Organising your materials

Do you find it difficult to……………

…. locate notes from specific lectures?

….have a couple of folders containing all the notes for every lecture?

1. Once a week clear and sort out loose papers and handouts etc. into colour-coded or labelled files and folders. One colour for each subject.
2. File lecture notes etc. in the correct file as soon as you get home.
3. Label file folders, boxes, notebooks etc. using colour codes or pictures.
4. Keep drawers tidy and sort similar items together.
5. Clearly mark drawers in terms of what is to be kept in each.
6. Use a pin board or whiteboard near your desk or computer to hold important information.
7. Use a wall planner in addition to a diary, or put all your diary and timetable into Microsoft Outlook and link this to your mobile phone or Google calendar in MyZone.
8. File appropriately information to be kept, and discard outdated/ irrelevant information. Make a ‘to do now’ and ‘done’ trays as well as a large bin so that you can sort as you go.
9. Ask others if you are not sure what should be kept.
10. Use see-through containers or clear files to store documents with colour-coded labels or use clearly labelled coloured files for different modules and projects.
11. Use transparent pencil cases and purses to allow you to see the contents easily.
12. Set up different folders for different modules on your computer desktop rather than having lots of individual documents cluttering up the space.
13. If you have access to Blackboard / webCT, use this space to store electronic notes, assignments etc.