Organize Your Ideas With Notebooks
How to organize your ideas with notebooks. Make the most of all of your brilliant ideas with a notebook captures system.
One of the best things you can do when you're trying to figure out how to organize your home is to set up a good system for capturing ideas.
Do you have trouble remembering all of your good ideas? Do you remember what you learn more when you write it down? If you said yes to either of those questions, you might want to organize your ideas with notebooks.
I am obsessed with finding cute, inexpensive notebooks.
When it's back-to-school time, I'm in heaven every time I go to the store and find cheap notebooks that I can use throughout the year.
I started out using my notebooks to help me remember ideas, and as a place to work out plans.
Over the years, I've slowly started keeping different types of notebooks for different purposes.
Writing down ideas, making lists, and planning things out on paper has always helped me to organize my thoughts.
I have never been able to use my smartphone as a place to store ideas.
Writing things down helps me to remember things, and make better decisions.
Read: Practical Lists to Make to Organize Your Life
Ways to Organize Your Ideas With Notebooks
- The Idea Notebook. My first notebook was just an idea notebook. I took it with me to work, and anytime I had a business idea, an idea about a cool project, or anything else, I would write it down in my notebook. After a while, I jokingly called it my “notebook of dreams that may never come true.” Using the idea notebook helped me separate the good ideas from the bad ideas.
- The To-Do Notebook. I also had a smaller notebook that I kept in my jeans pocket. This was a suggestion from Trent at the Simple Dollar. Anytime I thought of something that needed to be added to my to-do list, I would write it down in my little notebook so I wouldn't forget to add it to my list of things to get done. Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom, I jot notes down on post-it notes and stick them on my desk so I can add them to my to-do list.
- The Price Book. As I transitioned into being a stay-at-home mom, I worked harder at saving money. One of the ways I did this was by keeping a price book. Of course, I used a cute little notebook! You can find out how to make a price book here.
- The Hilarious Things Our Kids Say Notebook. If our kids say something funny, we try to write it down. Usually we have to write about the situation too. We've gotten a lot better at writing down the things our kids say since we moved this notebook into our kitchen. It's easy to access there, and are less likely to forget about it because its in a common space.
Now I have more notebooks that I use, but they are mostly related to this blog. Blogging takes a lot of time and effort, and it means that I spend a lot of time in front of the computer. I've tried to minimize my screen time by doing some of my work in notebooks.
- The Write Notebook – I use this notebook to outline post ideas. I find that I can write better, more-organized posts if I write out an outline first. Then, typing up the post later is so much easier.
- The Post Ideas Notebook – I'm constantly having post ideas, or ideas for series that I'd love to write. I capture them in this smaller notebook.
- The Car Notebook – I get a lot of ideas when I'm driving around town, and most of them are blog-related. I keep a medium-sized notebook in my car so I can write the ideas down. If I need to write a lot, I have the space to do so.
- The Learning Notebook – Whenever I learn how to do something blog-related, I write it down in this notebook. Because I WILL forget it. This is especially helpful for recording procedures for how to do technical things. Technical things are not my cup of tea. I have to write it down.
- The Business Ideas Notebook – I use this notebook to think through different business ideas. Most of the ideas end up getting ditched after a week or so, but I've been able to think through a lot of different scenarios by using this notebook. Some of them have ended up being good ideas!
Even if you don't have a blog, you might want to consider using notebooks to help you organize your thoughts at work or for your business.
I really like the portability of notebooks (no wi-fi necessary!).
I'm also thankful that using notebooks has helped me to focus and spend less time staring at a computer screen.
Related: How to Build a Custom Planner with Printables
Writing things down helps me to organize my thoughts in a way that typing on my computer can't. Using my computer or smart phone to organize ideas might be more helpful for you, especially if you've grown up using a lot of technology. For me, using fun notebooks is a treat that makes my everyday work a little more fun. I look forward to planning things out and recording ideas in my notebooks.
