Best Portable File Organizer

[Mauricette Atencio]

Becausescheduling needs vary from person to person, and we all like to plan our time differently, we focused on planners that are customizable or offer more versatility than standard dated planners. (But we also list a few quality, straightforward monthly-and-weekly planners, in our other good planners section.)

For advice on what to look for in a planner, and to gain insight on why paper planners are so popular in this digital age, we spoke with Shu Yao, co-founder of JetPens; Erin Condren, creator of the hugely popular Erin Condren LifePlanner; Sarah McNally, owner of McNally Jackson Books and Goods for the Study; and Kristin Damian, who runs the planner-sticker company Krissyanne Designs.

This guide builds on the extensive work of planner lover and senior staff writer Jackie Reeve, who also follows the online planner community: Planner enthusiasts share photos and tips for setting up their planners, decorating their planners, or using their planners for more than simple scheduling. She uses nearly half a dozen planners, from various brands, to compartmentalize and organize facets of her life.

Senior staff writer Jackie Reeve has been using Erin Condren planners off and on since 2015, and she still enjoys their durability, layout, and range of available third-party accessories. She found the LifePlanner to be an ideal planner for PTA meetings. Her one function-related complaint is that in 2019 the company changed the layout of its pages slightly, so the perfectly sized stickers she had stockpiled from various Etsy sellers no longer fit.

In addition to this unique layout, the Laurel Denise planner offers two yearly pages at the front to plan out goals and things to remember, a monthly habit tracker, a few notes pages at the back, and a page for lists like hobbies, gratitude, and books. We like that these pages are available but not forced on you on every page, as you find with other planners.

Paper planners encompass a broad range of options, from minimal, undated books with very little formatting to neatly partitioned pages. Some have no adornments or decorations inside, while others have pretty themes and cheerful, motivational messages throughout. We looked at the whole spectrum and decided to select planners in different categories, with an emphasis on those that are customizable or offer some flexibility beyond the standard dated monthly-weekly format.

We researched dozens of brands to narrow down our testing picks, and we asked Wirecutter staffers what they would want to pay for a new planner. You can generally expect to pay less than $50 for a good planner, with a few exceptions. A planner should fit your specific needs, and you may discover that a simple, inexpensive planner you find at a big-box store works better for you than our picks.

We knew of several brands through the planner community and what we personally used; we also talked to several staffers about what they used, and we interviewed experts, who helped us determine our criteria for picking planners to test. The following features are the ones to look for:

Customization: We looked for planners that offered different page layout options, as well as many cover colors and designs, so more people could find the best fit. For ring-bound planners, we wanted a standard paper size so we could swap in any inserts from any compatible brand.

Plenty of space for writing: We wanted planners that had enough room for us to jot down tasks, appointments, and notes. We looked for tall, well-spaced lines or boxes wide enough to fit two or three words in a row.

Availability: We decided to focus on brands that were readily available online and, preferably, in at least some physical stores. The experts we interviewed gave us some great suggestions for smaller planner companies, but many of those could be difficult to source and were too niche for this guide.

With all of the planners we tested, we paid close attention to the paper quality and how well the sheets held ink from Sharpies and Uni-ball gel pens. We looked at the construction of the bindings and how sturdy the covers were, and we considered how useful the layouts were and how much writing space they offered. We also painted on them with watercolors to see how the paper held water and color.

The At-A-Glance weekly appointment book is a classic business planner available at office-supply stores, but it was a bit too big, too businesslike, and too narrow for us to write in the hourly format.

The only thing keeping us from fully recommending the Muji High Quality Monthly Planner is its limited availability. If you want a standard dated planner, run to get it when it comes out every November to December, because the silky paper is just exquisite.

The Passion Planner was unpopular in testing because of the inside page design, the cramped writing space, and a cover that showed greasy thumbprints. One staffer liked the visual design of the layouts, but we preferred the Purpose Planner for goal tracking.

Planners we tested or looked at that lacked sufficient room for jotting down daily to-do lists and notes include the Papier Planner, the regular-size Moleskine planners, and the Leuchtturm1917 Week Planner.

I want the best start I can. I found one guide that states that Mod Organizer should be installed to Steam Apps/common/Skyrim. I found another that states that its also valid to do it somewhere else (like D:GamesMod Organizer). It would seem its a personal choice matter but I feel underinformed to make that choice. Is there a benefit to one location over the other? My instinct says there's not since its a virtualized system anyway. But my obsession with following the rules and instructions says well, if both are valid why didn't they say that in the first guide?

No, there is a best practice: Install MO in a location where you don't need administrative rights to write to! Very simple: If you can install MO without needing administrative rights then it's a good location.

The "Program Files" directory otoh is designed to contain only "static" data of an application that is not changed post installation (except for updates) with "dynamic" data being stored in the user directory.

