Best Way To Organize Your Apple Notes - Most Don't Know This Method

Brief Summary

This video presents a unique method for organizing Apple Notes using a combination of a catch-all note, pinned notes, and a custom tagging system with icons. The method focuses on using tags in a structured manner to categorize notes by level of specificity (personal/school/work, general categories, and specific subcategories). The video also suggests using "keep, delete, or review" tags to manage notes over time.

• Use catch-all note for quick notes.
• Use pinned notes to keep important notes on top.
• Use custom tags with icons to categorize notes.

Intro - How to Organize Apple Notes

The video introduces a method for organizing Apple Notes, assuming the viewer is already familiar with the basic functionality of the app. The presenter emphasizes that this method is designed to keep notes tidy and easily searchable, addressing the common problem of scattered information across various platforms like email. The presenter encourages viewers to jump to the method explanation if they want to skip the intro.

Start With Catch All Note

The presenter recommends creating a "catch-all" note for quickly jotting down information without immediately categorizing it. As an example, the presenter copies information about Boston from Wikipedia and pastes it into the catch-all note. The presenter explains that they periodically review this note, creating permanent notes for important items and deleting the rest.

Make Sure A Note is Pinned On Top

To ensure the "catch-all" note is always accessible, the presenter advises pinning it to the top of the notes list. This can be done by right-clicking the note and selecting "Pin Note" or through the "File" menu. Pinned notes remain at the top regardless of any sorting or arrangement.

Why I Don't Like Folders in Notes

The presenter explains why they don't rely heavily on folders for organizing notes. While folders are a common method, the presenter finds that creating numerous nested folders can become disorganized and make it difficult to locate specific information. The presenter describes a tendency to create folders piecemeal, leading to inconsistent categorization and difficulty finding notes later.

My Method - Custom Tags with Icons

The presenter introduces their preferred method: using custom tags with icons. The presenter sets up a dedicated note called "setup tags and icons" to predefine all necessary tags. Tags are created using the pound symbol (#), and the presenter uses a three-level system: top-level categories (personal, school, work), mid-level categories (miscellaneous, vacation, tech, shopping, research), and third-level subcategories (specific class notes). The presenter uses emojis (numbered 1, 2, 3) to visually distinguish the tag levels in the left-hand sidebar. To add emoji use Control + Command + Spacebar.

Example Of Using Method

The presenter demonstrates how to apply the tagging method to the "Boston info" note created earlier. By typing the pound symbol (#), the presenter accesses the predefined tags and assigns "personal" and "vacations" tags to the note. The presenter shows how to easily find the note by clicking on the "personal" and "vacations" tags in the sidebar, illustrating the efficiency of the system.

Keep Delete or Review Tags

The presenter adds another layer to the tagging system by using "keep," "delete," or "review" tags. These tags help manage notes over time by indicating whether a note should be kept, deleted, or reviewed later. The presenter explains how to use these tags to filter notes and clean up the collection periodically.

Conclusion To Organizing Apple Notes

In conclusion, the presenter reiterates the benefits of using numbered icons (1, 2, 3) for tag levels to maintain an organized alphabetical list in the sidebar. The presenter recommends limiting the third level to very specific subcategories and emphasizes the flexibility of selecting multiple tags to narrow down search results. The presenter encourages viewers to share their thoughts and preferences in the comments.