Paper Doll
Avoid the Lost & Found: Keep Track of Your New Goodies with Tile
Seek and ye shall find. Or, at least you hope so. But the more stuff you have, the easier it is to lose things.
Earlier this year, Paper Doll shared Bluetooth solutions for keeping track of your gone-missing items in the post Paper Doll Finds Your Lost Keys, Wallets, and Phones: Bluetooth Trackers 2019 and the follow-up, Paper Doll Finds Your Lost Eyeglasses: Technology Beyond Checking the Top of Your Head.
If you are frustrated that your things go missing and you haven’t tried a Bluetooth tracker, this post is for you. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and a plethora of holiday gift-shopping situations on the horizon, we are all – ourselves, our families, and all of our recipients – going to have to keep track of stuff and the paraphernalia we need to keep our stuff working. Hence this update post on Tile.
In Paper Doll Finds Your Lost Keys, Wallets, and Phones, we covered Bluetooth basics and the most popular solutions, including Tile. If it’s been a while since you read the post, or you’re new to the world of Bluetooth trackers, I encourage you to revisit that post and see the magic of having tiny doodads keeping track of the things you bury, wander away from, or which wander away from you (in the hands of tiny humans, furry friends, or your last rideshare experience).
Previously, the last line of Tile products offered three main options, the Pro, Mate, and Slim, as it appeared below.
The three designs were different from one another in terms of sizes, Bluetooth ranges, alarm volumes, but all were designed to attach to your possessions (keys, wallets, cameras, umbrellas, fancy water bottles, favorite stuffed animals, backpacks, remote controls, etc.).
The key commonality was that with a quick tap on the app, you could find your lost stuff, and even have it give you a “yoohoo!” (Far from your stuff? As we explained in the original post, Tile’s community of users extends the reach of your search, as if a whole posse of detectives were on the case.)
Recently, Tile introduced a brand-new “hardware” lineup that improves upon the characteristics of the prior projects. Basically, that chart above is “soooo 2019” and the refreshed items include some interesting updates.
TILE SLIM
Remember the Tile Slim? (See that old info on the right of the chart?) The NEW Tile Slim has received quite the upgrade! Instead of a flat square, it’s now shaped like a credit card, perfect when you’re looking at a “low-profile” design, like in a wallet or a business card case. (Seriously, have you ever set down your business card case at a conference to shake hands or examine something in an expo or because you’re talking with your hands? No? Just me?)
The Slim is still 2.4mm thick (about the thickness of two credit cards, but wider (86mm instead of 54mm) to fit comfortably in all the places you’d store credit, debit, loyalty, or business cards.
Previously, the Tile Slim had a 1-year built-in (non-replaceable) battery; the battery now lasts three years. The range has been doubled from 100 to 200 feet (from 30 to 61 meters), and has a louder ring to help you find what’s yours more quickly.
The Slim is available in black, only, and costs $29.99.
TILE STICKER
Tile recognized that some stuff is just plain small, and small stuff needs smaller Tiles. Otherwise, your stuff gets lumpy and the “feel” just isn’t right. This led to the new Tile Sticker.
The Sticker is Tile’s smallest tracking solution. These little dots of Bluetooth power are waterproof and adhere to your items with Tile’s time-tested adhesive backing that can stick to anything. (OK, don’t stick it directly on the dog, however often he gets lost! That’s just not cool.)
The Stickers have a 3-year battery life and a range of 150 feet. Like the Slim, the Stickers are only available in Black.
They sell for $39.99 for a 2-pack or $59.99 for a 4-pack.
TILE MATE and PRO (UPDATED)
Tile hasn’t forgotten the rest of their lineup. To round out these improvements, Tile has expanded the Bluetooth range to enable zippier search and more reliable “finding” for both the Tile Mate from 150 to 200 feet (from 45 to 60 meters) and the Tile Pro from 300 to 400 feet (from 90 to 122 meters).
For those who care about styling, the Mate is available in White for $24.99, and the Pro is available in Black or White for $34.99.
HOW TILE WORKS
TILE 2020 LINEUP COMPARED
As you can see, the Tile Pro is the only version that gives you a choice of colors, and it has the loudest ring and double the range of any of the other products. But it’s also the thickest.
