Honestly, voice memos might be the way to go—at least you don’t have to worry about your handwriting after a 12-hour shift.
I get the appeal of voice memos, especially when your hands are covered in dust or paint. But I’ve found they can be a bit of a double-edged sword. Maybe it’s just me, but after a long day, I’ll listen back and realize half my notes are just rambling or missing key details. Plus, if you’re working in an older house with thick walls, sometimes the background noise is so bad you can barely make out what you said.
I’ve actually gone back to using a big whiteboard in the main hallway. It’s not fancy, but it’s hard to lose and easy to wipe clean. I jot down tasks and measurements before I start for the day—no tech required, and no risk of losing my phone under a pile of lath and plaster. Not perfect, but it’s survived more than one accidental paint spill... which is more than I can say for my phone.
Curious if anyone else has tried something low-tech like that? Sometimes old-school methods just fit better with old houses.
I’ve actually gone back to using a big whiteboard in the main hallway. It’s not fancy, but it’s hard to lose and easy to wipe clean.
I hear you on the whiteboard. I tried sticking post-its everywhere, but they’d just end up stuck to my boots or lost behind the fridge. Whiteboard’s survived more chaos than my last three notebooks combined. Sometimes simple just wins out.
Whiteboard’s survived more chaos than my last three notebooks combined.
I get the appeal—whiteboards are hard to misplace, and you can’t spill coffee on them like a notebook. Still, I keep a digital backup after losing my plans to an “accidental” dry-erase art session by my kid. Learned that lesson fast.
- Totally get the whiteboard love, but mine turned into a doodle gallery thanks to my niece.
- Switched to a combo: whiteboard for quick sketches, phone notes for anything I’d cry over losing.
- Ever tried using scrap wood as a planning board? Chalk wipes off, and it’s kinda satisfying.
- Still, nothing’s foolproof—lost a whole week’s worth of measurements when my dog knocked over the board...
Title: Keeping track of renovation plans without losing your mind
Whiteboards are great until they aren’t—kids, pets, even just a stray elbow and you’re back to square one. I’ve had more than one set of measurements wiped out by a coffee spill or someone leaning too close. Scrap wood with chalk is clever, but honestly, I’d worry about smudging if I’m moving it around the site.
What’s worked for me is snapping a quick photo of the board or whatever surface I’m using before I walk away. Not fancy, but at least if disaster strikes, I’ve got a backup on my phone. Even if it’s a bit blurry or there’s sawdust everywhere, it’s better than nothing. For stuff I really can’t afford to lose—like cut lists or electrical plans—I’ll jot them down in a notebook that lives in my tool bag. Old school, but paper doesn’t run out of batteries or get wiped clean by accident.
Digital notes are solid for some things, but I don’t always want to pull out my phone with dirty hands or when it’s raining. Anyone else find that half the time you’re trying to scroll through photos with gloves on and just end up frustrated? Maybe it’s just me.
Bottom line: redundancy helps. A whiteboard for quick stuff, photos as insurance, and paper for anything critical. If you’ve got little ones or dogs running around, maybe hang the board higher—or just accept that some chaos is part of the process...