Do you have a notebook obsession? Please share how you use your notebooks in the comments.
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I don’t remember anything that I don’t have written down, but it never occurred to me to stay better organized by having different notebooks for different reasons.
Hi Jessica! I think some people are just wired to remember better if they write things down. I’m definitely one of those people too! 🙂
I think I would lose my sanity if I didn’t organize this way. I have two major notebooks: writing ideas and “to do list”.
That’s cool, Sarah! I guess we all have to come up with our own system that works for us.
Seriously I think we may be clones. I LOVE notebooks. I write lists in them, ideas, basically everything…in fact I even remember better if I write it down! I actually just bought about 15 notebooks from Walmart on sale for $0.20! I will use them all too…but if only I could finish all my wonderful ideas I write down…that is still a work in progress!
Hello, clone! 🙂 Wal-Mart has the cutest notebooks!
Glad I am not the only notebook addict out there! I have blog info and idea notebook, a random idea notebook, a to do lists notebook. A blog post draft notebook, and a on the go idea notebook in my purse, and I still have a couple of diaries and sketch notebooks too. Not only do they help my crazy mind stay organised, they also look pretty 🙂
Hi Cyn! You are not alone. I think we’re all starting to come out of the woodwork. 🙂 I’ve always wanted to keep a diary, but I’ve never done it consistently. Maybe when the right notebook comes along I’ll start. 😉
There is something about physically writing something down, isn’t there? I keep all kinds of lists and notes in notebooks, though mine aren’t categorized as well as yours 😉 I love the idea of having a place to write down the tips you learn for blogging. I hate having to scroll back through Pinterest of something saying “now where was that tutorial for making my own watermark?!”
Thanks for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty link party.
Hi Alayna! Having tutorials all in one place is so helpful. I’ve printed a lot of things off from classes and websites. One of my future projects is to bust out a glue stick and paste those tutorials into a notebook so I have them all in one place. But, sometimes, it’s just easier for me to write out the instructions in my own words. That helps me remember the information better, and I’m more apt to actually understand it when I go back to it months later.
I keep several notebooks for sketching out ideas, something I started a few years ago.. One for dress designs, one for doll clothes, and one for all other sewing ideas. I find it easier to make stuff if I get the idea down on paper first. Super effective, plus I’ve noticed I’ve gotten better at drawing.
Hi Anna! That’s so cool! It’s neat that you can keep all of your drawings in one place too.
Pinned! Thanks for sharing with us at #Throwback Thursday link party. Please join us again tomorrow and invite your friends.
Thanks, Quinn!
Thanks for all the info~~ I have a few blog ideas notebooks right now, but I used to have more notebooks, too. I kept notes on nonfiction books I read. I kept another notebook on all movies I watched at the theater with their tickets. I keep various small notebook/journals on vacations, etc. It’s totally fun and helps to keep things in mind. Best wishes, Linda @Crafts a la mode
Hi Linda! I love the idea of having a notebook to keep notes on non-fiction books. That would really save a lot of time in the long run!
Hi Linda! I love the idea of having a notebook to keep notes on non-fiction books. That would really save a lot of time in the long run!
Yay!!! I’m so excited! Thank you, Susan!
I totally have a notebook addiction as does my daughter. When we lived together we’d feed off of each other’s addiction so between us we have tons. I separate my notebooks for different purposes too.
Hi Tricia! I love that the love for notebooks is a family affair. 🙂
I am always writing things down so I don’t forget them but usable use scrap paper…which actually drives me crazy because then I have 20!pieces of paper with various notes. I just started using a notebook for the to-do notes, I like idea of having a few notebooks for different purposes.
I have 3 notebooks plus a daily planner and a journal. One is for menu planning and making grocery lists. One is for to do lists. and the Third one is for ALL my dreaming and scheming, crafting ideas, party plans, yard and landscaping inspirations, etc.