The Mate is smaller but thicker than the Slim, and you can replace the battery, but (like the Pro) it’s merely water-resistant, not waterproof like the Slim (and the Stickers). But the Mate does have a replaceable battery.
So, depending on each object you want to track, you’ll want to decide what’s the most important feature(s) for you for that object.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Color – Do you need your Tile to blend in with the surroundings? Do you really need to make a fashion statement? If aesthetics are truly your thing, there are always decorative Tile Skins.
Range – Where do you use your stuff? If you’re affixing it to a remote control or something else that never leaves your house, or if you live in a small apartment rather than a McMansion, a huge range may not be as important as it would be for something you schlep to work, school, and the beach.
Volume – As with range, if you’ve got sharp ears (or a child, teenager, or dog with sharp ears), having the loudest alarm may not be important, but if you’re buying Tiles for the great-grandparents or you work or hang out in a loud environment, the Sticker’s volume may not be loud enough for your needs.
Battery – Ah, the eternal debate: a longer-lasting built-in battery or a shorter, replaceable battery? It’s a personal choice, but I know I’d rather replace a battery than a whole device.
Water-resistance – Is your tiny human carrying her backpack through some raindrops or does she like to dump all the remotes in the (filled) bathtub? It’s worth considering.
Dimensions – How big is the “thing” that you don’t want to lose? How concerned are you about style and fit vs. function?
COMBO and MULTI PACKS
Recognizing that few of us need to track merely one thing, Tile has a variety of combo and multi-packs to fit a range of situations. I encourage you to sit down with your holiday gift list and figure out what gifts you’re giving might be augmented by the insurance policy of a Bluetooth tracker like Tile. Then take a reality check in your household and figure out what everyone is always misplacing, and go from there.
Tile Essentials: 2 Tile Stickers, 1 Tile Slim, 1 Tile Mate available for $69.99
Tile Pro Combo: 2-Pack (one black, one white) at $59.99 and 4-Pack (two black, two white) at $99.99
Tile Mate: 4-Pack for $69.99
Tile Mate/Slim Combo: 2 Mates and 2 Slims, available for $74.99
GOOGLE NEST
In October, Tile partnered with Google to make search even easier via the Google Nest device. So, if you’ve got a Google Nest (formerly Google Home), instead of using your phone and the Tile app, you can ask your Google Assistant to yoohoo your Tile devices for you. So, if you say, “Hey Google, make my wallet ring!” it’ll do that for you. (The 21st century is weird that way.)
If you don’t have a Nest, you can still tell your Google Assistant what to do. However, although you won’t have to tap your phone, you’ll still need your phone with the Tile app running somewhere nearby so the Tile app can tell your Tile doohickey to ring.
FINAL WORD
No matter what you acquire this holiday season, whether for yourself or for others, Bluetooth trackers are still only part of the story. Whatever you’ve got (or intend to acquire) make sure it serves your needs, and consider letting whatever languishes in drawers and cabinets be a blessing to someone else via donation. Don’t keep what you don’t need. (But if you’re having trouble keeping track of what you do need, Bluetooth trackers are pretty cool.)
Paper Doll Post:
You Are Invited to the 2019 Productivity Summit!
What did you accomplish today? Was it everything you’d hoped?
What do you think of when you hear the word “productive” bandied about? There’s a commonly-held but false belief that productivity is just about getting a lot of things done. But productive has two definitions: it can mean both prolific (quantitatively measuring how much gets done) and useful (qualitatively measuring how worthwhile and valuable an endeavor is).
Being productive means not just accomplishing a lot, but accomplishing the right things.
How many times have you gotten to the end of your day and realized that you’d been incredibly busy, completing many tasks (both the ones you planned as well as putting out small fires), but you didn’t feel fulfilled? Perhaps you read lots of blogs (like this one) and books, and have incorporated some of the advice. Maybe you theme your days or time-block your work projects. Hopefully, you eliminate as many interruptions as possible. But you know there’s more you could be doing. You know you could be doing better.
