15 lists to make to stay organised

Do you ever feel like your life is all over the place? You forget all the passwords, you forget birthdays of your friends and family members and sometimes you forget the tasks that you needed to get done.

And you pay the price because it all creates chaos in your life and it leads to stress. Sometimes you even forget deadlines for very important things. Or you end up procrastinating things till the very last minute and then are always in a rush to get things completed.

If that’s how your life is going on right now and you want a change, then this post is for you.

Lists are the easiest way to organise your life and I absolutely swear by the. If it wasn’t for the lists in my life, I’d forget half of the things. And mind you, I never joke when it comes about lists or productivity or time management.

So when I say, lists are life-changing, I mean it, with all my heart.

If you feel like your life is all over the place and you need to organised quickly, I highly recommend you try list making. No matter what area of your life you want to get organised, there is almost always a list that can help. And it is such a simple tool that you need *almost* no skills to put this into action.

#1: Master to-do list:

A master to-do list is a long running list that has all your to-dos sorted in one place. It is a place where you jot down work and other tasks as they come up. It is great to have a master to-do list so that you don’t forget about some of the tasks.

It can either be a weekly or a monthly list, whatever you prefer. I usually like doing a weekly list. So, at the beginning of the week, I have my weekly to-dos, which are things I need to get done in that week. It depends on what my goals for the week are. But there are also a lot of life admin things like cleaning the car etc. And throughout the week, whenever something comes up, I jot it down in this list.

Then on a daily basis, I can go through this list and see what I can get done that day. This usually makes my Daily to-do list. It keeps me organised and super productive and mentally relieved that I am not forgetting something important.

Whatever doesn’t get done in the week, gets transferred to next weeks master to-do list and so on.

TIP : Divide your Master to-do list into. categories like work, home stuff etc to make it easier to refer to it later through the week.

#2: Daily to-do list:

This one’s pretty self explanatory. If you have read any of my “productivity or organisation” Blogs, you’ve probably heard me rave about the importance of having a daily to-do list. Even if you haven’t read my posts, I am sure you’ve tried this list at some point of time.

In any case, I ask you to give it another shot and be sincere about it. Take some time and be intentional about the things you want to get accomplished in a day and write down your to-do list. What makes a to-do list super effective is when your goals reflect in your tasks. It means that whatever you do, you are working towards a goal and are not directionless.

Referring to your goals every once in a while will also help you refocus your efforts on what’s important and how to make time for it in your daily to-do list.

#3: Grocery shopping list:

Never go for grocery shopping without a list. EVER. I am very serious about it. Not only do we end up wasting so much of our time going up and down different aisles, we waste so much money too. We often spend mindlessly and buy things that *we think* we need. And more often than not, we do not even consume these things and they end up going to waste because they have expiration dates.

I speak from experience. I used to be the person who loves doing grocery runs. I’d buy random snacks to try and that was affecting both my health and my pocket. And when I realised and changed this habit, it made the biggest difference. Of course it takes some time and efforts to break the habit.

Also, can we talk about the fact how grocery stores are designed in a way to make you spend more time inside. Spending more time means more chances of impulse buying things you certainly do not need. I mean,

Knowing exactly what you need to buy and having a list will save you so much time and money at the grocery store.

#4:House admin list:

House admin list is a list where all your tasks that are relating to your house are written. It is a list that has everything you need to get done to keep your house in order. I write things as they come up. They can be as simple as buying a new bulb or a light fixture. And I usually go through this list on the weekend and see what I can get done instead of letting it bother me through the week.

Of course if it is something that can be done in 2 minutes or less, I use the two minute rule and get it done right away. There is no use of writing a really long list that gives you anxiety, if some of the things you can get done there and then, right?

#5:Daily & weekly cleaning list:

If you want a clean and tidy home then this list is going to help you so much. We often think that having clean and an organised home has to take hours. But the fact is, having a tidy home is a matter of habit. And I find that doing a daily quick tidy and declutter does the trick.

I usually reserve the deep cleaning for weekends or do it monthly. Having a list of things that you need to get done to have a clean home everyday helps. Because you can go through it as if you are on a pilot mode, instead of wasting time on deciding what needs to get done.

On my daily cleaning list are chores like making the bed, wiping dining table, kitchen counters etc. This daily tidy of the house does not take more than 10-15 minutes in the morning and makes the biggest difference.

Another thing that really helps is having a monthly/weekly cleaning list. Since you have more time to spare on the weekends, this could be a longer list where you deep clean the house or just some areas every week.

You can do the weekly clean on Sunday to feel ready for the upcoming week. I usually do my Sunday cleaning in the morning and have time to spare for self care in the evenings so I am fully relaxed going into the week.

#6: Weekly reset list:

If you feel disoriented on Mondays and hate the feeling of Mondays coming in, then this list is for you. Making a weekly rest list and doing a weekly reset on the weekend will allow you to wrap up the week gone by. It will also help you prepare for the upcoming week as you have your house and work things in order on Monday morning.

My reset usually involves laundry, writing to-do lists, some self care time and some much needed quality time with family. It totally depends on what you want to put on the reset list. It is basically a list of things that you feel like you need to get done to be productive and ready on a Monday morning.

Doing a weekly recap and a reset is also great because you get to evaluate the week gone by and see what worked and what didn’t. I also take this opportunity to look at my monthly goals and set my focus for the week. Doing so every week keeps you in touch with your goals and thus keeps you going in the right direction.

