14 Evernote Uses for Grandmas

Make your life a little easier....

I really thought that, by the time I became a grandma, my life would be slow, relaxed, maybe a little mundane but certainly tranquil. I had certainly created sweet, though fictional, cameos in the recesses of my mind: of curling up in a cozy little nook to read for hours, cooking fragrant cupcakes and biscuits in my well-designed kitchen and preparing for the occasional visits from grandchildren, pottering around for hours in picturesque craft and novelty shops as I searched for unique and enthralling gifts and crafts.  Ha! Little did I know that this part of my life would become, arguably, my busiest!

The role of today's grandparents has changed considerably. Certainly, the only time I manage any reading opportunities is on my iPad. Sometimes I'm able to listen to an audio that I've downloaded from audible.com while driving to one or other of my grown children's homes or their planned events. And yes, I do take time to cook.. for my grandkids and family, but it's an activity generally accomplished late in the evening before I collapse in bed after running around behind my active grandchildren. I care for them twice a week and help out with my daughters' playgroups for another two mornings. And my kitchen? Well, I'm renovating my house.. of course.

Does your life resemble mine?

With so much happening in my life, I look for any tools that will enable me to handle the myriad of roles and challenges that now are an everyday part my life. But, I've discovered Evernote.. have you? I know that there are many apps and programs that provide assistance and fulfill many of today's needs. But Evernote pulls so many into just one app. I really don't have to think.. I just open Evernote. Check out some of these uses:

 1. Medical records. I can create a notebook within Evernote for my husband's and my own medical records. Since he struggles with Parkinson's Disease, this is really helpful and, I can archive his prescriptions.

2. Schedule reminders. This is really helpful and helps me remember appointment times and when I should be leaving home.

3.Checklist for shopping. Yes, I know there are many shopping apps available but this keeps all of my information in one convenient spot.

4. Handy record of clothing sizes. I have a separate notebook for each grandchild and keep all the details about current clothing sizes, colour preferences and other individual requirements.

5.Gift list and ideas. I can keep track of gift ideas and suggestions for all my family and friends as well as birthday information.

6.Keep grandchildren's art. Snap a photo of the artwork of your grandchildren and keep it safe in Evernote.

7. Printer cartridges. I've lost count of the times I've rushed to buy a new cartridge only to be confused once I have the vast selection in front of me. Take a photo of the cartridge you need and file it in Evernote.

8.Maintain your own fitness journal in Evernote. There's no excuse for neglecting your health and maintaining a fitness journal is a great motivation, too.

9. Create a 'Honey-do' list and share it with your partner. It's a great way of methodically working through those tasks that are always overlooked or put aside til later.

10. Find your parked car. Have you ever forgotten where you parked your car? It's a little frightening. Snap a photo and file it whenever you park your car.

11. Track your finances. Set up a spreadsheet in Evernote for your recording your finances. You can also take a photo or scan your receipts.

12. Insurance Policies. Keep all of your important records and documentation, like insurance policies, in one place, Evernote, and they're easily retrieved.

13. License plates. It's easy to forget your car's license plates, especially if you regularly change cars. Snap a photo and have permanent record.

14. Genealogy. Create a notebook and record family details, scan old photos and documents, record interviews and store any other records you may obtain as you research your genealogy.

These are just some of the suggestions and ideas I've come across for using Evernote to make life run a little more smoothly. What other ways do you use it? Please add them in the comments below.