We did it. We made it to the end of an entire year of data organization tips.
When I started Tidy '24, I wasn't sure exactly how it would turn out. In retrospect, the one thing I wish I'd done differently is to stay ahead of the topics and get material planned and written in advance. There were many times when I cut things a lot closer than I would have preferred. Not every time, though--and boy, it sure was nice when I was even one week ahead of things. That's a goal I can aspire to for next year.
Here's a quick look back at the major topics we covered in 2024:
- January: Email - Getting to Inbox Zero
- February: Photos - Collecting and organizing your pictures and videos
- March: Tasks - Centralizing and tracking what you need to do
- April: Apps - Simplifying the tools you use for daily activities
- May: Mindset - Thinking about your data more effectively
- June: Review - A quick trip through the previous five monthly topics
- July: Security - Building safer habits and learning to spot scams
- August: Baby Steps - Finding little ways to make a big dent over time
- September: Habits - Training yourself into new behaviors
- October: Big Picture - Remembering (or determining) why we want clean data
- November: Analog - Dealing with physical data like paper and tapes
- December: Wildcard - A few topics that didn't require a full month to discuss
You can always visit the Tidy '24 Calendar page to access the above content, assuming you don't still have the original messages archived in your email--although, I must confess I only have the first half of the year posted (July was crazy, and I had to step back slightly for my own sanity). But the rest of the email newsletters will be posted there shortly.
I'm very pleased with how much we covered, and I hope you found plenty of useful info to work with. I'd love to know if you had a favorite month, or even a specific week, or if you'd like to see more material in any of the above subjects.
Personally, if I had a pick a favorite, I might go with Big Picture Month. As much as I love getting into the details about how to organize stuff, knowing why is even more important. There's no reason to spend time perfecting a process that ought not to be done in the first place. Understanding root causes and ultimate goals gives you permission to reprioritize or even abandon certain tasks and projects, saving tons of time and stress in the long run.
For this last half of the last day of 2024, think about which of the above topics are most important to you, and let me know! I'll incorporate those topics into upcoming Tidy Bytes material.
Thank you all again for coming on this Tidy '24 journey with me. Have an excellent and happy new year!