By Bridget McMullin, ASID, CID, CAPS
Prior to any travel, I spend the week before clearing the pile from my desk. This year, as I prepared for my trip to NeoCon, I exclaimed (proudly) to everyone in the office that I must be doing something right because my pile was amazingly small before this trip even though we are incredibly busy. My associate Michelle Borden quipped that it must be because I have been using my iPad to keep organized. I would have to concur.
So here are the Apps that have been keeping this busy interior designer organized. Yeah, I know, there’s always a better app just around the corner, so I will be sure to keep this list updated every few months.
Keynote
No need to carry the printed portfolio around with you anymore. Keynote is the Power Point for iPad. Great animation and video capability will make this your go-to presentation app. Get an adapter and you can hook up you iPad to your client’s big screen and make one impressive presentation (your iPhone can act as your remote).
Measures
www.appsafari.com/utilities/15484/photo-measures/
Download and be amazed!!!! Communicating the survey of space has never been so easy. Take a pic with your iPad 2 (sorry iPad 1 users…let’s just say once you see this you will NEED to update), and then draw all your measurements and notes right on the picture elevation. No more marrying notes to photographs.
Task Pro
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/task-pro-to-do-projects/id306832174?mt=8
Most designers I know are list people. I am one of them. I have been known to rewrite entire lists, and I have made lists of lists. Never again!!!!! Task Pro keeps it all in check. One list to hundreds of lists, never miss an item again. Is something urgent? Then put a timer on it…never miss a deadline because of a messy list again.
Sundry Notes
When I am meeting with clients, I use Sundry notes to keep all my ideas, observations, client requests, etc. I can also shoot pictures into the pages and write notes referencing the photos. So long to my hundreds of notebooks that stand on a shelf behind my desk, AND, so long to losing one of those notebooks. Keeping my notes in Sundry guarantees I will never lose them. When I am done at a meeting, I email my notes to Michelle so she can start working, and she saves the notes to the client’s file.
Houzz
First, if you are not on Houzz, then you better get busy. Second, if you are not encouraging your client’s to use Houzz, then your are wasting their time. Houzz may replace all those magazine subscriptions that sit unopened on your desk and allow your clients to do research and homework before you even get started on a project. An online image library of interior designer’s work (some good, some bad), Houzz ranks designers by how many pictures you upload to the site, not by how much you spend to be first. You and clients are able to gather design inspiration by targeting searches and identifying your favorite ideas.
DropBox
The newest tool in my ID arsenal, Drop Box allows me to share files with my clients without having to resend every time I make a change to a presentation or a spread sheet. Personally, I found myself in Chicago for NeoCon without my registration. My associate, Michelle, was able to scan my badge print out into my Dropbox and I was able to access the file within seconds. I guarantee this will change the way you do business.