I’m excited to announce that I’m going to be participating in a special project, the brainchild of my colleague Ray Sidney-Smith, whom I met a few years ago when we were getting certified as Evernote consultants. Ray knows how to figure out what someone needs to know and presents that material in a way that’s easy to absorb. So Ray came up with the Productivity Summit!
Ray says “The 2019 Productivity Summit is going to be the most productive two days of your life,” and from what I’ve seen, I believe it!
I’ve attended a variety of internet-based conferences and summits on topics ranging from organizing and time management, to ADHD and hoarding, to writing and publishing. The material can be great, but it can often feel a little hokey, as it’s obvious those other virtual summits are just pre-recorded presentations released on a “drip” schedule, with no opportunity for attendees to ask questions or interact with the speakers.
The 2019 Productivity Summit is a LIVE, two-day remote conference with more than 40 expert speakers presenting in real-time about personal productivity, technology, organization, and business development. And your own Paper Doll will be one of them!
PROGRAMMING TRACKS
The 2019 Productivity Summit has four concurrent tracks of programming:
- Productivity – This track focuses very specifically on how to be more personally productive using the speakers’ recommended principles, strategies, and techniques.
There are some real powerhouse talents in this group, including Canadian rockstar and friend-of-the-blog Mike Vardy, the author/coach/podcaster known as The Productivityist. Where Mike is, the fun follows. I’m also excited to hear what Keep Productive’s Francesco D’Alessio has to say about Notion, a (geeky) up-and-comer that some people thinks give Evernote a run for its money. And Thanh Pham from Asian Efficiency is also on-deck, and his take is always a must-seeand must-listen.
- Technology – This programming track is focused on what and how to use specific technologies to get things done.
As much as I’m truly a Paper Doll, I know how technology is key for making work and life run more efficiently. My colleague Stacey Harmon is my go-to for Evernote coupled with David Allen’s GTD. From the ergonomics of productivity to leveraging systems to specific technologies, this programming track is for those who want to geek out as well as those who just want stuff to work so they can get on with their lives.
- Organization – For this track, it’s about the nitty gritty of getting your home or office more organized – it will cover the physical, intellectual, and psychological skills for dealing with clutter and disorganization.
Hey, that’s me up there!
If you follow organizing blogs or the professional organizing industry, you’ll recognize most of the people participating in this programming track. There’s industry standard-bearer Barbara Hemphill, fellow Certified Professional Organizers Kim Oser, Dawn George, and Kacy Paide. We’ll be joined by sharp and savvy NAPO colleagues like Andrea Hancock, Terri Blanchette, Penny Bryant Catterall, and coach Alexis Haselberger. Topics we’re covering range from the economics of clutter to how to organize your digital resources, from conquering fear of letting go of what’s on your desk to trying to go paperless when you can’t let go of the paper. Me? My presentation is called Organize for Maximum Productivity When You Work From Home.
- Business Development – This track is for those looking to build or grow their businesses more effectively and efficiently.
This is another power-packed lineup. These speakers will cover general business leadership topics like improving focus, growing sales, and developing entrepreneurial mindsets, but also delve into niche issues like video marketing, podcasting, and publishing. My longtime colleague, Nicole Chamblin is first up on Saturday morning, so I’ll be checking her out while I wait in the wings.
PRODUCTIVITY PANELS AND KEYNOTE AND DIGITAL INTERACTIVES, OH MY!
In addition to these concurrent programming tracks, there will be panel discussions across specific time slots. On Friday, October 4, 2019, summit host, Ray Sidney-Smith, Google Small Business Advisor for Productivity, will lead a panel of productivity technology experts entitled, “The Future of Productivity Technology.”
Then, on Saturday, October 5, 2019, Demir Bentley of Lifehack Bootcamp and Lifehack Tribe, will be keynoting the Summit with his presentation, “The Biggest Cover Up In Productivity History.”
There will also be a Digital Interactives area where speakers will be placing education-oriented quizzes (not the Facebook-style kind), polls, and more so you can engage with what you learn at the Summit. Finally, each day will end with with live, virtual networking events for summit attendees.
THE DETAILS
The 2019 Productivity Summit is free to attend live, and it’s all accessible through your Web browser. Visit the 2019 Productivity Summit page to see all the participants and topics, and I bet you’ll be as impressed as I am.
