover. We tag all of the products according to type (travel, beauty, home organization). When we’re going over materials and I’m trying to remember the name of a digital luggage scale that lets you know if you overpack, I can search through tags like ‘travel’ and ‘luggage’ but also inside of everything I’ve written or clipped. I never have to have that moment of “I sort of remember, but don’t really remember.’ [Learn how to start sharing notes]
- For my business: When I started my new business, I opened all of my bank accounts with Evernote. I didn’t bring any paper to the bank. I had my EIN and my article of incorporation scanned into Evernote.
- For gift ideas: When I’m out and about with my kids and they say “I want that!” I take a picture of the item and tag it with ‘want’. The next time I’m on Amazon and I want to buy a present, I just browse through notes tagged ‘want.’
- For instruction manuals: Every time I get a new device, the instruction manual gets scanned into Evernote. Before Evernote, I had a big box full of instruction manuals for things like my washing machine from my old house. Now, I can keep things up to date; if something is out of date, I delete it.
- For warranties, receipts and contracts: I save warranties for appliances like my washer and drier in Evernote, as well as receipts. I also have a contracts and agreements notebook.
- For photos of kids’ art: I take a lot of photographs of my kids’ artwork — especially their 3D art. We do a lot of ‘this has lived its life on the counter, let’s take a picture of it to remember it and then throw it away.’ The kids love looking through this notebook. It’s a sentimental place for me and for them.
- For class rosters and school documents: I keep my kids’ class rosters in Evernote. I have a class rosters notebook with each scanned note labeled by year and kid, along with important school forms and notices, and all their report cards.
- For travel: Evernote keeps me organized when I travel and attend conferences. I email myself all kinds of correspondence that’s important. I have one notebook for each event I’m going to. Right now, I have a notebook for my speaking engagement at BlogHer. It includes my speaker agreement, hotel reservation information, itinerary, information on meetings I need to attend, etc. When I get there, I know I can pull up my phone and have everything in one place.
Evernote is like having a filing cabinet in your back pocket. All of my important documents follow me wherever I go — my house is virtually paperless and all of my information is accessible whenever I need it, from wherever I am. It’s one of those rare services that becomes more useful as time goes on. The best part is, using Evernote means never having to say to someone, “Oh I left it in my other purse,” or “Oh it’s in my hard drive.”
109 Comments
Sharon Lamb
I’m impressed yet overwhelmed. I wish I had this available during our time in the military. Now we are retired and both still actively working.
I’d like to know your comparison with Evernote and Onenote?
How did you find the time to declutter paper and get it all digital? I recently purchased the “Neatdesk” desktop scanner (although we have two color scanner/ printer), it seemed faster to get those receipts and documents out of the way. But 37+ years of clutter has hit my limit.
After my husband retired after 37+ years of service we have settle in LA area of which he still works military. We have two storage units and garage full of what seems to be memories all forgotten. Since we both work full time it’s impossible to start and donate or toss.
I would love to actually find the time to detach myself from those unwanted doucments or clutter and find our home open save $5000 year on storage cost as well drive one of cars into the garage.
Now that I avoided my main question, how do you utilize Evernote vs Onenote. I came across and use it for crafts ( when I have time), recipes, manuals. Are you able to share into “dropbox” or are you able to having both?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and bless you for your creative ideas to help the modern day women to simplify their lives.
Sharon, Harbor City
Skye
Hi,
I used OneNote–probably an older version now, but I found it so clunky compared to Evernote. Evernote has literally changed my life. In an split-second search, the arcane information about my life is in front of my nose, and available to use. I keep gift ideas, book lists, writing ideas, doctors names, specialities, and addresses, have a separate notebook for my position at the University of Oregon–everything is there (except passwords or other sensitive information), and available across technical platforms. Simply, couldn’t do without Evernote.
Debbie P.
Sharon,
How have you liked the Neatdesk desktop scanner? I have been thinking of getting one, but haven’t found anyone that knows much about them. I am in the exact same boat as you—retired military with a full storage unit and garage, and we both work full time. The task is daunting, but I am ready to take it on, but want to make sure I am investing in the right tools.
Steve
I am not a chick but found your article and other videos awesome on “how you use”/applications for the devices. I am new to evernote and got some great ideas from you. Thanks.
by the way, great pup.
Kimberly
Does any one have a comment with the internet connection being slow, thus hampering the effectiveness of Evernote? I use it frequently for taking pictures of magazine articles I want to save. Then I can toss the magazine. But sometimes it just takes so long to connect/backup. I’m hesitant to jump in and use it for more if it’s slow. Thoughts?
Deepa
Doesn’t scanning take a lot of time? Any tips because I have lots of paper!
Jay
The copier in my office has scanning ability. It makes a pdf and sends an email to me. Then I forward that to my evernote email address. See if your office has one.
Also, she mentiones scanning owners manuals. Save yourself the effort. A 15 second google search on the mfgr’s website will find the .pdf online already. Just grab that and pop it into evernote.
KH Boyd
Totally agree on the warranties, manuals. I rarely use the clipper since you can send any .pdf to your email for Evernote or just right click (on PC) to ‘send to Evernote’. I use it for rosters, receipts, class lists, grades, travel plans, photos, tickets, websites, bills, you name it. A photo is often faster than scanning and easier on the fly. Most of my documents are digital to start with!
