Elizabeth’s Favorite Things: Gist

this entry has 0 Comments/ in Cloud Computing, Mobile and On-the-Go, Tools and Apps / by Innovatively Organized

May 23, 2012

Description:
Your various contacts are scattered everywhere: in email, among social networks, and in many other sources. Gist brings your contacts into one place to give you a full view of your network, making it easy to find anyone, anytime.

Abilities:
• See a unified contact list across email, social networks, and other sources.
• Get news, status updates, and contact details for everyone in your network.
• Take your contacts on-the-go with your Android, iPhone, or Blackberry.

Great for:
• Managing multiple contacts from email and various social media sites.

Cost: Free

4 Ways for Busy Families to Use the Cloud

this entry has 0 Comments/ in Cloud Computing, Events, Families and Kids, Mobile and On-the-Go, Photo Organizing, Residential Organizing / by Innovatively Organized

April 26, 2012

Think the cloud is just for professional use? Think again! Cloud computing is for busy families too. The beauty of using “the cloud” is that it keeps information synced and accessible, making it a great solution for busy families trying to get organized. Here are four ways that busy families can use cloud-based services to simplify their lives:

1. Finances
Staying connected to your finances wherever you go can be challenging for many families. Try a tool like Mint to help your family manage accounts and investments, as well as track spending and set up budgets.

2. Photos
Online photo storage sites, such as SnapFish, can be a great way to let everyone view and access memories by using the sharing function. You can also use these services to order prints or create cool photo products. One of our favorite things to do is create photo books to preserve and show off memories at the same time!

3. Calendars
Family calendars help to keep track of each family member’s schedule organized. It is easy to create individual calendars and then share them as needed with other family members, or even a teacher, nanny, or carpool buddy. One of our favorite options is Google Calendars since it works with just about any mobile device and is accessible online.

4. Lists
Writing and sharing lists that the entire family can access is a must. Using a tool like Cozi can help you keep track of shared grocery lists, to-do lists, and any other family priorities.

What are your thoughts? How does your family use the cloud to stay organized?

Organizing a Busy Family Using the Cloud: Case Study

this entry has 0 Comments/ in Before and After of the Week, Cloud Computing, Electronic Organizing, Families and Kids, Innovatively Organized, Mobile and On-the-Go, Residential Organizing, Seattle / by Innovatively Organized

April 15, 2012

As professional organizers in Seattle, we recently worked with a family of five: three kids, one busy entrepreneur dad, and a working mom constantly on-the-go. The family had smart phones but didn’t have their schedules synced or easily accessible, making it difficult to stay organized.

Solution:
We suggested the Seattle family use a cloud computing service and set up a shared calendar so they could collaborate, easily keeping informed about events or appointments for other family members. This gave them the ability to stay on the same page and know how to best coordinate their time commitments and obligations.

Result:
The busy entrepreneur dad now knows when each of the children’s activities are happening, the on-the-go working mom knows when her husband is running errands or picking up the kids as she returns home each night from work, and everyone knows the Seattle family’s weekend plans. The busy family now has a cloud-based tool to keep them connected and aware of their various commitments, time constraints, and upcoming events!

Think your family could benefit from professional organizers or productivity consultants? Learn more about our services and ask how our team could help!