Learn how to get organized by writing on printables using an iPad.

You all know by now how much I love finding new ways to stay organized. Lately, I have been enjoying using printables. Printables are a great way to stay organized and keep everything in your life on track. They can be used to help you schedule out your day, meal plan, or to make a comprehensive to-do list. While I do love printing out the pages and being able to use my collection of colored pens, there comes a time where I’d rather not use that much paper and printer ink. This is where writing on the printables using my iPad comes in so handy!

By writing digitally on printables using my iPad, I am able to still use them without having to print out the pages. Also, I can erase as much as I want and reuse them over and over. This especially comes in handy with weekly or daily scheduling printables where the information would change often. So instead of having to print out multiple pages for each day, I can just erase and use it again.

     

To write on printables on an iPad, the files will need to be PDFs. Then, you will need an app that will allow you to write on PDFs. I enjoy using GoodNotes. With this app, you can annotate and handwrite on the digital printables and even share the files with the annotations if you’d like. The app also works with iCloud so you can access your files on any device. Then, when you’re ready to use the printable again, you can just erase and start over. Just upload the PDF file of your favorite printable to the app and start writing. You can change the color and size of the pen, use a highlighter, and add any kind of shapes or images that you’d like. The GoodNotes app is $7.99 in the App Store.

For a free alternative, I’d recommend using the Microsoft OneNote app. I have spoken before about how much I love using OneNote. For years, I have been using OneNote on my computer for all of my class notes. I love that it has so many ways to organize your notebooks and pages. Within the app, you can also digitally write on PDFs. So this is a great alternative to writing on printables, especially if you want to also use it to take handwritten notes during class. You can write directly on the powerpoint slides and have everything sync together seamlessly between your iPad and computer.

To write on the printables, you can certainly use your finger, but in order to be a bit more precise, I would definitely recommend using a stylus. I recently upgraded to the Adonit Pixel stylus and am loving it so far. Bluetooth-enabled styli such as this have features like palm rejection, pressure sensitivity, and can have a super fine tip that feels just like writing with a regular pen. You can check out some more budget-friendly bluetooth-enabled styli here and here. If you prefer a more classic stylus, I recommend checking out this one, which is the one I used before upgrading.

I hope I have convinced you of how to help yourself stay organized by using printables! I absolutely love them for writing out everything I need to get done and prioritizing out my tasks. Looking for some printables to get started? Check out the ones I have made myself and were using in the images within this post. All you have to do is enter your email below to sign up to receive exclusive access to all of these free printables. You can download all of the files in PDF form after you enter your email. Also, on that page are my study plans for the MCAT and USMLE Step 1, so check those out too while you are there.

Do you have any tips for keeping yourself organized? What do you think about using printables on an iPad? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

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