How To with Haylee: Making Lists

Okay, confession time. I'm a compulsive list-maker. It's true. I make lists for just about everything (see examples below). Just ask anyone who's spent a day with me...they'll tell ya. Owen even makes fun of me because of it (he's a list-less kind of person). But personally, I think everyone should be a list-maker. I'm sure my habit has something to do with the people who raised me (yup, everything goes back to the parents). They make lists too.

My Dad writes his lists on sticky notes, or his hand. It depends on what's available, or how important the thing he's remembering is. My mom on the other hand uses "the burgundy book". It's really just a planner, that also happens to be burgundy, with refillable pages that she's had, well, probably forever. I'm pretty sure that it's at least as old as I am. (Leather can stand up to anything).

Anyway, back to the list thing. Like I said already, I have a list for everything. I have my

• menu-plan list (lately just a week at a time, but often a month or more in advance)
• general household maintenance list (aka - the weekly to-do's)
• daily to-do's (stuff that doesn't make the cut, or is too special, for the weekly list)
• grocery list
• Walmart/Target list
• CD inventory list
• stuff to eventually find at yard-sales list
• CD/movie wish list (just in case Owen anyone needs a quick, cheap gift idea)
• things to get for food storage
• and now I have a list of my lists

Here's the key to making good lists, especially to-do lists.

1. Find a topic/category that would be more organized by having a list.
2. Write down items within that category (such as everything you want to get done during the day)
3. If it is a to-do list, cross off tasks as you complete them. If it is a list for anything else, just tuck it away and add to it as needed.
4. For to-do lists, if you accomplish something that wasn't on your list, (even if it was just eating breakfast, taking a shower, or changing your baby's diaper) write it down and cross it off. This will make you feel like you're actually making progress.

Alright, now you know the rules, and you know what types of things you can make lists for. Now get to work; go make some lists!!