New Ways to Use OneNote in your Personal Life
Recently I asked the OneNote for Professionals community on Facebook for their favorite ways of using OneNote in their personal lives, outside the professional uses. The classic recommendations were made (bullet journals, personal journals, recipes, etc.) but there were a number of less common and interesting suggestions made.
I have a notebook for everything about my home- measurements, projects to be done, to do lists, paint colors, shopping list of items needed for the projects. I love having everything I need in one place - Barbara W.
I've been using OneNote to track projects for a number of years now with one my most recent being the replacement of a sink faucet and filter. While it sounds mundane, the ability to take photos of the process, pictures of the products you're considering buying, receipts for purchases, and model numbers for replacement items easily fall in the strengths of OneNote.
I have sections for various areas (home, rental/tenants, etc.) with one main "Reminder" page where I store all my to-do's including shopping lists. I take pictures throughout projects so I can go back and see it from beginning to end. Luckily I did this with a piano I'm converting into a bar, or I'd never be able to figure out how to put it back together! - Carolyn G.
While I've never tried to reassemble a piano (good luck Carolyn!) this is another great example of how the combination of checklists, images, and sections can be put together to make home projects easier.
Crochet and cross stitch patterns - Katherine S.
I'll admit I'm lucky I can do more than basic Boy Scout knots so anyone who can do this type of work has my admiration. That being said using OneNote to organize patterns for easy reference is a logical use of a natural feature. I could see taking this to the next level and sharing patterns with others using the online version of OneNote.
I keep a media calendar, via Onetastic, with new shows, movies, and social events. I have a Moviepass, so it's been helpful. - Michelle V.
Why this never occurred to me before is beyond me. Being a big movie buff this just makes perfect sense. Create a template in the desktop version of OneNote and enter the information from the movie for reference. I can even see ordering the pages in the notebook based on how good you think the movie was. Pass the popcorn please.
OneNote is awesome for so many things, so it's hard to pick faves. But two of my top likes are my style section for my wardrobe inventory & also my book club notes section. - Kandi V.
The style section is a fascinating idea to me. Now granted I'm no fashionista, but I'll admit I have a section in a notebook on different ways to tie a tie, fold a pocket square, and other style tips. There's an old saying, "Dress for the job you want, not the one you have." I can see OneNote being a great tool in making that happen.
The most important aspect of using OneNote for non-professional reasons is making it a habit. The more often you capture content into OneNote, whether it's at work or at home, the more likely you are to trust the tool and your system. Now OneNote isn't for everything but you'll be amazed how many things it can do with just a little bit of creativity.