Kathryn-Ann O'Brien
Depends on the scanner. The all-in-one printer/scanners take forEVER. I use the ScanSnap scanner – the little one, I think it’s the 1300. It’s incredibly fast. I bought it used on e-bay (because it’s fairly expensive new) and I love it! It literally scans the documents directly into Evernote. Of course, this meant I had to invest in a shredder too! Now everything is getting scanned and shredded. I believe that in a few weeks I will have a guest room where my office paperwork once lived!
Anil
The Fujitsu Scanner I use is ScanSnap S1500 (for Windows). It scans 20 sheets/minute (i.e. 40 images..meaning both sides at the time!). You can buy it at Costco at a very good price. Costco has a very good return policy if you had any issues with the scanner.
MJ
When you scan your receipts/manuals, what do you use for scanning? Hardware wise? I’m looking for a cost effective solution that works really well with Evernote.
Thanks!
Anil
Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500. You can throw in all the receipts at the same time. It scans different papaer sizes at the same time! No need to sort papaers of the same size together for scanning.
Sally
For that inventory of manuals, I include purchasing, warranty and service information. Then I make a QR code of the url to the note. I can print the QR code on a sticker to apply to the actual item. When I need information I can just scan the code with my smart phone and instantly have information about how to use the equipment or when it was last serviced, etc.
Audrey
Hi Sally,
Your idea about making QR code is very intriguing. Do you use Evernote to search for QR code?
Thank you!
Audrey
Stephen in SF
I am constantly looking for ways to do things better and easier. Sometimes not in that order. I wasn’t going to look at this article but something made me look. I won’t go there. Anyway, I keep a folder on my computer for instructions, primarily sound equipment, computers, etc. Your idea was very good. Move that stuff to Evernote. Thanks.
Bob Brown
This is my second day using Evernote. The first day was really intriguing-understanding the usefulness of being able to collect in one place all my e-mail that I had to do something with along with my related audio thoughts and web sites that I ran across. Today, I downloaded Evernote to my wife’s Galaxy Tablet-now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Capturing text notes, pictures, video seems so natural with a tablet. I think I would like to use it as a CRM/Knowledge-base/e-portfolio ‘system’. I wonder if Evernote can be used to teach? I use a Learning management System called Moodle and would love to use Evernote with it for students.
Kasey Fleisher Hickey
Hi Bob, glad to hear you’re enjoying your first few days using Evernote! You can definitely use Evernote for teaching. Check out our Education Series for ideas:
http://blog.evernote.com/2011/01/05/how-my-students-started-using-evernote-education-series/
http://blog.evernote.com/2011/02/01/evernote-montclair-kimberley-academy-deployment/
Kathy Richards
I think Evernote and other online storage programs are the best Mini-storage out there! Even if I never looked at the stuff I scan in.. i’m not drowning in paper as much any more. Love it! Thanks for your article.
Matt Crane
Thanks Carley – loved your article and needed these kind of hints to get our family to adopt Evernote
Tracy
I am clapping my hands with glee..someone who is more organised than me and loves it.
I started using Evernote when Rachel Meeks from http://smallnotebook.org/2011/08/03/how-to-achieve-uncluttered-without-going-bare-cold-or-minimal/
and must say the uses are astounding, especially taking photos of the childrens artwork, remembering all the times I have thrown pieces of art away before I became a ‘tech head’ (in my own mind, of course)..very useful and will be sharing this info with my friends. And now since my young man is 13, all of the ‘I wants’ catergory will be getting quite full.
Thanks
Bojan
I love Evernote, but in order to make it usefull, people actually need to use it. It’s great device for writers, since I can capture ideas on my cell phone and have them available everywhere.
I take snapshots of warranties on regular basis, as well as light bulb sizes in my house, and many other usefull things.
Ahmed Abd El Salam
I start using Evernote 1 year ago
and it really amazing
can work on my to-do list from work and home and mobile and anyway
it’s just an awesome software
But after reading this great article by Carley
I get more ways for using it
and harness it for my prosperity
Thank you for that valuable Article guys
Corinna
Wow, that’s amazing! I’m just getting started on Evernote and am learning so much already. I’m a teacher, so it was useful to watch the videos about how EN is used at school.
Thanks so much
~Corinna
Blanca
Thank u this is really helpful!
Jason Frasca
Hi Carley,
Tremendous website and article… you give great examples of uses of Evernote.
Just published a new app for Evernote – MasterNote which offers Templates for Evernote… to minimize the repetitive tasks of recreating the same notes in Evernote.
MasterNote is a note template application for Evernote. Save countless hours recreating the same notes where you only change the same few text fields each time. For example:
Client Files: Create 5 notes: Client Info, Objectives, Client Correspondence, TO DO’s, Billing. To open this case you only need to change 15 text fields. With a template, change the 15 fields, export the Evernote .enex files with the new client info, your new client file is ready to roll.
Additional uses include: Meeting Notes, Workout Journal, Diet / Food Log, School Reports, Papers, Homework, Class Papers, Teachers: Syllabus, Curriculum, Tests, Quizzes, Handouts … and more.
MasterNote solves the lack of printing the Evernote title problem too.
Thanks!
midnight writer
I personally found evernote very useful in many cases. For example, I use Kindle in my studies and sometimes I need to upload my clippings somewhere for easier reference and access. I use free online tools such as clippingsconverter.com to upload my Kindle clippings to evernote (or convert them first to PDF or word before uploading using the same tool).