Updated Sep. 22, 2019.  Originally published Apr. 16, 2013.

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Two Parts to This Information Category

There are two parts to the “random ideas” category, when it comes to information.

1. There is the need to collect all of the various thoughts and bits of information that come your way each day, until they can be sorted into their appropriate locations.  (This is the big one, as far as keeping yourself organized on an ongoing basis.)
2. There is the need to have a place for “miscellaneous” information that doesn’t really fit into any of your other categories.

Let’s tackle these one at a time.

“Collection”

The ability to “collect” the information that bombards you each day, in some relatively organized fashion, is essential to the ability to keep your life organized on an ongoing basis.  For most people, this means that there needs to be a particular place where this information is gathered, before it is sorted on a daily or weekly basis.

In other words, if you must put each bit of information into it’s already-sorted location at the moment it comes at you, your system is likely to break down very quickly (unless you happen to already be very organized by nature, in which case you probably wouldn’t be reading this series).  If you can get a bit of information directly into its proper location, so much the better!  But having a general collection “bucket” is good, too.

Portability

Your collection point must be portable.  It is critical that this be something you can carry with you, or it won’t be able to serve its purpose.  What you use for collection will depend, in large part, on what you use for your daily planning.  If you carry a notebook, then have a blank section where you can just jot things down – all in that same section so when it’s time to go through the information it’s all in one place.  If you carry a mobile device, you might have a software program or a “catch-all” text file you use for this purpose.  Sticky notes work well for me, because I’m bad about writing things down on random pieces of paper.  This way I can write them down on random bits of paper, but be sure the random bits are all stuck in the same place!

STEP 1: Decide on and set up a location for information “collection.”  Be sure it’s integrated with whatever you carry with you!

Sorting the Information

The advantage to collecting all of this in a single location is that you know where to look for it.  Even if you haven’t gotten around to actually sorting it yet, you know that it’s there.  (It’s kind of the “ideas” equivalent of an inbox.  If the information hasn’t been filed yet, it’s still in the inbox.)  But it will be most beneficial if you have a regularly-scheduled time to process this information and sort it into its proper locations.  You should already have a time built into your routine for going through your inbox; this is probably a good time to add this task.

STEP 2: Schedule a time into your routines for sorting your collected information.  (Write it in.)

So what exactly is this miscellaneous information I’m talking about? It’s a variety of things – anything that either comes to mind or that someone tells you, that you need to remember but don’t have the time, energy, or ability to sort/process immediately.  If you are in town and see a phone number on a sign for someplace you’d like to call, you can jot this here.  Or it occurs to you that you need to make a dentist’s appointment.  Jot it down.  If you immediately know the proper place for that bit of information, and you have it with you, by all means put it straight there!  But sometimes we’re just not in that decision-making mode.  The “collection” spot allows for just writing it all down, and doing the decision-making later, all at one time.

General Miscellany

But what if, even when it’s time to sort the information, some little tidbit is just that – a little tidbit – and it’s still so random it doesn’t “go with” anything else?  You need a place for that, too.  My favorite tool for this is Evernote.  (‘Though I must confess that I don’t like the newer version nearly as well for this purpose.  It’s still good software, but it’s really a completely different type of software, and not as good for noting and locating random bits of information as the old version.)  Before I found Evernote, I just used a Word document, and the “find” feature when I needed it. [UPDATE 8/2022: I’ve recently begun using Obsidian instead of Evernote.  Joplin is another good option.]

If you prefer pen-and-paper, you could use an accordian file, or a binder or index card box with alphabetical dividers.

I use these for random tips/tricks, like how to clean the microwave with lemon juice.  It’s best, of course, if you can keep the miscellany to a minimum, because something categorized will always be easier to find.

STEP 3: Create or designate a location for miscellaneous information, if this is something you need.

If you’re just stumbling across this, please click here for the other posts in the series.