How to use maps in Obsidian // Leaflet and Kanban

TL;DR

Use Readwise to sync highlights into Obsidian so research becomes searchable, reusable evidence for decisions like tax planning.

Briefing Cornell Notes

Briefing

A cross-country move becomes manageable when personal knowledge management turns into a working system: Obsidian is used to research Portugal’s tax and housing rules, map out neighborhoods and cities to visit, and then track the real-world tasks needed to finalize a purchase. The core insight is practical—notes aren’t valuable as philosophy or “organizational masturbation,” but as a tool that reduces uncertainty and keeps decisions and deadlines from slipping.

The process starts with tax research. Highlights pulled from articles, books, and other sources via Readwise are synced into an Obsidian vault, creating a growing evidence base. Early highlights from 2020 already contain key details about Portugal’s Non-Habitual Residency program—what it is, eligibility requirements, and tax rates—so the decision isn’t made from scratch during the move. A simple workflow then emerges: search for “taxation in Portugal,” open the relevant page, and connect scattered quotes and requirements into a single decision-ready view. Taxes may have been the initial driver, but the system is also used to validate the choice emotionally and practically.

That validation comes through a reconnaissance trip. To visualize where the couple might fit, an Obsidian Leaflet map of Portugal is built with markers for places worth checking out. Leaflet makes this fast: right-click to add a marker, choose a color, edit the marker to link it to a note, and customize icons (including using built-in marker icons like a thumbtack or water symbol). Markers are organized as layers, and the map supports zooming and panning so the couple can narrow options. Green markers represent destinations that felt promising; as visits happened, notes were created for those locations. Tavira, for example, ends up near the bottom of the map close to Spain, with both factual context (from Wikipedia) and personal impressions.

The map work ties directly into the housing decision. After settling on a region and then a specific house, the system shifts from discovery to execution. A separate Obsidian page documents the house-buying process in Portugal, including what documents are required and what the real estate agent and bank ask for. Because the move is ongoing, the guide is explicitly “in progress”—categories like NIF (tax identification) details and step-by-step buying instructions are being filled in as new requirements appear. The goal is not perfection; it’s usefulness for future repeats of the process, whether in Portugal again or elsewhere.

Finally, once the paperwork is signed, task management takes over. A Kanban board tracks the post-purchase checklist—items like connecting electricity, registering, and dealing with local municipality steps—moving cards across columns as progress happens. Dates and deadlines can be set (e.g., “needs to be done by Friday”), giving a real-time overview of the juggling required to move in. The result is a connected system: research evidence, geographic decision-making, and operational tracking all live in one place and keep updating as the move progresses.

Cornell Notes

The move to Portugal is managed with Obsidian as an end-to-end system: research, mapping, and execution. Readwise highlights are synced into an Obsidian vault to build a decision-ready knowledge base, including details about Portugal’s Non-Habitual Residency program. Obsidian Leaflet then turns travel planning into a visual map with customizable markers that link directly to notes (e.g., Tavira with both Wikipedia facts and personal impressions). After choosing a house, Obsidian pages document the buying process and required documents, while a Kanban board tracks post-signing tasks with deadlines and status changes. The practical takeaway: notes become valuable when they directly reduce uncertainty and coordinate real-world work.

How does the workflow turn scattered research into a decision tool for moving to Portugal?

Readwise highlights from articles, books, and other sources are synced into an Obsidian vault. Instead of keeping information in separate places, the creator builds pages where related highlights accumulate over time. A search like “taxation in Portugal” leads to a page that consolidates what matters—such as the Portuguese Non-Habitual Residency program’s purpose, eligibility requirements, tax rates, and supporting quotes—so the decision can be revisited and refined without starting over.

What role does Obsidian Leaflet play beyond “making a map,” and how is it connected to notes?

Obsidian Leaflet is used to mark places worth visiting and then link those markers to specific Obsidian notes. Markers can be added quickly via right-click, colored, and edited to use different icons (for example, a thumbtack or water-like symbol). Each marker can open a linked note, so the map becomes a navigation layer into location-specific research and impressions.

How were reconnaissance trips translated into a living knowledge base?

During a month-plus reconnaissance trip, the couple visits cities and regions marked as interesting. After visiting, the creator creates notes for those locations. Tavira is one example: the note includes factual context sourced from Wikipedia plus personal impressions. Over time, the map and notes reflect the narrowing process—starting in the Algarve region, finding it too tourist-heavy, and moving north to settle on Setubal.

Why keep the house-buying guide “in progress” instead of waiting for a complete reference?

The guide is treated as a step-by-step record that will improve as new requirements appear. Even after signing paperwork, categories like NIF details and the full buying process are still being filled in. The point is to capture what’s needed now and update later, so the system remains useful for future moves and for repeating the process in other countries.

How does Kanban support the post-purchase phase differently from static notes?

Kanban provides an operational view of tasks that must be completed after the house purchase. Cards move across columns such as “to do,” “in progress,” “waiting for,” and “done.” Tasks include practical steps like connecting electricity, registering, and handling municipality-related actions. Dates can be set (e.g., a Friday deadline), turning the checklist into a time-aware workflow rather than a static document.

Review Questions

What specific information is consolidated in the Obsidian pages during tax research, and how does that reduce decision friction?
Describe how a Leaflet marker becomes more than a pin—what customization and linking steps make it useful for later planning?
How do the Kanban columns and deadlines change the way post-purchase work is tracked compared with a written checklist?

Key Points

1
Use Readwise to sync highlights into Obsidian so research becomes searchable, reusable evidence for decisions like tax planning.
2
Build a Leaflet map with markers that link directly to location notes, turning geographic planning into an organized workflow.
3
Customize Leaflet markers (color, icon, layers) to reflect different categories of interest and keep the map readable.
4
Document the house-buying process as a living guide—start with what’s known, then update categories like NIF and document requirements as the process unfolds.
5
Use Kanban for the post-signing phase to track tasks by status and deadlines, not just to store information.
6
Treat “good enough” notes as publishable drafts; perfection isn’t required for the system to stay useful over time.

Highlights

Portugal’s Non-Habitual Residency program details are assembled into an Obsidian page by accumulating Readwise highlights over years, making the tax decision faster when the move becomes real.

Obsidian Leaflet markers aren’t just pins: each marker can open a linked note, letting the map function as an index into location research and impressions.

A Kanban board turns the chaotic post-purchase checklist into a status-and-deadline system with columns like to do, in progress, waiting for, and done.

Topics

Obsidian Leaflet
Kanban Workflow
Portugal Move Planning
Readwise Highlights
House Buying Checklist