Are your home improvement plans hidden in piles of folders overflowing with clips, notes, and paint chips? You can save time, corral your ideas, and bring your current “organizational system” into the 21st century with the right app. We’ve put together three favorites to help you streamline planning and make your 2013 home improvement projects a breeze.

1. HB Color

HB Color

Is one paint company’s Foggy Wisteria the same as another’s Lavender Mist? House Beautiful cuts through color confusion with a smart palette of functions: zero in on your intuitive preferences with a quiz, peruse color combinations recommended by decorators and House Beautiful editors, or fish from the “Color River” to find the moods, shades, and tints that fit your vision.

2. Color Capture 

Color Capture

If you’re not even sure what to call the color already adorning your walls, Benjamin Moore’s Color Capture is the app for you. Snap a photo of the color, drop it into the app, and get the best match from the Benjamin Moore palette.

3. HomeSpot HQ

Homespot HQ

Pull it all together with HomeSpot HQ, a free web app and project organizing tool. Like a hub for all your home improvement needs, HomeSpot lets you browse readymade project checklists or upload lists, paint chips, and warranties to keep all your information mobile and consolidated. It will even send you reminders of maintenance chores, so you can stay on top of essentials—and never forget to change your air filter again!

For more on home improvement apps, consider:

App Review: PaintSwatches
App Review: Houzz Interior Design Ideas
‘Appy’ New Year: Productivity Tools for Your Smartphone