Back-to-School Resolution: Get Organized!

Even though I’ve been out of the classroom for a couple of years now, the fresh smell of new crayons and sharpened pencils always takes me back. There is something special about this time of year… for teachers, Fall is our own New Year’s Eve. Each Fall brings a fresh start. A new year. A chance to become a better, more organized, more impressive version of yourself.  And even though I won’t be meticulously printing each student’s name on a cheerful nametag this year, I still get excited for all the promise a new school year brings.

Like any good teacher, I’ve come up with some back-to-school resolutions. Number one: get organized. Now when it comes to work, I am meticulously organized. Every file in its folder, every folder in its place. There’s a certain reassuring calm that comes from knowing exactly where to find an obscure file from 6 years ago. But, when it comes to my personal files, that’s another story altogether. With a laptop, iPad, home computer, work computer, and 2 USB hard drives… finding a specific file is like playing “Hunt the Wumpus” only not nearly as much fun. (If you grew up playing Hunt the Wumpus, consider yourself my new best friend).  And it’s not unusual to find at least a dozen sticky notes artfully displayed around the edges of my computer screen in shades of neon orange, yellow, and pink. But where did I put my grocery list?

Luckily, there are some ingenious apps and web-based programs to help people like me get organized and be more productive. Here are a few of my favorites that I found:

MediaFire
www.mediafire.com
MediaFire is a cloud-based file management site with 50GB of free secure storage. I like the easy-to-use interface and bulk download feature. I also like the idea of accessing my files anytime, anywhere- even from my mobile devices. An added bonus is the security of knowing that my photos are backed up, and easy file sharing for sharing photos with family.

Remember the Milk
www.rememberthemilk.com
This online task management program provides a useful solution to my assortment of sticky notes. Not only can you access your to-do list from any mobile device, but you can also choose to receive e-mail and IM task reminders.  For the super organizers, this program also allows you to color-code priorities and categorize tasks.

Todoist
https://todoist.com/
Todoist is another great task manager and organizer. You can access, update, and synchronize tasks from any mobile device or browser. Todoist also boasts it’s achievement of being the first task manager to use HTML5 technology. Another great feature is that it integrates with your Gmail and Outlook task lists.

I’ll keep you posted on how my resolution is going. In fact, I’m adding it to my electronic to-do list right now. :-)