Register and get complimentary replays of the sessions through Sunday evening (Eastern time), October 6, 2019 , so you can watch missed sessions or rewatch sessions you found especially helpful.
Want more time to watch? You can buy access to the 2019 Summit video replay library. As I write this, early bird pricing is still available (until 9/13/19 4:59 PM US EDT); it goes up as the summit nears, and will rise again after the complimentary replays end.
Reach the summit – the 2019 Productivity Summit – and learn how to get more of the right things done.
Paper Doll Post:
Paper Doll on the Smead Podcast: Essential Lists For Organized Travel
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
~ Mark Twain
Whether you’re going over the river and through the woods for a holiday with Grandma or jet-setting off to some foreign rendezvous, travel can be both exciting and nervewracking. There are so many issues, from worrying that you’ll forget your medication to figuring out how to pack properly for the weather, that it’s easy to become anxious or overwhelmed.
Taking Twain’s message to heart, I would rather spend my twilight years remembering the joys of my madcap adventures (even if they involved some momentary anxiety) than basking in the coziness of never making a misstep due to never having taken a step at all.
Readers, you’ve heard me say this before: organizing cannot prevent all catastrophes, but it can prevent them from being so catastrophic.
Organizing cannot prevent all catastrophes, but it can prevent them from being so catastrophic. Click To TweetI’m a big believer that lists help keep our space and time organized, and work particularly well for banishing – or at least keeping at bay – some of that pre-travel anxiety.
You may recall my post from last fall, Paper Doll’s 5 Essential Lists For Planning an International Vacation, which I wrote after returning from my grand tour of Italy. Recently, that post prompted a great two-part conversation with John Hunt on the excellent Smead video podcast, Keeping You Organized.
We discussed exactly how you can use lists to conquer your trip-preparation fears and travel more confidently. For convenience, both parts of our conversation appear below.
Essential List for Organized Travel – Part 1 (Keeping You Organized, episode #263)
Essential List for Organized Travel – Part 2 (Keeping You Organized, episode #264)
If you’d rather listen to the podcasts (perhaps while packing or roaming through romantic, far-flung airports than be distracted by my hair (which I swear always looks better ten minutes before the podcast starts), you can visit the podcast pages directly at Smead and download the mp3s:
Essential List for Organized Travel – Part 1 (Keeping You Organized, episode #263) Audio Only
Essential List for Organized Travel – Part 2 (Keeping You Organized, episode #264) Audio Only
On the podcasts, I talked about the kinds of lists I use, as well as the apps, products, and services that I think help create a more organized travel experience. One of those items wasn’t widely available yet when I went to Italy, nor when I wrote my recap.
Last February, I was watching Smead’s myOrganized.life daily Facebook show. When I tuned in, I learned that friend-of-the-blog and Smead personality Leiann Thompson (John Hunt’s partner in crime) was stuck in a snowstorm and John was on his own, touting a new product: the Smead Poly Three-Divider Travel Organizer File.
Once John showed off the Travel Organizer File, I knew I had to get a closer look at this hybrid tool for organizing travel documents and necessities. It’s made of durable poly material, so it’s tear- and water-resistant. The back portion of the letter-sized organizer has three 1/3-cut tabbed divider sections, each of which has a 25-sheet storage capacity. The sections are useful for sorting documents by:
- different days of your itinerary
- different aspects of your trip (family reunion notes, conference documents, sightseeing itineraries), or
- different travel elements (airline reservations, hotel bookings, ground transportation info, etc.)
The Smead Poly Three-Divider Travel Organizer File also has a snap-closure pocket (also made of poly material) for collating travel expense receipts, baggage claim or valet tickets, restaurant/business cards, walking tour maps, and anything you collect along the way.
Smead has three colorful, fun designs, all of which give your enclosed documents some privacy from prying eyes. (You know, there’s always that one seatmate looking over your shoulder!) The teal-white flowered is shown above; Smead also makes purple and teal versions with a charcoal privacy design (below):
You can find a two-pack of the Smead Poly Three-Divider Travel Organizers at Amazon for around $9, as well as at Smead, and most office supply stores and stationers.
