Google Keep has gotten a lot of attention over the past year, partly because of some changes Evernote has made.
Evernote first ruffled some feathers by changing the number of devices you could use the Evernote application with if you were using their basic or free version.
Then, very late in 2016, Evernote changed its privacy policy. The way it was announced and some of the wording around it led to a lot of people looking for other note applications.
You can find articles and news about both of these changes if you'd like to learn more.
Today, we're not comparing Google Keep to Evernote, but rather focusing on managing different notes in Google Keep.
One of the most common questions I get is: "Scott, I’m used to dealing with notebooks and folders in Evernote. Google Keep doesn’t have that functionality. How do I manage all of my notes in Google Keep?"
I want to make one disclaimer at the beginning of today's video: I don't think it's fair to compare note applications head-to-head.
The way we use our note applications is quite personal and unique, unlike email, where you can compare Google Gmail to Microsoft Outlook on a basic level.
With notes, some of us take very brief notes, while others use note applications to craft articles, write short books, or bookmark blog articles.
So, it really comes down to how you use your notes and what you want from your note application to determine which is best for you.
I will admit that my notes have a lifespan of roughly two weeks. About 90% of my notes live for about two weeks before they’re gone.
I want a note application that is quick and easy. I can get in, type a quick note, and get back to the rest of my day. I usually review my notes daily or weekly, then convert them into a to-do list, add them to my calendar, or turn them into an email.
I’m not storing a lot of reference material in my note application.
You might be similar to me, or you might be different. That will determine which note application is best for you.
Managing and organizing notes in Google Keep without true notebooks or folders—how can we do it?
The first obvious option is to use labels. Google Keep makes it easy to create and add new labels. You can see a few samples on the left side of the application’s menu. You can quickly filter and see all notes associated with a particular label.
Google Keep also allows adding multiple labels at the same time. For example, a note might have both the "family" and "reference" labels attached.
Google Keep also lets you add a label using a hashtag. When starting a new note, you can hit the hashtag and see all your labels. You can select the label you want or type it in yourself.
Labels are likely your first choice for organizing notes in Google Keep, especially if you don't want to see everything on the home screen.
The second method is using color coding. Google Keep offers eight shades for color coding your notes. You might choose yellow for personal notes, blue for professional ones, and red for another category.
If you don’t need a long list of labels or folders, colors can be a solution. For visual learners, this can help filter notes by color.
To filter notes by color, click on the search bar at the top. You’ll see options to filter by labels and color. At the bottom of the search options, you can select different colors and see all notes colored that way, regardless of labels.
These are your two primary and easiest ways to categorize notes in Google Keep: using labels or color coding.
I’d love to hear from you about your experience with Google Keep. How do you organize your notes? Do you use one of the methods mentioned or something different that might benefit other Simpletivity users?
Share your experience in the comments below. If you haven’t yet subscribed to the Simpletivity YouTube channel, please do. We have new videos each week and would love to have you in the Simpletivity community.
Remember, being productive doesn’t need to be difficult. In fact, it’s very simple.
