Back to school prep got you down?  Are there are too many items to buy, get organized, and have ready before school starts?!  Noticing the cold temperatures and remembering that the holidays are around the corner?  You are not alone, my friend.  Back to school and the beginning of the holiday season are times of stress for many people.  My secret weapon to school and holiday prep?  Making a list! 

Making a List — School and Holiday Prep Done Right

The school sent you a monster checklist of things to buy for each grade.  That first part is easy is accomplish.  You go through the list and check each item off: check, check, check.  Done.  Right?  Nope.  There is more, a lot more to getting things organized.

The abstract to-do tasks that still need to get done are worthy of joining the list but are harder to finish.  I know this sounds super basic, but trust me…   Literally break down your tasks or needs into the smallest components possible (reasonably) when making your list; it will save you time and energy.   By taking the guess-work out of the equation and writing it down, your mind is freed up for other tasks.  On days when life is busy and 1,001 things are happening at once, having a list of simple items (even if it is long in length) will be easier on the brain.

 

 

How Do You Like Your Lists To Function?

Next you need to think about how you like your lists to function in your life.  Techie folks who do nothing without a phone or computer in their hands will naturally gravitate to an Xcel file or Notes category for making their list.  Great!  You can even have little boxes for checking them off.  These files can be saved for next year, edited, and easily pulled for future use.

Traditional folks will likely prefer a paper-and-pen format:  on the back of an envelope (reduce, reuse, recycle), a sticky-note, or a beautiful notecard with the ink of your choice.  If you are not a journaling person, however, then carrying around anything paper will feel like a chore and not get used. 

Think about how you read a book.  Do you gravitate to digital content or towards a paper copy in your hands?  Choose what feels best for reading for making your list.

 

Getting Started With a List

First, it will only take 1-2 minutes to physically write the list but that time will be more than saved with having a list in place.  Not to mention the mental clarity and focus gained by having a clearly defined path for the needs of the day/week/month ahead.  This simplifying is what brings peace to my family and helps with our planning.

Yes, it is a bit of brainstorming, and sometimes the list gets rewritten for better clarity and grouping, but once you start writing lists, you will get better at them.  The easiest place to start in writing a list is with the biggest or most important task that must get done.  A hard deadline is easy to follow.  From that task or deadline, often there are other components or needs that go with it. 

 

 

Crossing Off Items from the List

There is pure joy in crossing off items on your list, and that in and of itself is further motivation for your forward progress.  As you go down the list, your slashes become more assertive and you feel a conquering power over the tasks:  slash, slash, slash!   Looking for a pat on the back?  Add things forgotten from the list (but accomplished) only to immediately cross them off.  This after-the-fact placing onto the list solely for the triumph of its removal is common in my family.  (See below!)

Making your life more simple is easy if you break it down into smaller pieces.  In doing so, the task is easier to handle.  And there are times when you will see that some tasks are really not important, and therefore are not “list worthy”.  If you cannot even bother to write it down, cross it off, then it no longer needs to clutter up your brain and that task falls by the wayside!  For important details and task, though, I encourage you to write them down to ensure they get done!

 

Examples of Lists for School and Holiday Prep

Example 1:  The kids have both grown 2 inches over this summer and nothing fits!  What to wear in school?  Start by making a list with the basic categories needed:  tops, bottoms, shoes, jacket, underwear.   That list might be all you need to get started.  Others may need to see the list spelled out:  long-sleeve shirts, short-sleeve shirts, sweat shirts, jeans, pants, skirts + tights, tennis shoes, formal shoes, casual shoes, light jacket, winter jacket, undies, bras.  

Example 2:  You volunteered to host the Halloween party.  Yeah!  What fun, but now what?!   Again, start by thinking of big pieces and breaking it down from there.  Food, decorations, music, costumes, tables and chairs.  Then, you can easily start to make a list with good details:  gelatin molded into brains, witch-finger cookies, bubbling kiddie cocktails, spider web cotton to string, dark or orange lights, several play lists or old CDs of spooky music, dance music with Halloween themes, and a group of people to contact for tables and chairs to borrow if needed.

Example 3:  Gift buying for the holidays.  You have many people to make gifts and shop for.  Where to start?  Again, begin with the bigger outlook… When is the first gathering?  Who will be attending that function?  List all of the people in that family or group, even if you the final gift is not individualized.  This practice helps to guide your focus.  Next, go to the following gathering… Repeat the process of WHEN is the party, WHO is going, WHAT am I going to bring.

You’ve done it!  Easy peasy.

 

Simple Life with Lists

The above list is a running one on our ‘fridge that shows projects to patiently waiting for love.  For clarity and honesty, this list started when we moved into our “new” house six years ago!  Hahaha!  That prime location in our kitchen helps to remind us of pending maybe-I-should-get-around-to-that items.  See which areas in your home work best for your lists to help them get done.

Using your lists more, you see they best suit your needs.  Do you prefer to have only master lists for major functions and events?  Just use a list before leaving for a vacation?  Or is a list a daily lifesaver?  Do they help laser in your focus each morning?  Think about how one can best be used with your life and your family, then put it into place. 

Simplify the day and your life will be easier!

 

Follow me for more tips on how to simplify your life, your recipes, and DIY projections at https://KLRestored.com !  Drop me a line and let me know how you best use your lists!