Digital Inspiration

I started my graphic design career as magazine layout designer, and magazines remain one of my very favorite things. I love the smooth glossy paper, the bright colors and the sheer variety of topics magazines cover. You can find a magazine that covers any topic you can imagine. My household subscribes to 15-20 magazines a month at any given time -- I know that's neither green nor simple, but it's one of my indulgences, and as cheap as magazine subscriptions are, it's an indulgence I can afford to actually partake in.

As I flip through my magazines, I'm always finding some bit of inspiration to tear out -- particularly when it comes to photos of gorgeous rooms and interior design or organizing ideas. I just can't help myself. I struggled for years with how to organize all the ripped-out magazine pages I collected. First I taped them all into a big artist's spiral-bound pad. Then I tried a tickler file. Then I tried putting them in sheet protectors in a binder. Nothing suited me. I wanted the pages organized by room, in way that was easy to add new additions to, and preferably in a format that I could carry with me if I was shopping.

Finally I stumbled on an idea that works perfectly for me. I started scanning the pages into the computer as jpgs, and organizing them into a digital "filing cabinet." I have the jpgs organized into folders by room or subject (living room, kitchen, bath, Christmas, kids, etc.) I can easily add new pages without rearranging anything, and the files are easy to back up or share. Once the pages are scanned, they go into the recycle bin, so I don't have any paper to organize or store. And the best part? Since they're jpgs, I can load them into my iPhone as a photo album to carry with me!

Of course, digitizing works for just about anything paper you want to save -- from paper files to your kids' artwork to recipes. Scanners are pretty inexpensive these days. If you don't have one, definitely consider adding one to your holiday wish list.