Happy (organized) traveling!
Paper Doll Post:
NAPO 2019: Organizing With a Heart as Big As Texas
As you read this post, professional organizers from all over the United States – plus many of our colleagues from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, and Asia (and surely some from a few surprise locales I don’t yet know are coming) – are about to touch down in Ft. Worth, Texas to attend the annual NAPO conference.
First, there will excited squeals of delight as we find one another in the hotel lobby and hallways like high school students returning after a long summer away. Before we officially begin, there will be leadership training events and half-day pre-conference sessions on productivity and marketing.
By Thursday afternoon, once our opening keynote kicks off, until late Sunday, when we roll our organized (if possibly overstuffed) luggage to the curb, there will be classes and meals, networking and dancing, business goals made and diets broken.
If you hear the hum of far-off applause, I suspect it will be for Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, and one of our keynote speakers. Her new book, Outer Order, Inner Calm – Declutter and Organize To Make More Room for Happiness came out this month, and I suspect professional organizers will be clamoring to hear her take on championing our passion for order.
You may notice fewer blog posts from those in the organizing community in the next few days, but be assured, we will all just be amassing knowledge of new products, productivity methods, and organizing practices to share with you upon our return.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, which means you can expect big news and long posts when I return. Until next week, you can peek behind the curtain by following the #NAPO2019 hashtag on Twitter. And, of course, you can read Paper Doll posts from the past dozen years of NAPO conferences just by typing “NAPO conference” in the search box on the left.
Y’all come back now, y’hear?
Paper Doll Post:
Paper Doll Interviews Melissa Gratias, Author of Seraphina Does Everything!
Today’s post is special – I’m introducing a new “friend of the blog.” Her name is Seraphina, and she’s the brainchild of my colleague, friend, accountability buddy, and Skyper-in-Crime, Melissa Gratias, Ph.D.
Melissa, known for her expertise helping busy professionals with their productivity, has authored a book about overwhelm and trying to juggle too many activities. And in a delightful twist, my girl Melissa has written this book for KIDS!
I was an early reader (and fan) of Seraphina, so when I found out that Seraphina Does Everything! was being released on April 9, 2019, I knew I wanted to spread the word to Paper Doll readers. This post is your chance to meet Melissa and Seraphina, and to avail yourself of a nifty bonus opportunity. (Stick around after the interview for important information about pre-sale orders and bonus bundles.)
Interview with Melissa Gratias
You and I met when you lived in Chattanooga and were starting your career as a professional organizer and productivity coach. But you’ve had a ZAM-POW-packed personal and professional life. Will you tell the Paper Doll readers how you got here?
Looney Tunes style…with Acme Rocket-Powered Roller Skates. Fortunately, things have gone better for me than for the coyote!
Part one of my life was academic: I received my master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from Virginia Tech. I also enjoyed teaching at a university in Chattanooga.
Part two was corporate: I was a human resources specialist and eventually led several teams of people smarter than me.
Part three was entrepreneurial: I started my productivity consulting business in 2007 with some great advice from Paper Doll [Editor’s note: blush] and a lot of gumption. Since then, I have helped my clients through specialized productivity training, coaching, and consulting.
Part four is unfolding right now: Seraphina Does Everything! is an exciting project and has the potential to be a storybook series.
You have a lot of experience writing blog posts and ebooks for adults. How did you come to write a children’s book?
I started writing poems in fourth grade. I had a wonderful creative writing teacher, Mrs. Sapp, who I still remember fondly.
Then, I took a 30+ year break from writing poetry…well, except for that one about trees, graves, and deflated balloons that I wrote in the 9th grade. (I’d had a bad breakup.) [Editor’s note: We’ve all been there.]
During a speaking engagement in 2017, the president of a publishing company commented on my storytelling ability and asked if I would be interested in writing for kids. I was intrigued by his comment, went home, and wrote my first poem since elementary school. (The one with the dead tree doesn’t count).
My publisher, the National Center for Youth Issues (NCYI), has been producing storybooks since Mrs. Sapp told me I was a writer. I am writing stories for NCYI to help kids resolve the same issue that adults struggle with – how do we achieve balance?
