• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Print Subscription
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Contact Us

E-tools + Personal Technology That Can Help Organize Your Home and Life!

March 5, 2017 by Dana Y. Wu

Our lives are increasingly hectic, and it is sometimes a challenge simply keeping track of appointments, errands, school and work events. Jotting down something on paper is simple, tried and true, but often not enough. Fortunately, technology has stepped in and provided assistance in managing our busy lives, and local residents have shared some practices and tips to help keep home life, careers and volunteering commitments running smoothly.

Organizing E-mails and Files

Debbie Rose, who provides “everyday technology” consultation (her company is ‘Life Tech’), recommends sorting, filing, or prioritizing e-mail messages. “I have a filter to file or archive any work emails that specifically have attachments, since I often need to access those messages quickly.

I always “star” any important messages so later, when I sit down to execute, I pull up a view of just my starred messages and get to work.”

Promptly naming files for easy identification later is crucial. For Rose, “the key to digital organization is religiously naming my files as I create them. Find a naming format that works for you and use it consistently, regardless of the file type,” such as by date, event or subject matter.

Organizing expert Alissa Dorfman (of ‘Alissa Dorfman Home Organizing’) utilizes a “touch it once” rule. “If something needs a response, I do it immediately. If I can’t, I keep the email flagged as “new” on my iPhone, and check at a glance.”

Dorfman also suggests deleting e-mails as soon as they are dealt with. “I delete PTA e-mails after I record the new info. I delete invitations after responding because they send you a reminder as the event gets closer. If you can retrieve the info some other way, you don’t need to keep it.” She adds that unsubscribing to one email list daily “is easy to do and it lowers the amount of incoming emails more quickly then you realize.”

School Tools for Everyone

Students and staff at both Chappaqua and Byram Hills schools utilize Google Drive and Google Docs to organize, share and communicate. Coman Hill Elementary school teacher Sue Ornstein loves “how I can access my files anywhere, anytime. I organize files into folders for easy retrieval and I can simply search Google Drive. Google Docs is a great tool for collaborating with colleagues. Each of us can access the document and multiple people can edit a document simultaneously. We avoid the “which version is this?” confusion.”

Sign-up Genius is used for coordinating class parties. “It’s a great way to include everyone and there aren’t gaps or doubles of party supplies,” says Ornstein. “Everyone can see it update in real time, without a zillion emails or phone calls.” It is also used at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Chappaqua to coordinate volunteers for coffee hours, pot-lucks, worship assistance and the annual Strawberry Festival.

A similar program, Meal Train, is helpful for providing for families in need.

Beyond Post-It Notes

While there is still a place for handwritten reminders, the abundant e-tools available can go a long way toward increasing productivity at home and work.

With a couple of clicks on a smartphone, anyone can be more organized!!

Dana Y. Wu is a local author and busy mom of four who could use more digital organization

Some favorite “apps”–most free–used locally, and of course, far and wide, include:

Clear-Tasks, Reminders & To-Do Lists: “A numbered badge reminds me of something I have to do and visible and audible alerts notify me with enough lead time to get to my destination on time. The app is colorful, and it’s fun to swipe something off the list.” – Sue Ornstein

Dropbox (online storage): “It updates my photos automatically from my phone. I save Word docs on it that are accessible from my computer, my iPhone and iPad wherever I am.” – Susan Barocas

Facebook Messenger: “Messenger is how new clients can reach me off of my Facebook page. I also send things to myself from FB like recipes or things to do with the kids.” – Alissa Dorfman

Pocket (for saving internet content for viewing offline): “It stores links of articles I want to read later and allows me to delete or file them when I’m done.”        – Debbie Rose

Doodle Schedule Maker: “I invite participants to select their preferences out of several times and dates. It adds up their “votes” and lets me know most popular dates/time for my workshops or sessions with creative staff.” – Beth Blatt

Evernote: “Great for jotting down information (parent nights, college visits, doctor consults) on my phone. Later, I open up the Evernote app at home to review and follow up. It integrates well with many other applications” and notes can be added in the form of text, photo, audio file or handwritten. – Sue Ornstein

Google Calendar: Automatically adds events from gmail. “I use Google Calendar and paper calendar in my work with church, PTA, kids and full-time real estate work.” – Mary Ann Bayer

Wunderlist To-Do List & Task: “I can sync to my husband’s phone and both our laptops. It allows us to have the same lists when we are out and about – bucket lists, Costco shopping lists, movies to watch, good books.” – Beth Blatt

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: E-tools, home organizing, organization, Personal technology, tech

About Dana Y. Wu

Dana Y. Wu is a frequent contributor to The Inside Press.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Holocaust Survivor Helga Luden Relates her Story of Escape, Rescue and Survival
  • Four Winters Shines a Light on the Bravery of World War II Survivors Among the 25,000 Jewish Partisans
  • $86K State Grant Awarded to 2023 Phoenix Festival Signals Growing Focus on Tourism
  • Scarsdale Music Festival Gearing Up for a June 3rd Event: Sponsorships, Performers and Vendors Sought
  • Governor Hochul Urges: SHOP SMALL to Help Small Businesses Which Make Up 98% of New York State’s Economy
  • Chappaqua’s Always Magical HOLIDAY STROLL on December 3rd: Ice Sculpting, Tree Lighting, Horace Greeley Encords… and More!

Please Visit

White Plains Hospital
Boys & Girls Club
Compass: Goldman and Herman
Compass: Generic
Desires by Mikolay
William Raveis – Chappaqua
William Raveis – Armonk
Dodd’s Wine Shop
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
Lumagica Enchanged Forest
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Compass: Natalia Wixom
Eye Designs of Armonk
Stacee Massoni
Club Fit
Beecher Flooks Funeral Home
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Houlihan: Kile Boga-Ibric
Raveis: Sena Baron
Compass: Aurora Banaszek
King Street Creatives
First Congregational Church
Houlihan Lawrence – Rusminka Rose Jakaj
Armonk Tennis Club

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Chappaqua Inside Armonk Inside Pleasantville

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2023 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in