How to Organise Information with Dyslexia: Practical Strategies

If you have dyslexia, you know that organising information can feel overwhelming. Not because you can't think clearly, but because traditional methods often don't suit how your brain works. You might lose track of files, struggle to follow complex folder structures, or find that notes you've written become hard to decode later.

The good news: with the right system, you can organise information in ways that work for you, not against you. This guide covers practical strategies that dyslexic students, professionals, and parents use every day.

Keep Your System Simple and Visual

Complicated folder hierarchies and dense text documents are your enemies. Instead, build a system you can see and understand at a glance.

Start with broad categories that make sense to you personally. If you're a student, these might be: subjects, assignments, revision notes. If you work, try: projects, clients, ongoing tasks. Avoid creating folders within folders within folders; each level adds cognitive load.

Use colours liberally. Assign a colour to each category: English in blue, maths in green, work projects in orange. This works because your visual memory often outperforms your ability to read and process text quickly. When you see that blue folder, your brain instantly knows what it contains, even before you read the label.

Add an icon or image to each folder or document. Again, this taps into visual recognition rather than reading speed. A little icon next to "French assignment" helps you spot it faster than scrolling through a text-heavy list.

Use Voice and Recording Tools

Much of what you need to "organise" starts as spoken thoughts or classroom content. Instead of trying to take handwritten notes that you'll later struggle to read, record everything.

Use your phone's voice memo app or a tool like Otter.ai to capture lectures, meetings, or your own thoughts. Many phones allow you to transcribe speech automatically, which means you get a written version without having to type it yourself.

When you do write things down, keep sentences short. One idea per line. This makes scanning and retrieval easier later. If you're using Dyslexly, the text-to-speech feature can read your notes back to you, which helps you check accuracy and reinforce memory without relying on your ability to re-read carefully.

Create a Master Index or Dashboard

One of the biggest pain points for dyslexic readers is remembering where things are. You might save something and then forget whether it's in "documents" or "old files" or "temp".

Create a single index file or spreadsheet that lists everything important you need to find. It doesn't need to be fancy: just a simple table with three columns: what it is, where it is, and the date you created it.

Update this index whenever you save something new. It takes 20 seconds, and it saves you hours of frustration later. Think of it as your master key to your entire information system.

Alternatively, use a digital tool like Notion or OneNote, which has a built-in search function. Type a few words and it finds everything containing those words. This reduces the need to remember file paths.

Organise by Time and Action, Not Hierarchy

Traditional filing systems are built on the assumption that you'll remember which category something belongs to. Dyslexic brains don't work that way. You might remember that you did something last Tuesday, but struggle to recall whether you filed it under "admin" or "urgent".

Instead, organise by when you created something or when you need to use it:

Create folders named by date: "January 2024", "February 2024". Within each, put everything from that period. This feels more natural and matches how you think and remember.

Alternatively, organise by action: "to do", "in progress", "done". Move items between these folders as their status changes. This works brilliantly for projects and assignments.

For your to-do items specifically, keep them visible and physical if possible. A printed checklist on your desk, or a note on your phone home screen, works better than a digital system buried in an app.

Break Large Documents Into Chunks

A 40-page document is a mountain to climb. When you need to find one piece of information in it, you'll likely give up before you get there.

Instead, break large documents into smaller files. A research project might become ten separate documents: introduction, background, methodology, findings 1, findings 2, and so on. Each one is only 4-5 pages, making it scannable and less cognitively demanding.

Use clear headings and bullet points. Short paragraphs. Whitespace. All of this makes scanning for information easier and faster.

If you're studying, use tools that let you adjust visual presentation. Dyslexly, for example, offers features like line focus and OpenDyslexic font, which help you track your place on the page and read more fluently. These aren't just about reading comfort; they make information feel more accessible and therefore easier to organise mentally.

Use Naming Conventions That Make Sense to You

File names matter. A file called "essay.doc" tells you nothing. Two weeks later, you have five files called "essay.doc" and no idea which is which.

Develop a naming system you'll actually follow:

• Include the date: "2024-01-15-EnglishEssay"
• Include the subject or project: "Maths-Trigonometry-Practice"
• Use underscores or hyphens, never spaces: spaces can cause technical problems and feel clunky to read
• Be specific: "French-Vocab-Household-Items" tells you more than "French-Homework"

Write down your naming convention and keep it visible. The goal is consistency. Once your brain learns the pattern, finding files becomes automatic.

Create Templates and Checklists

If you do the same type of task repeatedly, create a template. Don't reinvent the wheel each time.

For essays: a template with sections already laid out (introduction, point 1, point 2, conclusion). For meeting notes: a template with date, attendees, action items. For project planning: a template with deadline, resources, next steps.

Store templates in an obvious, easily accessible place. When you need to start something new, open the template, save it with a new name, and fill it in. This removes decision-making and creates a consistent structure, making your information inherently more organised.

Pair this with checklists: "steps to complete an assignment" or "points to include in a report". These act as external memory, reducing the cognitive load of trying to remember everything yourself.

Conclusion

How to organise information with dyslexia comes down to this: build systems around how you actually think and remember, not how the world expects you to think. Use colours, dates, voice, and visual cues. Keep things simple and scannable. Break large tasks into smaller chunks. And remember that the "best" system is the one you'll actually use, not the one that looks good in theory.

Start with one or two of these strategies. Master them, then add more. You don't need a perfect system; you need one that works for your brain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best software for organising information if you have dyslexia? There's no single "best" choice because everyone's needs differ. Many dyslexic people find OneNote or Notion helpful because they combine documents, databases, and search functions. Others prefer simpler tools like Google Drive with colour-coded folders and clear naming systems. Test a few free options and stick with whichever reduces your stress most.

Should I handwrite or type my notes? Typed notes are usually better if you have dyslexia, because you can use text-to-speech tools to read them back and check accuracy. Handwritten notes often become difficult to read later. If you prefer handwriting, photograph your notes and use handwriting-to-text conversion, or combine them with voice recordings.

How do I remember to update my index or master list? Set a phone reminder for Friday afternoons to spend five minutes updating it, or make it part of your end-of-day routine. Keep the index in a place you see daily, like your computer desktop. The easier you make it to update, the more likely you'll actually do it.

Can I use Dyslexly to help with organising my digital notes? Yes. Dyslexly's text-to-speech feature can read your notes aloud, helping you spot mistakes and check that information is accurate before you file it. The OpenDyslexic font and colour overlay also make reading back over your notes less tiring, so you're more likely to review and organise them properly.

What if I've already created a messy system? Can I reorganise without losing things? Absolutely. Start by creating your new system alongside your old one. Don't delete anything yet. Copy or move files into the new structure gradually, checking your master index as you go. Once you're confident nothing is missing, you can delete the old system. This takes time but prevents panic if something goes wrong.