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Starting a new business, my mind is constantly on overdrive trying to come up with ideas for all of the projects I’m juggling. Whether it’s working through a CSS problem, brainstorming marketing ideas or developing a pitch for a client, I have to be ready to capture whatever comes out of my head, whenever it decides to come out—it definitely doesn’t work on my schedule! (I was doing work in Illustrator, and yet here I am suddenly writing a post!)

This list is broken down into two “states”—in my own space and on the go, since that’s how the majority of my time is spent.

In my own space (home, work)

• Large notebook, variety of pens

  Your large notebook should be like a child to you—it should always be underfoot and you should immediately go into a panic if you lose it. If you aren’t worried about losing it, then you aren’t capturing your most important thoughts. The large notebook is like a bank vault, sturdy and capable of holding a variety of items (magazine clippings, printouts, etc).

  I utilize both Canson and Moleskine notebooks at home because I like the way you can fold them flat, no spirals get bent out of shape and they hold up well when stuffed with additional items. My Canson usually has two pens stuck in-between pages; one at the page I’m on and another at the beginning of the book as a backup. The Moleskine is a newer addition and isn’t quite as adept in this regard, but folds flat much better for “larger” thoughts that cover both pages.

• Ta-da Lists

  When I’m working on my laptop and come up with a new idea for say, a website, one of the best ways to capture that idea is to make a new list on Ta-da. I can dump the stream-of-consciousness idea into the optional description field and throw a few to-do’s on the list (usually “research if this has been done before” and “flesh out idea further”) for later review.

  Since Ta-da is my home page, it is always loaded and ready to go. One of the coolest “features” is the fact that lists that are ignored filter down to the bottom. I can gauge my own personal interest in a project based on the fact that it has made its way down to the bottom of the screen. Must mean I’m not actually interested in the idea or that it’s not very good! I just run through the entire list during my weekly review and clean up the junk at the bottom.

On the go (walking/driving/mass transport)

• Voice recorder (standalone & cell phone)

  One of the best gifts the girl has gotten me over the years is my Olympus VN-1800 Digital Voice Recorder. The voice recorder is great for when you are walking around town (as I am frequently) or driving in the car. Too many times I have said to myself “write this down when you get home”, only to completely forget what it was. I always seem to remember that I had something to write down though, so I spend the night furiously racking my brain for what was probably not a very good idea to begin with. (Most of them aren’t!) Loss of productivity + increase in frustration = unhappy camper. It’s a bitch to go back and listen to yourself fumble through an idea out loud though—use headphones unless you want your S.O. ridiculing you all night.

  Most cell phones have this functionality, but their memory is so limited (depending on the phone) that it’s usually useless unless you review and delete promptly. Sometimes I go back to my Olympus and listen to ideas I had a year ago with a totally different perspective, which wouldn’t be possible with my cell.

• Pocket-sized Moleskine & Fisher Space Pen

  Pen and paper are a must at all times, and I don’t think there is a better solution than these two. Both fit easily in my pocket and are lightweight. While I don’t usually like ballpoint pens, the space pen is tops. Pressurized so you can write upside down without losing any ink flow, all smooth corners so it won’t catch in your pocket or stab you in the leg; it’s the ideal traveling writing instrument. I keep a $10 bill in the back pocket of my moleskine for emergencies (I think I got that tip off Moleskinerie) or in case I lose it a good samaritan can mail it home.

• Pocket-sized digital camera

  While always carrying a camera sets you up for the opportunity to catch those fleeting beautiful moments in life that you’d otherwise be saying “Agh! Where’s my camera?!”, it can also be useful for capturing visual inspriation for your work. Many times I am out in the world and see a pattern, typographical treatment, color combination, etc that I can’t capture properly with pen and paper or my voice. With the camera by my side, I can “re-inspire” myself when the time is more appropriate.

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