How to improve your relationship with clever apps
As a Virtual Assistant its my job to know about all the tools available for organisation, planning and scheduling. This is essential for my business, but also comes in useful for other areas too.
Is there anything more romantic than organised domesticity? Possibly a controversial view, but for real fireworks you need to do a bit of planning. This is what leaves room for the spontaneous sweep-you-off-your-feet moments.
Nothing undermines a relationship more than poor communication and a chaotic day-to-day schedule. Luckily for you I’m sharing my top tips to keep your household running smoothly. leaving you more time for fun, adventure and of course romance.
We are living in the age of smartphones and infinite apps. There is no excuse for not utilising technology to get on top of the household basics.
Google Calendar
How anyone manages to arrange anything without a joint or household calendar I have no idea. You’ve a few options here, but my personal preference is a joint or family gmail address. This way you can run your own individual calendar too. And you’ve a handy family email address that’s useful for some of the other apps I like to use.
Keep track of everything. Regular events, important appointments, nights out and holidays. Put it all in here – no excuses for double booking!
Shopping List
Another must have. It’s all well and good having a notepad on the fridge. But what if you remember you need more wine when you’re not near the fridge? And you rebels relying on your memory… really?! A high risk strategy my friends. A risk too far if you ask me.
We use OurGroceries. You can run different lists for different shops, or for online and ad hoc shopping. You can set it up for several people to access. This is key to absolving yourself of sole responsibility for fridge re-stocking. As soon as something pops into your head you can add it straight to the list. You can even make your own categories and order them. So then the list is in the perfect order for your local supermarket*. The app remembers your items and which category they are in, meaning the more you use it the more useful it is.
*This is advanced shopping list admin – well done if you’re already doing this!
Trello
Trello is a brilliant free project management tool. You might use this for work already, I find it fantastic for managing my workload and daily tasks. But have you considered using it for yourself too?
We use it to meal plan, manage household DIY and plan Christmas. It’s also great for planning events like holidays and weddings.
Again you can share boards with your partner to ensure you both know what’s happening. There are lots of templates available with a quick google. Or you can set up your own bespoke board tailored to your needs.
Photos
Online family photo albums are a modern day must have. Though all too often photos languish on phones never to be seen again. Using an online service such as google photos or flickr serves as a backup of those special memories. And a handy way to share them with friends and family.
We love taking photos and invested in a Flickr Pro account. You can create albums within your account, you could organise my trips, events, years. You can also choose levels of privacy – its now crucial to consider what you’re sharing and who with.
This may all still sound like a step too far for you. Maybe you’d love to achieve this level of domestic organisation but don’t have the time to get started. I can provide this kind of personal and lifestyle management as part of my VA services. If that interests you please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Or you might have found genius ways to utilise technology in your home and relationships. Please share your tips and tricks with me over on my Facebook and Instagram pages.
