using Evernote to make Christmas shopping simple
It’s early December and you’re dreading buying Christmas gifts, aren’t you? If you’re anything like most people, the first time you have thought about what Uncle Jimmy wants for Christmas is right now. I used to be the same way, until I decided to do something about it. I figured, I have eleven and a half months to brainstorm possible Christmas gifts, why wait until a couple weeks before the holiday to actually do it?
Enter Evernote. Evernote is a computer program that goes by the tagline, “Remember everything.” This is well stated because Evernote can hold almost any piece of information you throw at it. Clips of websites, PDFs, voice memos, pictures, text, documents– nearly anything. Once something has been saved into the program you can add “tags”. Tags allow you to categorize information and make it easier to search later. So, for example, if I see something while I’m browsing Amazon that I think my girlfriend will really like, I clip it into Evernote, add the tag “Heather” and continue on my cyber-way. Come December and I need to buy Heather a gnarly Christmas present, I can search within Evernote for anything tagged “Heather” and I get a list of everything I have saved that I think she might like as a gift. Booya. Easiest shopping trip ever.
The other awesome use for Evernote is keeping track of your own wish list. When I’m asked for a list of what I’d like to receive,instead of throwing together a list of things that are currently on my mind, I can have a list ready at the push of a button. If I have been using Evernote to keep track of things that I would like throughout the whole year (I like to use the tag “personal wishlist”) I can easily give a comprehensive list to anyone who asks. No more socks for Christmas! (Unless you want socks, which I do.)
Granted, Evernote isn’t going to make these lists for you. You still have to have the presence of mind to add items to it as you think of them throughout the year. If you can get yourself into the habit of doing that, the next time you have to buy someone a gift I think it will be a much less stressful experience. I’m not a paid representative of Evernote, I just really like the program. The minimalist inside me likes the fact that I can use one program to keep track of all the discontinuous information in my life. Plus, making Christmas shopping easier? Yes please, thank you very much.
Image by Evernote
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