In today’s technology driven world it’s just as important to be organized in your digital space as it is to be in your physical space.  You wouldn’t let your paper files pile up to the ceiling in the your office, so why would you leave 10,000 emails in your inbox?  And you wouldn’t buy 500 board games, so why should you have 500 apps?

I spoke to Jacqueline Hampton, CEO of Springpad, an organizational, one stop app that helps people get things done.  Here are her tips for staying organized in the digital space.

Q: How do you use Springpad to stay organized in the digital space?

A: There is much that could be said about how to stay organized!  First, remembering personal details and past interactions with people are very important, so I use the notes section of my contacts to help on these details. Second, folders are incredibly important to keeping me organized and enabling me to find info quickly. Lastly, I need my information portable as I’m often on the move. It’s why I love taking notes in Springpad, because they’re always with me (even if I don’t have my computer).

Q: What apps, in addition to Springpad, do you use and recommend?

A: I limit the number of apps on my phone to keep it manageable. Of course there’s Springpad, to help me manage my life.  Some of my other favorite apps include Flipboard, which is basically my morning newspaper for both business and personal news.  Wunderground, an awesome weather app helps tell me what to wear before I use Runkeeper on my run.  Airline apps are a must given all my travel (and yes, they are all in one folder on my phone).  And last, but not least, is Cardstar.  Remember all those loyalty cards that used to weigh down your purse?  Just scan them into Cardstar, and you can leave them all at home.

Q: How do you recommend people who may not be as technically savvy survive in the digital space?

A: Portability of your information is really key, so choose apps that are on all devices. I also suggest that you limit the number of apps that you download and don’t be afraid to delete them. You really only need a handful, and that way you have time to understand them rather than being scattered across too many.  Keep the ones you use the most on your home screen.

Also, it’s okay to just watch for awhile.  Join Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr to see what they’re like.  But you don’t have to contribute the first day.  You can just follow your friends, see how they use an app and then decide whether it’s right for you.

Q:  How have the methods you’ve used to stay organized changed over the years?

A: Portability is the number one word.  Which means digital.  My recipe box used to be a 3 ring binder and lots of cookbooks.  But, I couldn’t carry all that when I went to see friends and family.  Now it’s all online and I can access it wherever I am.  I’ve gone paperless on all my bills and eliminated magazines, which has reduced a significant amount of clutter.  Whenever I need something, I can find it on my computer or online.

Q: What are some ways that moms – both stay at home or working – can specifically use Springpad?

A: Springpad’s goal is to help you manage your projects in life.  There are quite a few ways that we can be really helpful to moms:

• Recipes – Springpad has a great recipe box where you can clip recipes from any website or add your own. And with just a few clicks you can add the ingredients you need to a shopping list. Every time I enter the grocery store, I pull up Springpad and have my list in one easy spot.
• Organizing schedules – If you want to keep busy schedules in order, put all the details in a notebook. You can include notes, maps, whatever details you need.  Then you can share the notebook with your spouse, babysitters and other family members so everyone is up to speed.
• Task manager – This is a way of simply keeping a digital list of your “to-dos” so that you have it with you all the time.
• Shopping – Our holiday gift planner notebook was so in demand we’ll be bringing it back soon as a regular gift planner.  With lots of children’s birthdays, it is always nice to have a few ideas on hand.
• Travel – If you find it hard to find time to plan your next family vacation, just add ideas to Springpad whenever you see something interesting.  Then, when you have a few extra moments on the weekend, you can review your ideas and start planning.  All trip details can be saved in a notebook, including emails of hotel confirmations and flight information.
• Planning parties – Our board view is particularly helpful in organizing parties.  You can arrange all the details under sections, e.g., Food, Party Favors, Shopping Lists, and Guest List and have a quick visual view of where you stand with your party planning.  The enhancements in Springpad of including links, maps, etc., also make this process easier.

For more information on Jacqueline and Springpad, visit Springpad.com
To access Barbara’s Springpad Notebooks to help you get organized, visit: http://bit.ly/1lXasoB