The List Of Lists – My Most Useful Lists

Hello, my name is Lucy, and I’m a list lover. There’s nothing that can put my mind at ease as much as getting everything I’m frantically trying to remember, out on paper and in front of me. Making lists can help you organise your thoughts, transform them into actionable tasks, and work on whatever it is you need to do more productively.

I love keeping digital lists that I can use again and again, whenever I need them. My medium of choice is Google Keep, as it’s free, easily accessible, and part of a set of services I already use. I use Google Keep to organise all my random digital notes, my daily lists, but also any lists I only use occasionally. They’re all neatly archived under their respective categorical labels, so that I can access them when needed, but they don’t crowd my home page.

In this post I’m going to share my list of lists: my most useful lists, the ones I keep coming back to time and time again. Perhaps this inspires you to make your own key lists, streamline some processes in your life and spend less time remembering recurring tasks. I can only recommend giving it a go!

Goals & Resolutions

My list of goals for 2019, as well as the list of keywords I picked to set the mood for the year, are pinned to the top of my Google Keep homepage, front-and-center. Every time I open the website, my aspirations are right there and I’m reminded of them every single day. This has really helped me to keep working on them continuously and not let them silently slip my memory.

Travel Prep

I have a number of lists in the category of travel prep. Every type of trip I sometimes take has its own packing list; there’s one for weekend trips, sunny vacations, skiing vacations, camping/outdoor trips, and single-day hikes in cold weather.

Then there’s the list of things I need to do before I leave the house, such as: vacuum clean, put food in the freezer for the day we return, clean the rat cage & lay out all items for the rat sitter, turn off electronics, lock doors & windows, check in flights & print/download booking confirmations. Anything you really don’t want to forget to do before you leave, is on that list.

Video Making Checklist

I keep a list of everything I need to do in the process of video production: from coming up with the concept to hitting publish, and the promotion that comes after. I copy this list for every video that’s in the works and adapt it to that specific video. I’ll add any particular tasks that are unusual, or I’ll delete a few points if the video isn’t sponsored, for example. This helps make sure every video that goes live gets the best possible start I can offer it, and I don’t forget anything important in the process.

If your job involves processes you need to go through repeatedly, writing down all the (generic) steps in a list could be really helpful and relieve at least some of the mental burden you may experience.

Decluttering Checklist

Last year towards the end of the year, I did a decluttering challenge where I decluttered 30 categories of items around the house. I filmed the process and uploaded it in two videos.
I kept a list of the categories I decluttered then, added some categories I didn’t get to, and I now re-visit this list every once in a while. Decluttering is an ongoing process, so I like to go back to this list once a year. I’ll go through all my posessions again to asses whether everything I own still serves me, or would perhaps be a better fit for someone else.

Alternative Activities

In an attempt to curb my embarrassing cellphone/social media addiction and limit the time I spend watching Netflix, I’ve compiled a list of alternative activities for myself. These are all things I enjoy doing, that I can choose from when I have some spare time and don’t know what to do with myself. It’s all too easy to reach for a phone or remote at those times, but my life would be much more satisfying if I reached for my knitting needles, harp or books instead. This is another list I keep at the forefront of my Google Keep, so that I’m reminded of it frequently.

Running Low-Priority To-Do List

This is a list of all the things I should remember to do at some point. These items don’t require immediate attention, but it’d be nice if they get done when I get to them. Think of tasks such as: defrost freezer, print photo album, backup PC, sell old camera lense. Whenever I run into something I should do at some point but might forget about, I add it to this list. I like to go through the list and tick off some of the tasks on quiet weekends when I don’t have much going on.

Gift Ideas

Whenever one of my loved ones mentions they’d like to own something one day or expresses a need for something, I write it down in my gift ideas lists. Similarly, when I happen to run into the perfect gift for someone, I’ll write down the item and the place I saw it. I have a separate list for each person in my life, that I try to fill with gift ideas for them throughout the year. When the time comes to buy them a present, I have a few ideas ready.

Although, I have to be completely honest, this is all hypothetical. I’m not very perceptive this way and a self-proclaimed bad gift giver, and my lists are usually… very empty :) Still, the theory behind it is nice.

Shopping List

Robbert and I have a shared shopping list where we write down any food item that’s used up and needs to be repurchased. When the time comes to go grocery shopping, I come up with a menu and supplement the list with all the ingredients I need for the food we’re eating that week. I organise the list by the route I always take through the grocery store. This may be a bit next level, but it really helps optimize your shopping experience as you only have to go through the store once. If you always shop in the same place and know where everything is located within the store, give organising your shopping list this way a try. It saves a lot of time, not having to go back and forth to pick up forgotten items.

So there you have it: a list of my most useful lists. I love the structure, order and peace of mind that lists give me, and can only see myself using even more of them in the future.

What are some of your most useful lists? I’d love to know!