This Free Tool Will Replace Every Notebook You’ve Ever Bought

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published Apr 11, 2018
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You just used your last sticky note ever. (Image credit: Marisa Vitale)

I first started using Trello a couple years ago. It’s a project management app (for desktop and mobile), but it’s way more visual and fun to use than any others I’ve seen. Once it got all my work projects together, I quickly realized it could be useful for way more: all my home project planning, to-do lists…really anything I find myself writing down or pinning or bookmarking or emailing to myself or group-texting about. Which is to say, everything. And it’s free! So, here are some of the ways it’s helped me get a better grip on life.

(Image credit: Trello)

Plan a Home Refresh

As you can see, Trello is designed with visual thinkers (like me!) in mind. Using it for a home refresh or renovation project lets you keep images, status updates, product links, etc. all in one place. Also, the nice thing about Trello is that it seamlessly syncs between desktop and mobile, even without Wi-Fi or cell reception. So, when you’re in the data-less vacuum of a big box home improvement store, you can still access those window measurements or update your shopping checklist.

Pro Tip! Use Trello’s Custom Fields feature for the crucial assist during your next IKEA shopping trip.

(Image credit: Trello)

Coordinate Logistics for Moving

OK, Trello’s not going to solve all your moving woes…but it will go a long way in making the process more organized and fun. When I last moved, I took a pic of each box right before it was sealed, labeled each one on the outside, and then turned it into a card on my Trello board. That way I could easily remember what was packed where and shuffle the cards around to prioritize unpacking.

(Image credit: Trello)

Keep a Running Grocery List

Add groceries to a centralized board or card in Trello so your list is already made when you head to the store. Bonus points for reorganizing items in the order that you shop! Trello also makes a good hub for importing recipes. So, if you’re inspired to make ratatouille while shopping at the farmer’s market, you can quickly reference your go-to recipe to see what other ingredients you’ll need. (One more idea for anyone on a budget is to use Trello to price-compare for anything you buy regularly. You can create a list or card for each different store and then easily add snapshots of price tags as you shop.)

(Image credit: Trello)

Use Trello to Assign Household Chores

I don’t personally use Trello for this right now, but I can see it being great for tracking chores for families or roommates. Trello cards with due dates make great reminders for those once-in-a-while duties, like flipping your mattress. All Trello boards are collaborative—anyone can join—and you can tag people on cards assigned to them, set “finish-by” dates, and easily mark chore cards as “done.”

(Image credit: Trello)

Track Personal Goals

Let’s end on a fun one. Trello is the perfect digital dream board. You can plan your next vacation, collect your favorite wines or cocktail recipes, compile Christmas and birthday gift lists all year long, or manage your lifelong bucket list. And if you’re totally scatterbrained, you can claim this as your moment to try Bullet Journaling by rolling up all your checklists and notes to self into manageable weekly lists. The list is pretty endless, but the results will be just one thing: gratifying.

This post is sponsored by Trello and was created by the Apartment Therapy Creative Studio.
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