Friday, January 15, 2010

Living by the Lists

Welcome Company Girls. The tea kettle is on and the cookies are warm out of the oven.

I am a list maker. I love books of lists and lists of lists. Now, I have figured out how to make lists work for me. In the past, I've made extensive lists of must-do items and then dealt with the guilt of not finishing everything on the list. Now I have a list that I can live with. It works like this.

I have a notebook for my lists so they don't get lost or scattered. I have lists for the major grocery stores I shop at where I can write down anything I run out of or realize I need to purchase. I have a list of miscellaneous things I think of that I would like to have for the house. I also have a list of things the kids need.

In the past, I've had kids not tell me when they were starting to run out of something or wear something out until it was a must purchase item. Then I didn't have the luxury of waiting for a sale or finding it in a thrift store or on ebay. Now they tell me and I write it down and start watching for the best opportunity to purchase.

For the house, I have a list of all of my ongoing projects that I can work on when I have time and check off as I go. I also have a list of time sensitive events, such as appointments or obligations. Lists of what bills are due when, what meals I have everything to fix, all the kids' sizes, and one of anniversaries and birthdays round out the book. My book of lists works better for me than any planner I've used so far. Maybe if you're having a hard time finding a planner or system, this could work for you too.

7 comments:

Jennibell said...

What a cool idea!!! I like it. . .and that reminds me that I used to do that too. . .somewhere between having kids and moving (4 yrs ago mind you), etc. I forgot all about that. I remember it was spiral-bound and fit in purse and I always had a pen with it. . .thanks for reminding me!!! I can tell lists make you happy :) I especially like the idea of a running list of projects that you can CROSS OFF as you finish -- yahoo!

Cari Kaufman said...

Great idea! Have a great weekend!

mholgate said...

I have a notebook too...it has schedules and menus and important phone numbers and prescriptions etc. It's my household notebook and I would be lost without it! :)

Have a great weekend!
-Melissa

Anna said...

I live by lists, too. I am very easily distracted, and lists help me to focus. I have found that keeping them in the same place works well for me. When we lived in the States, I had a binder that I carried with me. It had things like a calendar, addresses, grocery lists, and other things to remember. I would print pages off and slip them in. Now I just have a small spiral notebook that I carry with me. (I don't usually need addresses, etc.)

One More Equals Four said...

I wish I was a list person. I need to be a list person. But I either forget to write it down or forget to bring the list, pitiful huh!

Have a great weekend!

MommiesCoffee3 said...

GREAT idea. I use index cards for my lists - and I'm a list maker, too. love my lists. Enjoy your weekend!

SpitFire said...

You know, it's a funny thing to me, I must have list-love encoded in my DNA. Back when I was struggling with anxiety, my doctor figured out that, for whatever reason, lists forced my brain to re-focus in such a manner as to direct my thoughts away from the anxiety. Things like mentally listing off the states in alphabetical order, or creating a list of my current favorite songs..whatever popped into my head, would absolutely distract me. Wonder who I have to thank for that inclination? Hmmm Mom? :P