RELATED: Weekly RESET routine

#7: Passwords & usernames list:

This is a must for me. And if you are someone who keeps forgetting their usernames and passwords too, then this list is going to be a life saver. I mean you can always do the whole “Forgot password” shenanigan. But having this list is just so much more convenient.

This is especially important if you have like a hundred accounts on various platforms (bloggers will understand). I also like keeping all the affiliate codes handy with the usernames and passwords.

#8: Birthdays and Anniversaries list:

I can never remember people’s birthdays or anniversaries, not even to save my life but I hate the feeling of not wishing them too. So I keep a list and keep it in my journal/ daily planner.

And the best thing is that you have to make this list only once and then keep migrating it to your new planners through the years. you can simply keep adding birthdays and anniversaries if you make new friends that you want to wish.

If you too, are forgetful like me, you need this list.

#9: Meal ideas & recipes list:

Do you ever get tired of having the same 2-3 meals every now and then? Then this list will be helpful. I love having home cooked meals but sometimes we get on an autopilot mode and make the same things over and over again.

And although there is nothing wrong with that if you really love a particular dish, it often means that other things in your pantry get expired before you’ve had a chance to use them.

Also, if you have generally been wanting more variety, then make this list on a weekend and keep it with your recipe books. Make a meal ideas list and make sure you do so in different categories. I make 4 for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

I also keep a recipes list because I don’t want to jump on Pinterest when it’s dinner time and then spend hours deciding which recipe looks good and whether or not I have the ingredients to cook it.

Instead, I have a recipes folder where I keep the recipes that I have tried earlier and which were loved by my family. Then I usually meal plan in advance on a Sunday and do grocery shopping accordingly, so nothing goes to waste.

#10: Goals list:

Coming back to work things, I keep a goals list. I write my goals at the start of a new year and then divide them into smaller more actionable and achievable goals for the month and week.

Having your goals written down means you’re more likely to achieve them.A study showed that you’re 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down.

And having a goals list gives you direction ,so that you know that you’re putting in efforts to work towards your dream life. I also like dividing my goals into different categories like personal goals, work goals, financial goals and so on. make as many categories as you need.

RELATED: HOW TO SET SMART GOALS AND ACHIEVE THEM

#11: Movies to watch & Books to read list:

Do you ever spend hours thinking about a book that someone recommended a long time ago but you just can’t remember the name? Then you need a movies to watch and books to read list. I have a list of books that I want to read and I keep adding to this list. So whenever I am buying books, I can refer to this list and not have to try really hard to remember.

Same goes with movies or tv shows. Whenever someone tells me about a really good movie or a tv show, I jot it down in the list so that I can watch it later when I have the time.

#12: Restaurants/Cafes to try list:

Call me weird, but I do have a list of restaurants and cafes to try list. We live in Pune and there are so many good cafes and new ones keep popping up everyday. And instead of always going to the same ones, we like trying out new ones as well.

So I keep a list and whenever I come across a new cafe or someone tells me about it, I write it down, along with must-haves from that place. It is our weekly guilt pleasure, whenever we are in the city. Going out for a coffee and brunch date to a new cafe is our jam and having a list makes it so much easier.

I also have this list for other places that we go to often like Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Jaipur. You could also write places to stay at, experiences you want to try list etc.

#13: Daily at home Self care ideas list:

Self care is a priority for me and I make sure to take out time for myself almost everyday. I do not believe in working to the extent of burning out and then going to a fancy spa when you’re feeling burnt out. I like indulging in self care on the daily and give myself much needed TLC before I feel tired and exhausted.

It keeps me motivated and productive without feeling overwhelmed by the to-do lists because to get anything done, you need to take acre of yourself first.

And self care doesn’t always have to be expensive either. I mean it goes far beyond getting manis and pedis. So make a list of self care ideas you can indulge in, at home. These cost you next to nothing and have you feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

RELATED: 53 Free or Affordable Self care ideas for everyday

#14: Feel good list :

This list is exactly what the name suggests. It is a list of all the things that make you feel good. It could be music that makes you feel good, or activities that make you happy. And before you think “Oh but why do I need that list” , well, sometimes there are days when your life seems upside down. On these days, when you need extra TLC, this list comes in handy.

On my feel good list are songs, tv shows (particular episodes), Activities like walks in nature or specific easy nature trails close to my house, going for a long walk with my puppy, podcasts, my favourite recipes and so much more.

The idea is to have it all in one place so that you can easily refer to it whenever you feel like you need some extra love and self care or you just need to feel good and joyful after a tiring day.

#15: Life improvement list:

If you do not have a life improvement list, you’re missing out. Life improvement list is a complied list of things you want to try and hobbies you want to adopt that will improve your life. It is part of your life improvement plan and here is a detailed post on why you need a life improvement plan and how to make one.

To give you the gist, it is a list of all the hobbies you want to take up, the skills you want to learn, good habits you want to adopt and lifestyle changes you want to make. so let’s say, you want to become a planner person because you think it will improve your life, then that goes on the list. Of course you can’t do everything at once, so this list comes in handy when you’re looking for a new habit to adopt or a new skill to learn.

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And that’s it, 15 lists that will help you become a more organised person. So take out some time on the weekend and make these lists and put some of them in action. It is only when you see the benefits of list making, then you will be able to fully commit to it. Just give it a try.