Because I am often away from the office and some of our team members work from virtual offices, having an easy way to share files is critical.  That’s why we use Dropbox – a web-based application that lets multiple people collaborate on documents and quickly share changes.  It also means you don’t have to worry about losing a file if you misplace papers or forget your briefcase.

Dropbox uses secure servers to save copies of your files, and you can access them from any computer or mobile device. It’s compatible with iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android platforms. This is one of the newer features that make it really convenient to view files on-the-go, sync photos from your phone to Dropbox, and share links to files.Learn more here.

As you enter your home, are you prone to dropping keys or hanging up a jacket in the same location every day? This is the perfect opportunity to set up an official drop zone and stop clutter in its tracks. Even in the smallest spaces, a series of hooks can serve as a place to hang purses, tote bags, coats, umbrella, and the dog leash. A side table or wall-mounted shelf can act as a home for your cell phone, mail, keys and a pad of paper for notes and shopping lists. If you have a larger area or mud room, consider putting baskets underneath a bench to hold boots, backpacks and sporting equipment. Hanging up a memo board adds a finishing touch to hold a calendar and important papers.

“Be easily moved and intuitively reconfigured.”

Today’s workplace is a far cry from the traditional sea of cubicles or offices lining a hallway.  In order to be productive, teams need to sit together so they can collaborate, move away for privacy, or join as a group to hold meetings on-the-fly.  There are a lot of options for modular desks and office furniture on wheels, but I recently discovered Mobi – a one-legged table attached to a sound-dampening wall on locking wheels that trumps all the other bulky workstations I’ve seen. Mobi can be rolled around the office and arranged with other Mobi desks in a variety of configurations - rows, circles, triangles, etc.  It’s the perfect marriage of form and function.

Are there loose papers falling out of your cookbook? Do you have dog-eared pages tracking your favorite recipes? Bake up some organization by adding a large top entry envelope to collect pictures, tear-outs, and other papers. Also, glue a ribbon along the spine edge of the inside back cover. The long part of the ribbon should come out of the top of the cookbook so that you can pull it down and place it between pages and have it dangle out at the bottom.

If you own an iPod or other mp3 player, it’s easy to sort and filter your music to find a specific song or album. But what happens when you have duplicate files or missing information? If you’re keeping all of your music in a digital format, TidySongs is the key to organizing all of it quickly and easily! This application can add album art, remove duplicates, rename genres and even fill in missing song information.  TidySongs is available for free download and purchase.

A smart and innovative way to reuse binder clips is to attach them to the front of a tray (as pictured) with a label made with your standard label maker.  Also, try using a binder clip in the same way when you’re stacking several files and want to quickly identify and retrieve a specific file from your stack. 

How many Starbucks gift cards did you receive over the holidays? If you have coffee-loving friends, there might be several cards living in your wallet or purse right now.  An easy and quick way to organize all those cards into one neat account is with the Starbucks Card Mobile App for select BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone or iPod touch mobile devices.

Just download the free app and load all your gift card balances into one account. Then just pay with your smartphone by holding it in front of a scanner which reads the mobile app’s on-screen barcode. Over 6,800 Starbucks locations are currently participating as well as over 1,000 Target Starbucks locations.

Users can also check their card balance, reload their card, check their My Starbucks Rewards status and find a nearby Starbucks store with the store locator feature.

Read about the new mobile payment option here.