Since we’re coming on the theoretically slow time of year, I know that thoughts often turn to prepping for the new year by adopting some new habits. I’m pleased to report that last year I managed to keep some of my organization resolutions. Now, before I strain myself with that big pat on the back, let me share my secret. It’s a little company called 37Signals.

They make insanely simple software programs that run on the web. If you’re geeky, you can peek under the hood for their Ruby on Rails platform. If you’re cheap, the price is right: lots of their stuff is free. Yes, I said Free.

I use all of their products in different ways. BaseCamp for example is where we collaborate when working on a client project. It keeps all their communication (including e-mails) in one place. For agencies, it could be where you keep all your “post-it” note stuff – confirmations, faxes, etc. I have a couple of clients testing this out on the agency side and I’ll post the results soon.

BackPack by far the best program for personal management. I subscribe to the $5 per month service and essentially it has become my online brain. I have a page with writing assignments, one with my daily to-do list, one with my “honey-do” list to outsource to separate honeys, I have grocery lists, pages of photos uploaded from my camera and phone, marketing ideas, a page with all my major user names/passwords, backup instructions in case I get hit by a bus, etc. You get the picture. Two cool features: You can e-mail stuff into a page so its fast to keep it updated, and you can share it with others. We have a page for each of our volleyball teams to keep all the parents connected without using an outside service.

So, here’s my Thankgiving gift to you. 37Signals. Enjoy over the Holiday Week.