user manual computer and technology

One of the reason I dig Evernote is that it allows me to declutter massively by making paper document redundant - well at least most of it anyway. Each paper that I scan into Evernote is one paper less that I need to keep around my desk.

There are many ways to do this, but Ill talk about some of the ways that I do with Evernote.

1) Using your Webcam as a Simple Scanner

This is a quick and dirty way to scan a paper but it works best with notes that are typed or written on a small  piece of paper as opposed to a full page document. If you have a front-facing webcam on your laptop - like I do - or clipped onto your computer, this is a relatively quick way to scan a simple note. Probably takes you  30 seconds to do it. I have an example on how to create a webcam note in an earlier post.

2) Scanning a Note using a Flatbed Scanner

This is my workhouse to do scanning on a larger scale - anything from seminar notes, invoices, my daughters drawings, certificates to old photographs. The possibilities are endless. I use this in conjunction with Googles Picasa software (you can download it for free here) so that I can touch up the image if required and quickly export it to Evernotes watch folder, where Evernote - if opened and active - will automatically monitor and import into your default notebook.

Export option found at the bottom of Picasa application

3) Send a Digital Document or Image Directly to Evernote

Next to paper clutter, another worse type of clutter is digital clutter. Left unattended, the stuff in your computer will build up over time and scream for maintenance. When you try to organize the files on your computer the next time, besides deleting unwanted files, you should take some time to export these digital files directly to Evernote and remove them from your computer. Its as simple as a right click and send.


If you are not already scanning your paper documents and storing them in an online storage like Evernote, I would encourage that you do so. If you have any ideas, comments or questions, please leave them in the comments below and dont forget to share this post with your friend if you found it useful.