Companion App
Boxlist — a plain ledger for what's in the box
Boxlist is the tool we built for ourselves: a place to log every box in a home archive, give it a call number, note where it physically sits, and mark when a series is due for another look. No scanning requirement, no cloud account needed to start, no subject taxonomy to argue about.
See what it doesWhat Boxlist keeps track of
6 core toolsBox Ledger
Log every box with a call number, a physical location, and a one-line note on what's inside — searchable later without opening the lid.
Series Builder
Group folders and boxes into a series by function or by when they arrived, instead of forcing everything under a subject heading.
Retention Reminders
Set a retention window when a box is logged, and Boxlist flags the series once it's time to review — not before, not silently forever.
Disposal Log
Record what left the archive, when, and why — a short line is enough, but it turns "I think we shredded that" into an actual answer.
Shelf Map
Note which shelf, closet, or storage unit a box lives on, so "where did we put it" stops being the first question during tax season.
Offline-First
The ledger lives on your own device by default. An account is only needed if you want the same list on a second device.
How it works
Four steps-
Pick a starting number
Most households start at 001 and let the number climb with each new series — no need to plan the whole scheme in advance.
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Log the first box
Give it a call number, a shelf, and a short description. Boxlist timestamps the entry automatically.
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Set a retention window, if it needs one
Tax records, warranties, and school papers each tend to have their own household rule. Attach it once and forget it.
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Review when flagged
When a series comes up for review, decide to keep, renumber, or log its disposal — the ledger keeps the history either way.
A few questions
Mini FAQIs Boxlist required to follow along with Foolscap?
No. Every method described on Foolscap works with a notebook and a pencil. Boxlist just keeps the same ledger tidier and searchable.
Does it scan or store the documents themselves?
No. Boxlist tracks the ledger entry — call number, location, dates — not the contents of the page. It's an index, not a scanner.
Who is Boxlist meant for?
Households with a few boxes to a full closet of paper who want to know what's where without rebuilding the system from scratch every year.
Read the method first
Boxlist follows the same order-of-arrival approach we write about on the journal. Start with the entries, then decide if a ledger app is worth adding.
Back to the journal