As 2025 approaches, it’s natural to start decluttering.
You’ve probably cleaned out your desk, closed a hundred browser tabs, and vowed to stop signing up for every free productivity tool. But have you taken a look at your notes lately?
If your note-taking habits feel more like a digital junk drawer than a creative toolbox, now’s the perfect time to clean house. Let’s clear out the clutter, ditch what’s not working, and set up a system that’s actually useful before the new year rolls around.
These 11 tips will help you build a note-taking habit that’s simple, flexible, and, most importantly, something you’ll actually want to use.
1. The Best Tool Is the One You Have
You don’t need a fancy app or a bullet journal with perfectly aligned calligraphy. If you’ve got an idea and a sticky note, that’s good enough. The goal is to get the thought down before it vanishes, not to win an award for aesthetics.
Takeaway: Capture the idea now. Pretty can wait.
2. Start Simple (Seriously)
Forget about nested folders and detailed tagging systems. If your note-taking starts to feel like a full-time job, you’re doing it wrong. Just write it down in plain text and worry about organizing it later—if you even need to.
Takeaway: Complexity kills consistency. Keep it basic.
3. Write Down What Sticks
Ever notice certain thoughts keep popping up in your head throughout the day? That’s your brain telling you it’s important. Jot those down immediately—they’re usually your best ideas in disguise.
Takeaway: If it keeps coming back to you, it’s worth capturing.
4. Organize Lightly (But Only If You Have To)
Don’t get stuck in a system that feels like paperwork. Use broad, flexible categories like “Ideas,” “Projects,” and “Random.” The goal isn’t to create a perfect archive—it’s just to make things easy to find when you need them.
Takeaway: Let your organization be as lazy as you are. It’s fine.
5. Actually Look at Your Notes
We’ve all done it: scribbled down an idea and then promptly ignored it for months. Make it a habit to revisit your notes regularly. Go back through, highlight what matters, and toss what doesn’t. This is where the good stuff starts to take shape.
Takeaway: The real power of note-taking is in the review, not just the capture.
6. Messy Notes Are a Good Sign
Your notes don’t need to look pretty. In fact, the messier they are, the better—it means you’re capturing ideas quickly and without overthinking. Don’t clean them up just to make them look nice; save that energy for the actual writing.
Takeaway: Embrace the chaos. It’s a sign you’re doing it right.
7. When You’re Stuck, Go Analog
Digital tools are great, but they can also keep you stuck in the same mental loops. If you’re struggling, grab a pen and paper. The physical act of writing slows you down just enough to unlock new thoughts.
Takeaway: When in doubt, go old-school. It’s like hitting the reset button on your brain.
8. Use Your Notes as a Thinking Playground
Your notes shouldn’t be a dry record of stuff you read—they should be a place to play. Scribble down questions, sketch out rough ideas, and use your notes as a space to think things through. It’s brainstorming without the whiteboard.
Takeaway: Treat your notes like a sandbox. It’s okay to make a mess.
9. Context Is Everything
Ever look back at an old note and wonder, “What was I thinking?” Add a quick line of context when you write something down. Mention where you were, what problem you were trying to solve, or why it felt important. Future you will thank you.
Takeaway: A little context now can save you a lot of head-scratching later.
10. Build a Swipe File
Not every note needs to be original. Create a swipe file of quotes, phrases, or writing snippets that inspire you. It’s like keeping a box of kindling—you never know when one spark will ignite a big idea.
Takeaway: Collect the sparks. They’re the secret fuel for your next project.
11. Be Ruthless About Deleting
Don’t get sentimental about your notes. If something no longer resonates or feels useful, delete it. A smaller, focused set of notes is way more powerful than a bloated archive you never look at.
Takeaway: Your notes aren’t your memoir. Keep what’s useful, toss what’s not.
A fresh start for your notes in 2025
As you wrap up the year, give your notes a quick refresh.
Clean out what you don’t need, polish up what’s worth saving, and set yourself up with a lighter, more flexible system. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s making sure your ideas don’t end up gathering dust.
You don’t need a complicated setup. You just need one that works for you. Here’s to fewer forgotten thoughts and more ideas that make it into the world next year.
If you’re looking to simplify your note-taking even further, I’ve put together a set of Notion templates designed to help you organize your ideas without the overwhelm. They’re clean, easy to use, and built to fit whatever creative mess you throw at them.