Beautify your phone.

Yesterday I shared my discoveries of lots of free and pretty things for our phones. Too much to cover in one day so this is my second instalment.

After making it feel pretty and personal useful apps are the next thing to take advantage of. You never need pay a cent as although there are apps that cost a dollar or two many are free. The point is to think of any area in your life that you could do with help and go from there. There is an app for everything.

You can search in the app store and online. Doing this I am just amazed at what there is. Some of them are so beautiful I just want to play with them. 

I started with an app to help me sleep as I heard they were good. Well they are! Last night listening to the sound of waves I fell asleep like a baby. I chose Sleep Pillow which is free but there are so many. You choose any sound that is soothing to you and set it for as many hours as you wish. I pinned my  earphones to the top of my pillow. It worked wonderfully. WHy I didn't do this sooner, I have no idea!

Next I chose Wunderlist. It is an app of lists. You make your own categories. Mine are things like Todays To do list, This weeks to do list, Aims for the Month, Ideas for presents... and so on. Then you fill it in as you think of things. You swipe off done things and they are ticked off. You can have a list for everything you can think of! I am really liking this app as how often I go to the shops and forget my list! It is satisfying to me to see great lists of things ticked off, this appeals to me so it's a good app for me.

Another I like is Coletto which is really a very pretty calendar you can fill in with appointments, birthdays etc. It is lovely.

There are wonderful apps for everything from tracking your exercise, calories, what to make for dinner from the ingredients you have, track your period, meditate, yoga apps,
language, you name it. Whatever you need an assistant with theres an app for it!

A "bit different one" I like and am using is called Carrot. I stumbled on this one! Essentially it is a motivational tool. It is a grumpy Robot who thinks humans are really lazy. If you like sarcasm you will like this. You list your tasks for the day, anything you have been procrastinating about and want to get done. Carrot is not confident you will ever do anything. And is amazed when you actually do! Over time you earn rewards and impress (or disgust) Carrot. Well it sounds strange but I like it! If you don't do anything for ages he gets grumpy. It's between a list and a game. The more you do and go up levels the more interesting it gets! If you liked computer pets and games you might find it motivating and fun. From this one I can see apps could be wonderful for teenagers. They like their phones so lists and organisational tools presented this way may be quite helpful.

A big thing for me is now having all my lists with me and on hand. And if I am waiting anywhere I have work I can go on with like planning and sending some cards in a text that are super pretty. No postage! 

If all else fails as you walk out the door take a photo of your shopping list. I keep one on the fridge so while I'm working in the kitchen I jot things down as I realise I am running out. That tip has saved me quite a few times!

In spite of what are great leaps forward in technology for me I still have Chippy as my "Blog overseer" so I don't get too carried away. It's quite good he is happy to be paid in small instalments.

Using a new app is a bit like learning a new game. A few minutes invested in understanding the basics of it and then you get to enjoy it. And if it isn't helpful then delete it. I have mostly used free ones and have not mentioned any over $4. If having trouble understanding an app watch a video on it on You Tube. Usually they are a three minute, or so, little video demo which can be the fastest way to "get it".

I have to go and get some jobs done before Carrot gives up on me! xxx

(Please share if you have any apps to recommend, that would be wonderful)