Category: #Productivity (Page 1 of 22)

It’s spring, which means it’s time to shake off winter and start chipping away at your spring cleaning to-do list. There’s a lot to do and it can feel overwhelming, but with the help of these clever apps, you have a clean and organized house, and even an adorable backyard garden, in no time!

We found a variety of apps that’ll help you list out your chores and keep track of larger projects, as well as some that’ll help you with specific tasks like gardening and cleaning. With them, your smartphone can take care of all the organizing and planning for you.

For Getting Organized

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When it comes to spring cleaning, half the battle is listing out everything that needs to be addressed. With these handy apps, you can easily map out and manage everything from small to-do lists to large DIY projects and everything in between.

• Evernote (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Chrome): Evernote (Free, with paid options) is a wonderful app for creating to-do lists and making quick notes. It lets you scan and store documents (like receipts), save web pages, and keep your files updated and synced across all of your devices. You can type in notes or write them in manually if you’re using a tablet, and it can even search your handwriting for a specific keyword. It even works if you’re offline.
• Any.do (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Chrome): The beauty of Any.do (Free, with paid options) is that it combines the functionality of a to-do list with a planner and calendar. It also lets you customize reminders, so you can opt for one-time reminders, recurring reminders, location-based reminders, or voice reminders. The app has a widget option and integrations with tons of apps like Google Calendar, Gmail, Slack, Evernote, OneNote, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and more. It even lets you share your lists and tasks with friends and family so everyone can stay on track.
• Trello (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Chrome): If your spring cleaning needs something more substantial than a to-do list to prop it up, let Trello (Free, with enterprise plans) help. It’s a dynamic visual bulletin board meant for larger-scale project management, and it offers boards, cards, checklists, and real-time collaboration. You can assign things like members, descriptions, locations, due dates, labels, and custom fields to each task, and view all activity associated with it, too.
• Pocket (iOS, Android, macOS, Chrome): We all spend lots of time online, and Pocket (Free, with paid plans) makes it easy to save important links to read or reference later. You can save links from any website on any device, and Pocket keeps things synced between them so you can read on any device. It strips away ads and other clutter from articles for easy reading and it even gives you the option to listen to articles or find new articles based on personalized recommendations.
• Time Timer (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows): Need a little help completing your tasks in a timely manner? Time Timer (Free on mobile, $19.95 for desktop) is here to help. With it, you can set time limits for specific tasks (like cleaning, cooking, yard work, or even for interval training while you’re working out) and keep an eye on your progress with the large red timer display.

For Cleaning Up Around the House

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Cleaning your house can feel like the most daunting part of spring cleaning. With so many rooms and dusty corners, it’s easy to find a new mess for every area you get clean. However, with these apps, you can see a list of everything you need to clean, sell old stuff you don’t want anymore, and even hire a local professional if you need help cleaning from an expert.

• OurHome (iOS, Android): Whether you just need to list out your home’s cleaning tasks for yourself or you want to create a list your entire family can see, OurHome (Free) is the task system that can help. It lets you assign and schedule tasks, set goals and rewards, add events to your family calendar, send messages, set reminders, and view your progress on unlimited devices.
• OfferUp (iOS, Android, Chrome): If you’re looking to sell stuff you no longer want or pick up something new that you need, OfferUp (Free, with in-app purchases) is the perfect app for the job. With it, you can sell and buy used stuff from other folks in your area. You can sell all types of items—from clothing and jewelry to furniture and electronics—then set your own price and set up a time and place to meet with your buyers. It also recently absorbed LetGo, a similar service.
• Handy (iOS, Android): Need a little help handling tough cleaning tasks? Find and hire a local expert on Handy (Free) to help you tackle tasks like cleaning, painting, furniture assembly, repairs, and so on. All of Handy’s experts are vetted through background checks and insured, so they’re trustworthy. You can book a pro for virtually any time of day, and Handy backs everything with a money-back guarantee.

For Gardening

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Spring is the time of year we can finally go outside and start taking care of our yards again (and enjoy them, too, of course). And even if you don’t exactly have a green thumb, these apps will help you identify and care for plants, learn how to choose the best plants and garden vegetables to choose for your climate, and hire an expert if you need a little extra help.

• Gardenate (iOS, Android): Gardenate ($1.99/iOS, $0.99/Android) is an expansive and rich resource for novice gardeners. It’s packed with how-to articles, climate-appropriate picks for your garden, local planting calendars, and detailed scientific information for nearly 100 of the most popular herbs and vegetables common to backyard gardens. It even provides calibrated harvest date estimates for your region.
• Garden Answers (iOS, Android): If you’ve ever seen an interesting plant and wondered what it was, Garden Answers (Free, with in-app purchases) can tell you what it is. The app works off of a database of over 20,000 plants and can tell you everything you need to know about a plant, including if it’s poisonous. All you have to do is take a photo of the plant in question and submit it; from there, the app’s image recognition technology shows you instant results. You can also search the database using keywords and learn how to take care of a plant, if needed.
• LawnStarter (iOS, Android): Let’s be honest—lawn care and landscaping can be tough if you’ve never had to do either before or don’t have a green thumb. If you’d rather leave things to experts, LawnStarter (Free) can connect you with experts in lawn maintenance, aeration, fertilizing, and landscaping. All you need to do is enter your address and you’ll see pricing from local experts. LawnStarter is strict about who it recommends, too: Any company with a rating below 4.3 out of 5 stars is dropped off the list of recommended services.