My husband and I will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary on May 21st. Like most couples, we’ve had our ups and downs – but we’ve gotten through them and raised two wonderful sons, and we have what most would agree is a successful marriage. We are also lucky that we both have the same organized outlook on life, especially with respect to using cloud-based or other tech solutions to enhance that organization. Here’s what we use to stay organized in our marriage.
First, we share a Dropbox account, a cloud-based file storage system that both of us can access from any computer or mobile device. Over the past several years, as I have traveled my “paperless” journey, our filing system has gone almost completely digital. My husband and I have worked together to create a virtual filing structure that is easy for both of us to understand and use, so that each knows exactly where to file any new documents and where to locate older documents or archived files. Our basic digital file structure includes folders like Financial, Health & Medical, Taxes, Family Personal, and Home & Household, as well as ones for each of our businesses (as we are both self-employed). We scan all new documents that come in the mail, put them in the agreed upon folders, and then fire up the shredder!
We also keep our day-to-day lives organized by sharing each other’s calendars through iCal, Apple’s native calendar app (this can also be done through Google Calendar). I include the name of my client and their address in my calendar entry, so my husband will know where I am in case of an emergency. Using this system, we never have conflicts or mix-ups on dates for doctor’s appointments, vacations or picking up kids from college!
Probably one of the most important tools we use to stay organized is LastPass, an online password management system through which we securely share our internet passwords. We each have our own LastPass account, but know each other’s master passwords in case of an emergency. LastPass also allows the user to share specific passwords with a trusted party, so each of us shares financial, frequent flyer, and any other passwords the other might need. It always astonishes (and worries) me when my clients don’t know the passwords for their important shared accounts. If anything were to happen to one of them, the other would have a significantly harder time getting the information necessary to maintain all of the family’s accounts.
I am grateful that my husband embraces technology, and its ability to keep us organized, as much as I do. It definitely has helped us get through 28 years together – along with a lot of love, patience and humor!
