10 replies to this topic

[BurgersNFries]

I have that really long phone cord that I use once in like 3 years when Tivo can't connect to the WIFI, so I need to use the phone line on the other side of the room. Or that spare keyboard/mouse you only when the KVM switch isn't working. Put the item in a Ziplock bag with a sticker with a QR code on it that takes you to your note with the explanation about why you don't want to toss this item, the next time you're cleaning out the closets.

(Perhaps we need a "Hints From Heloise" section...???)

[gazumped]

Ah but when you actually need the item, what is it that tells you where the ziplock bag is?

[BurgersNFries]

Ah but when you actually need the item, what is it that tells you where the ziplock bag is?

That would be my "where I put something" tag.

(Really!)

[gazumped]

Actually, not a bad thought - and kind of back to those nice folks at Touchanote - you could tag fixed household stuff like phone sockets or moveable but bulky items like computer keyboards with QRs that tell you where any related accessories are stored - by linking back to the relevant Evernote note of course. If you do have an NFC phone you can do it by tagging and tapping.

[BurgersNFries]

I was so all over TouchANote...until I realized it was Android only. I now have a Kindle Fire (Android). But since it doesn't have a camera, TouchANote still is not an option for me. SO...I guess I'll stick with my iPhone & QR codes. Still a pretty slick deal, IMO.

[gazumped]

Another interesting take on QR codes..

http://io9.com/58674...defaced-artwork

[BurgersNFries]

Another interesting take on QR codes..

http://io9.com/58674...defaced-artwork

That... is cool! (And Evernoted!)

[Martin Packer]

Not sure why I didn't notice this thread until now: I, like BnF, wanted TouchANote until I discovered it was Android only. Tagging objects seems such a natural to me. And linking them to Evernote even better: Softcopy instruction manuals are - to me - the most natural tie-in.

I also wonder why we need QR and not just any small barcode. The reason, I guess, would be because you can encode a URL (a note URL?) in a QR code. (Maybe with an elephant in the unused portion of the code?) :-)

Martin (who is an underachiever when it comes to fastidious organisation) :-)

[idoc]

I have another way of doing this without QR codes. I have a note on EN which is simply a list of all the hard copy physical stuff that I can't computerize eg: receipts, coupons, letters received, clippings etc. Whenever I get one of these I number it on the upper right hand corner eg: #1200 and I write that number on an EN note called "Locate". It looks something like this:

#1200 coupon from pollo loco
#1199 letter from Dr. Geller
#1198 advertisement from Lights Plus
#1197 Joe's burger recipe

It descends all the way down to #1. The reason why the numbers are ascending is that I add new items to the top of the list and therefore the list is always growing. Therefore, in the future when I want to locate the letter from Dr. Geller I can go to the Locate file and do a Ctrl-F search for Geller. It will tell me that this is item #1199 and I can locate it easily in my file cabinet where it will be filed as the 1199th item. I can instantly find items that I buried away years ago with this system. Futhermore, I will occasionally use this system to do what BurgersNFries is doing with the QR codes ie: "#1201 Tivo cord for wireless is in garage, 3rd drawer". I then put #1201 on the baggy with the cord and dump it in the garage drawer. In the future if I need that Tivo cord I will find out where it is from my Locate file, or if I happen to see a baggy with #1201 in the garage I can find out what it is by checking the Locate file.

Occasionally I will highlight the items in the Locate file by a different color for easy identification. For example, I clip a lot of medical articles from journals and I file them in my Locate file. I will highlight those in red so I instantly know where they are. I occasionally keep "pending items" or items that need to be acted on in a specific color. I have also assigned my Locate note a date which is much earlier than all my other notes so that it is permanently pinned as the first note in my "Home" notebook. I have another Locate note which pertains only to my stuff at the office and is called Work Locate. This is pinned permanently to the top of my "Work" notebook. I refer to these two notes about 20 times daily. It's a system that's kept me organized for the last 15 years (originally using Infoselect)

[dmee]

Idoc - you need to buy a scanner ;-)

I have turfed numerous boxes and filing cabinets since starting with Evernote :-)

I do however LOVE your idea for hunting down physical objects :-)

[anjoschu]

Put the item in a Ziplock bag with a sticker with a QR code on it that takes you to your note with the explanation about why you don't want to toss this item, the next time you're cleaning out the closets.

Or just write it on the box.

I'm not trolling (at least not intentionally), I use QR codes at home, too. Contextual stuff like manuals or a QR link to our shared on-line shopping list.

But for stuff like "this box contains..."/"I need this in case…", I don't really get why people don't just use a sticky note so you don't need to get your frickin' phone out in order to read information which consists of a mere 8 words of text.