Organisational iPhone Apps For Mum

Today post is from the lovely Heather from The iPhone Mom. If you have an iPhone, iTouch or iPad you really should subscribe to her blog – its the easiest way to find out all the new cool apps!

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Before I had children I was an organized person. On time, able to keep track of appointments, always had a grocery list at the ready, I was on the ball. After I had my first two children I managed to keep up with most of my organization. Then came child number three and I began adhering to the motto of “Fake it until you make it.” Things still got done but it was messy. After having my fourth almost eighteen months ago I surrendered to the chaos. Things still get done (mostly) but I’ve embraced the fact that my organization now is not what my organization once was. And that’s okay. My iPhone is my favorite manager of my organized chaos. It has become my back-up brain and thanks to a variety of organizational apps I think I’ll make it through 2010 in one piece.
~Heather Leister
www.theiphonemom.com

1. 2Do: Tasks Done in Style

I’ve been using 2Do for several weeks it’s my favorite “To Do” style app so far. 2Do has a nice, clean layout that’s extremely easy to follow. There are plenty of ways to customize your lists so you can get things exactly how you like them. That’s key for me in an organizational app. I need things set up to work my way or I won’t use the app beyond a few times. 2Do lets me sync the app with the lists I keep at www.Toodledo.com. It allows me to create lists on my laptop and then access them on my phone or vice versa. I love the portability.

iTunes link for 2Do: Tasks Done in Style

2. Awesome Note (+To Do)

Organizational iPhone Apps Awesome Notes
Awesome Note combines note taking with to do lists and is perfect for quick notes and ideas. The app allows you to view your notes in a variety of ways. There is a thumbnail view or a photo view that frames your note like a polaroid. Notes can be seen as a regular list, or a to do or detail list. Finally, your notes can be seen as diary entries, sorted by date. The app has a calendar that will display your notes on the dates you entered them. I found Awesome Note (+To Do) to be a pleasing, visual way to organize my thoughts.

iTunes link for Awesome Note (+To Do)

3. Better Gift List

When I’m organizing gift lists I turn to Better Gift List. I can create events with details, budgets and due dates. Events can have separate entries for different people so I can keep track of who I’m giving what to. The developer of Better Gift List also created the popular Better Christmas List app. It’s geared towards holiday shopping but has additional features that add to the list making experience.

iTunes link for Better Gift List

4. QuickCal Mobile

QuickCal allows you to quickly add events to your iPhone’s calendar. To add an event you type it out. For example: Dinner with Margie tomorrow at three. QuickCal takes your words and fills out the calendar information. Dinner with Margie becomes your event and it’s added to tomorrow’s date at three o’clock. The app covers a description, location and starting/ending time for the event. When you first begin using QuickCal Mobile it might take a little time to get used to the new format. I got the hang of it after I’d entered in a few events and I found it to be a quick, efficient way to add calendar items.

iTunes link for QuickCal Mobile

5. NameCatcher

NameCatcher solves the problem of seeing someone out and about and not being able to remember their name. You can easily add in someone’s name and contact information, along with reference hints to trigger your memory. Names can be sorted into categories so you can keep track of who’s who in your child’s class or sports team. My favorite feature is the search. If all you can remember is their child’s name you can search by that and then pull up their information.

For full review with screen shots see my review of Name Catcher.
iTunes link for NameCatcher

6. CmomGo

www.CmomGo.com is a free website service that allows moms to create “circles” of friends and acquaintances for better communication and organization. For example, you can have a circle of parents from your child’s soccer team or girlfriends that you go out with regularly. CmomGo allows you to send messages, create calendar events and upload photos to those within your circle. It’s a quick and efficient way of coordinating with several people at once. One of the best parts of the service is that also have an iPhone app that allows you to stay connected on the go.

For full review with screen shots see my review of CmomGo.
iTunes link for CmomGo

7. Paperless Lists + Checklists

Organizational iPhone Apps Paperless
Paperless is another visually appealing to do list app that allows you to smoothly keep track of your life. You can use the app to create all types of lists – grocery, presentation notes, task lists – basically anything you can think of. Paperless comes with over 300 stickers that you can assign to your list items and they give the app a bright feel. I like it’s limitless possibilities.

iTunes link for Paperless Lists + Checklists

8. Grocery Gadget

When it comes to grocery shopping apps there are so many apps to choose from. Each one seems to do things a little differently and I have several on my phone which I use at different times and for different reasons. The app my husband prefers to use is Grocery Gadget. What he likes is the fact that Grocery Gadget has a companion website where you may enter your lists. Items entered on the website (or using the app) can be instantly synced with several iPhones. This has been a great help when my husband is at the store and I need to add something to his list without a phone call or text.

For full review and screen shots see my review of Grocery Gadget.
iTunes link for Grocery Gadget

9. Grocery IQ

Organizational iPhone Apps Grocery IQ
My husband prefers Grocery Gadget but I like Grocery IQ. It may not have the accompanying website but I prefer it’s design. I can easily arrange the list so it’s laid out in the order I follow through the grocery store. It also allows syncing between devices so lists can be easily shared. For me, it’s ease of use and visual appeal are key.

iTunes link for Grocery IQ

10. The iPhone Calendar

If you’d rather not spend any money on apps then you’ve got a great basic calendar already built in your iPhone. The calendar can be set up and synced to external calendars including Outlook or iCal. Mine is set up to sync with my Google account so I’m able to access the calendar my husband and I both share. It has the ability to keep us coordinated, the trick becomes remembering to update it!

Do you have a favourite organisational app that you would like to share?