Today I would like to welcome Jennifer from List Plan It as guest poster of the day. If anybody knows lists, it’s Jennifer!
I have used lists all of my life, but in the past few years, my passion for lists has become even more pronounced. As a mother of 3 children and a business owner, I have discovered a multitude of ways that lists can make my life easier and more productive. Some lists need to be recreated each and every day, but some can simply be started and added to over a week, a month, a year, or a lifetime. Lists can be hung on the refrigerator, punched and placed into your own home binder, and/or distributed to the members of your family. Here are my favorite lists used for the different aspects of my life.
1. To Dos – I like a page that shows an entire week that I can write my tasks and goals for each day.
2. Meals – I use a Menu Planner to plan meals for my family for a pay period (2 weeks). From that, I create a shopping list based on those meals that I chose.
3. Blogging – I know not everyone is a blogger, but in my case, I cannot live without my list of Blog Post Ideas.
4. Gifts – I keep a running list of the gifts that I pick up for my children, husband, and others along the way. This prevents me from overspending for birthdays and Christmas and helps me remember what I already have.
5. Saturday Morning Chores – I keep a list of the chores that each member of my family is responsible for on the weekend. Then I just distribute their portion of the list and check in with them to make sure they are getting their tasks done.
6. Clothing Inventories – Every summer and winter, I break out the tubs of clothing that I am using to corral the clothes that I have purchased at the end of the last season. I have found that an inventory helps keep me in check. One year, I pulled out 18 pairs of shorts for my son for that season. They all had tags, and each tag said $2 or less, but it doesn’t really save me money if I go overboard like that. It was a good lesson to me.
7. Travel – I am a careful travel planner, particularly with young children. I like to know how we are getting somewhere, how long it will take, where we are staying, what we may be eating, and anything else that I can plan ahead of time. A Travel Itinerary with Travel Details is a must. Then, of course, there is the Packing List, which is an absolute necessity if you want to remember the formula, video camera, or the blankies.
8. Contacts – I keep a list of banks, teachers, restaurants, and my favorite service providers with a telephone number, address, and website information.
9. Birthday/Holidays – There is so much involved with special occasions. I keep track of it all by listing everything I can: cards, guests, food, crafts, etc.
10. Fun – I keep a list of the things there are to do in the area. I note the season for which the activity is most appropriate, hours of operation, and the cost. Then on the weekends when my family wants to do something, we refer to the list.
Jennifer Tankersley is the founder of www.ListPlanIt.com, which has hundreds of lists and planning pages organized into categories such as Business Planning, Contact Info, Family Matters, Financial Planning, Holidays & Occasions, Home Management, Meal Planning, Time Management, Student Planning, and Travel Planning, and is available for members to either print or download as often as you need for 1 year.
© 2010, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Love this post, Jennifer! You have the ability to get people excited about organizing. Thanks for creating such a valuable product for the world of busy moms! I can’t wait to work with you more in the future.
Keeping a blogging list is a great idea! I get ingenious ideas, and don’t want to write them all at once. When I’m ready to start blogging, I’ve lost my thoughts on what topic to write about. Eeek! Thanks for the great idea!
.-= Miel Abeille´s last blog ..Sunday Smiles May 16, 2010 =-.
Ooh, I really like #5! What a terrific idea.
.-= Gilliauna´s last blog ..Hand Knits an Handcrafted Jewelery =-.
I love lists. I have my monthly/weekly/bimonthly cleaning lists, my daily to-do list, and my reading list, and my meals for the week list, my weekly shopping list, my …
.-= Charlotte´s last blog ..That fickle thing called Memory =-.
Wow. I am totally inspired to be more organized! Great post.
.-= Brandie´s last blog ..Five Question Friday =-.
List lover here too and I have another thats not there: if not on the calendar- it doesn’t happen or we don’t to it.
.-= julie@my5monkeys´s last blog ..***** Winner of Lovin Scoopful Prize Pack =-.
Thanks! I’ll look into Macaroni Kid. I don’t believe I’ve ever visited that site.
.-= Jennifer Tankersley´s last blog ..the week ahead 5/17/2010 =-.
I am also a list LOVER!!! My recent love is the Sticky Notes feature on Windows 7. Every time I turn the computer I see some of my lists. =)
.-= CFMama´s last blog ..Great Strides 2010 (Paramus, NJ) =-.
LOVE the list of clothes idea. I have the same problem…too many of some things and not enough of others. Also…are you a Macaroni kid Publisher Mom? Your list of things to do in your area sounds a lot like a Macaroni kid Newlsetter. If you aren’t maybe you should look into it. =)
.-= MandyP´s last blog ..Mother Of The Year…Um, Hardly =-.