Organizing By Making Lists:
Want to be more organized?
Want to waste less time?
Make lists!
The older I get, the more information my lists contain.
Different lists for different folks:
I love to put things in outline form because it is logical and organizes the details.
I ONLY make notes on my phone. Always backed up.
Little slips of paper with notes on them get lost in purses and pockets and car seats. If you must write things on paper, keep a small notebook handy.
The devil is in the details: Take 5 -10 minutes as part of your end of the day routine and write down what you need to do the next day.
CALLS:
Joe and tell him….(That way when he picks up you won’t be embarrassed by not why you called).
Mary…can she babysit tonight?
ERRANDS:
Prioritize according to need and urgency.
Arrange them geographically so that you are not wasting time on the road.
Arrange them according to the time of day...morning/after pick up, etc.
Food shopping
Which store for what items?
Group items according to the menu?
Group items according to the aisles as you walk them?
A wise word from my mom about list making: Some years ago, when all 3 kids were still at home, giving lots of chores, etc. I was particularly frazzled…maybe even fried. I called my mom crying, “I just can’t get everything done. I try to make organized lists so that I am not helter-skelter.” In her calm way, she said, “Hmmm, well, maybe your list is too long.”
Yes! Taking those extra minutes at the end of the day, perhaps with a cup of tea, sorting out what needs to be done and committing it to paper or phone is a habit we all can develop.
Try it for a week and see if your "to do list" is less stressful!
Contact me for help in organizing or decluttering anything!