The writing experience is different for every author. In the lingo of NaNoWriMo, there are plotters (people who outline and plan) and pantsers (those who write by the seat of their pants). What are you? How did Seraphina go from being an idea to a fully fleshed-out little girl with a life of her own?
I’m a dictator. Wait. That came out wrong.
I dictated the majority of Seraphina Does Everything! to my iPhone while sitting in the parking lot of the aquatic center where I live in Savannah, Georgia. My son is a competitive swimmer and I feel like I’ve spent a lifetime in that parking lot.
The story took several weeks to flesh out, and no, I’m not really an outliner. I could “see” the arc of the story in my head, but I wrote (spoke?) the story in no discernible order. Lots of verbiage ended up being cut, and at my publisher’s encouragement, I slip in and out of prose a few times in the book. I’m no Dr. Seuss, after all.
One fun aspect of writing Seraphina Does Everything! was naming my character. I searched baby name sites for hours. [Editor’s note: I neglected to ask if that raised Melissa’s husband’s eyebrows.] I wanted a name that reflected the energy of the amazing girl I’d grown to love. The name Seraphina means “fiery angel,” and that’s just what she is.
What aspect(s) of the book do you think will resonate the most with kids?
The kids who have read Seraphina Does Everything! love hearing Seraphina talk about her many activities. They get excited that Seraphina does some of the same things they like to do, including ballet, soccer, karate, art classes, and music lessons.
What’s interesting is to see them become a little pensive when Seraphina confesses to her dad that she is feeling sad. But my favorite part is when kids get a knowing smile on their face at the end of the book, just like Seraphina has. Kids are wiser than we sometimes give them credit for.
What’s in Seraphina Does Everything! for adults?
There are three words I hear most often from the teachers and parents who have read the book:
“I am Seraphina!”
Who doesn’t fall into the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) trap from time-to-time? Many of us get overscheduled and overcommitted. We all must step back and re-evaluate our lives and work.
What is your favorite passage or section of the book?
I loved writing Dad’s responses to Seraphina’s dismay in the middle of the book. I could feel his affection and admiration for his daughter when she was crying in the back seat of the car.
Parents are demonized in the world too often. We are berated for both doing too much and not enough for our children. Most of us are just people who want the best for our kids. We want them to have options and opportunities. Seraphina’s dad is one of those people. He doesn’t drive her around to her activities for his own benefit. He loves his daughter. He wants her to have a good life. I relate to him.
The illustrations in Seraphina Does Everything! really make your great story pop off the page. What is your favorite illustration?
My publisher found the most amazing illustrator, Sue Cornelison. We selected her because of her ability to draw beautiful, diverse characters that communicate energy and emotion to the reader.
My favorite illustration is in the middle of the book when Seraphina is eating dinner in the back of the car. You see Seraphina’s thought-filled face on the left and the reflection of her face in the car window on the right. Behind the reflection is a girl in her driveway petting her dog. This image perfectly captures Seraphina’s internal struggle: Am I doing the things that really bring me joy?
Do you think there’s a stealth message for overextended parents in this book?
I’m hearing the theme song from Mission Impossible in my head right now…anyone else?
Yes, there is a message for us grown-ups, and it’s probably not very stealthy. After all, it is a storybook.
We all have busy seasons in our adult lives. It is easy to get carried away by our multiple commitments. If we are lucky, there will be someone to help us prioritize what’s important. And, like Seraphina, we can learn that “everything” isn’t something you do…it’s something you are.
[Editor’s note: The book also has tips for educators and parents, to help them guide children toward better balance and time management.]
How to Meet Seraphina
Seraphina Does Everything! is available in both softcover and hardcover. Grownups and tiny humans can read Seraphina and then create some breathing room for themselves in every day.
If you’d like a really special experience, you can also purchase the book directly from Melissa’s site. You’ll get an inscribed and signed copy of Seraphina, plus a not-available-anywhere-else essay by Melissa on how to teach life balance to children and teens.
Seraphina Does Everything! But you (and the tiny humans in your life) don’t have to do it all! Seraphina is a great role model for grownups and kids for prioritizing the best, and leaving aside the rest.
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