Getting started and staying organized: itrakmine.com

The anniversary date of A Muse | Studio is just around the corner (March 1, 2011)!!!!  Wow, I can't believe it's already been a year. 

For years and years, I have tried to keep organization as one of my top priorities in life.  If you are organized, you can actually get more done and it helps you live a more efficient life.....sounds boring, huh?  Being organized keeps you on top of things so that your time and money can be used for the more exciting things in life. 

One of my huge pet peeves when it comes to buying things, whether it's craft-related or not, is when I buy duplicates of things....just because I didn't "remember" that I already had it.  While I am still working on this....I have tried my best to keep a list of what I own, to avoid duplicate purchases.  Over the years, the list has become a book!!  As a crafter, think of all of the goodies you own.....stamps, dies, embossing folders, punches, tools, on and on and on!!!!  Do you know from memory what you own?  Well, as I get older I realize that my memory isn't as crisp as it used to be.  I find myself having to write things down more and more.

Why am I bringing up this subject?  I have found a new way of keeping an inventory of what I own!!!!  If only I had thought to keep an inventory when I FIRST started hoarding stamps and everything that goes with card making!!!!  The one thing that I have kept up with is what a|s products I own.  With the launch of a|s last year, it's been easy to keep up. 

Here is what I have found:  iTrackmine.com

Once I figured out the website, I was convinced that this would be my new method for keeping an inventory. I've only gotten started, so we'll see.... 

• you can create your own custom list
• you can keep everything you input as being "PRIVATE"
• you can put whatever information you want/need
• you can upload an image
• you can export a report showing you what you own (then you can sort it however you want....the only thing I wish it did was show the image in the CSV file)
• you can create a property loss report which can be helpful when negotiating with your insurance company if your insured property is lost, stolen, or damaged. 
• it's a little comforting to know that your inventory will still be available if your hard copy list or computer gets, let's say, burned in a house fire.
• you have access to your inventory as long as you have online access...with smartphones and Ipads now, who doesn't have access to the internet at any given time?
• you don't have to physically carry a list (or a book) with you...just your phone/Ipad with internet access

It's not the absolute perfect solution.  If only I were highly tech savvy, I'd create my own program....I consider myself about average or slightly below average when it comes to technology.  So, I have to rely on either what I can do or what's available out there.  We'll see if this indeed works out for me....only time will tell.

Other things to inventory:

• electronics with serial numbers (our house was broken into a few years back and luckily I had the receipts with the serial numbers for my laptop, ipod, etc.)
• movies
• books
• valuables
• even make-up (so many times I've gone to the store to get powder, lipstick, etc and can't remember the color)

Hope you find this useful in managing your life.

Blessings,


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Update:  Trying to input all of the data that I want is a time consuming and cumbersome job.  But, you only have to do it once.  Here are some things that I'm finding:
1)   When listing items into my collection, I am including a category in the title ahead of the name of of the item (for example a|s stamp, a|s die, tools, etc).    It makes it easier to keep them grouped on the main collection page for the purposes of adding to your custom lists.  Also, when sorting alphabetically by title, you have all "like" items together.
2)   I have been putting the item codes in the Personal ID box
3)   Like I said, it's not perfect and can be a bit frustrating, but once it's done, it's done....then I just need to keep up with adding new items.
4)   The best thing I like about it.....it's portable!!!  I can access it from anywhere!!