Only con to this is, if you use an SSD for your game, Mod Organizer will take up space on the SSD if you install it to it. This will be especially space prohibitive if you keep all your mod archive downloads there as well.

Like many bags these days, without the addition of an organizer, the inside becomes a jumbled mess. But with it, you can easily see everything you need, and when you need to swap bags, pull the organizer out and place it in the new bag.

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I ordered this one and it is great! I'm using the medium size in the baggalini city tote ( -chevron-city-tote/d?productId=11005551&q=baggalini) and it really has helped keep all my stuff organized. I'm actually putting my sunglasses back in their case instead of just toting the case around! I still have too much in there, but at least trying to find spots for everything helps me really think about all the stuff I actually need vs just carry around with me.

Next, we will work with you to customize and follow a plan to get back on track. We use proven organizing techniques and a creative, flexible approach to conquer chaos and clutter in your space, time, papers and finances.

Just as you would consult a dentist, financial planner or personal trainer for your specific needs, you can feel confident turning to a professional organizer when seeking a reliable, skilled and confidential resource to help you achieve your organizing goals.

Best Results Organizing is a professional service for creating and maintaining order in home offices, small businesses and residential clients. We serve Chattanooga, Tennessee, Northwest Georgia, and the surrounding areas.

Best Results Organizing adheres to the precepts of the NAPO Code of Ethics and the even more stringent Code of Ethics of the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers, and is licensed by Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga.

ARTICLE: Electronic vs. Paper Organizers: Which is Best?

Im often asked, Should I use a paper or an electronic time management system? The simple answer is yes and no, but not both. In other words, use one method or the other, but stick with it consistently. I find that most people would either describe themselves as paper people or technology or electronic people. I, myself, am a paper person. I know how to use the gadgets, software, and technology, but I always find myself reverting back to a paper system when I venture into new territory.

Some people have to use electronic calendaring software at their workplaces, to allow others to check their schedules and plan meetings. So go ahead and note your commitments there if you have to, but copy it to your paper calendar if you prefer to carry that with you. Yes, you could sync your PalmPilot and eliminate the double-entry, but some people hate the little stylus and the gadget feel. If trying to force yourself to use something you hate makes you not use it at all, I would absolutely recommend double-entry back to your paper system. I do it. I can beat you hands-down finding something using my paper system vs. an electronic tool. Not that Im against them; I just dont prefer it for myself. There is no right or wrong. I like a written to-do list and a visual view of my monthly appointments, so I stick with the planner.

So find out which way works best for you and stick with it, no guilt, no excuses. Here is a brief summary of what I find to be the advantages and disadvantages of paper vs. electronic tools.

Paper Organizer/Planner

ADVANTAGES:

1.It cant break or run out of batteries.

2.You can quickly flip to a month-at-a-glance calendar and view every day of your entire schedule.

3.Pretty, designer planner pages and page finders

4.More room for note-taking at meetings

5.No double entry of those notes back at the office. You take notes and index them right in your planner.

6.Can write and look up information more quickly than using a stylus with a PalmPilot.

7.Customizable. You can add/subtract features and forms that meet your needs.

8.Yearly inserts run about $30; very inexpensive to maintain

DISADVANTAGES

1.You can lose it, and there is no backup.

2.Run out of room in A-Z tabs to write names, addresses, and phone numbers.

3.Must rewrite information when people move.

4.Gets messy with frequent updates.

5.No security or password required. Others can flip open your planner and view your information.

6.Can be large and bulky. Smaller versions often dont have enough writing surface and calendar space.

7.Often overflowing with assorted papers and sticky notes if youre not organized.

Electronic Organizer/PDA/Palm Pilot

ADVANTAGES

1.Lightweight, small, and portable

2.Holds thousands of contact names and numbers

3.Has a search capability to find to-dos and contact names

4.You dont run out of room to list todays to-do list

5.You dont have to re-write to-do lists when you dont complete items; they roll forward automatically

6.Always current when synced with desktop computer

7.Perfect for frequent travelers

8.Integrates with Outlook and popular contact management databases

9.If wireless, can access email

DISADVANTAGES

1.No month-at-a-glance view. You must click on individual days on a monthly calendar to see appointments for that day.

2.Note taking is tedious and time-consuming with cryptic shorthand, or you must carry a separate keyboard.

3.Double entry. Requires the use of a pad of paper to take notes, which must be typed into computer a second time back at home base.

4.Cant carry papers and notes in it for a meeting. If you carry a separate pad, it defeats the purpose

5.Expensive machine and add-ons

6.Risk crashes, data wipeouts, and being on the road without your calendar (unless you also take your laptop, which defeats the purpose)

2001 Laura Stack. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication in your company newsletter, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom:

Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP, is The Productivity PRO, helping people leave the office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it. She presents keynotes and seminars on time management, information overload, and personal productivity. Contact her at 303-471-7401 or visit her website at

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