It has taken me years to figure this out- but I’ve finally come around to this fact: I need to keep a reminder notebook. There are just too many things to remember in modern life, and I’ve got to write a lot of this stuff down. And there’s a current sale at Smythson on their gorgeous notebooks. So every time you use your reminder notebook, you will get a little buzz from using their lovely paper.
What is a reminder notebook?
A reminder notebook is a place where I keep all those important pieces of information that are hard to track down without it. Yes, I know. I could use a note on my laptop. And so could you. And yes, it would be easier to search than my reminder notebook is. But I’m a pen and paper gal- and you might be too! Plus I swear my brain just remembers where to find info when I write it down. Turns out there’s some science behind this too.
What kind of info are we talking about?
Here’s a list of info I’ve popped into my reminder notebook and why I keep it there.
- When our passports expire. Every six months, we have a minor panic about when our passports expire. Usually inspired by an article like this. As such, I have our individual expiration dates in my notebook (yes, we all have different dates. No, I’m not sure why)
- Same thing on Trusted Traveler/TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry. And I also have written down when we can apply for renewal
- Vaccinations. This seems a little less important these days, but not completely. We still need our flu shots, MMR, tetanus,etc.
- Some basic health stats. Last physical date. Last blood draw. Last mammogram. Last DEXA scan. I don’t use my reminder notebook for a complete data dump- that’s in an excel spreadsheet. But just the topline info that I refer to often
- Upcoming travel plans and what needs to be booked. Again, at a very high level. But we have a lot of travel these days, especially when you include Sophie’s adventures. This keeps my outstanding booking list top of mind
- My measurements. I do love my online shopping. And there are things that I frequently forget. What’s my ring size? What size Smartwool socks do I prefer? What are my body measurements, for accurate purchasing on eBay and The RealReal
- And so on…
How to use it
It’s pretty darn simple! Buy a notebook. Keep it very conveniently close to your usual workspace. (if you haven’t figured this out yet, the reminder notebook is all about convenience. It exists pretty much only for convenience.)
I generally write things down that have irked me to have to track down. Where did I store the nozzles for the power washer? After searching for them for days and finally tracking them down, I wrote the exact location in my reminder notebook.
Generally, I write things in there that don’t change much. Tips that are evergreen in nature. Things that I keep coming back to time and time again. I could keep them in a series of Word or Note docs on my laptop. But I love just pulling out my notebook and paging through to find what I need. And it makes me very happy to find it within seconds.
