The Homemaker’s List of Lists

Darren’s current group writing project at Problogger is all about lists. I enjoyed the last time I joined, so I thought about what type of list I could write that is relevant to homemakers. So many possibilities came to mind, that I realized that lists are my daily companion! They’re on my mind, in my planner, on the kitchen counter, on my refrigerator. My life as a homemaker is organized in lists.

So, here is a tribute to those useful little tools that make family life easier, the Homemaker’s List of Lists:

* Grocery list – You may have a weekly grocery list that you make-up from scratch. Or maybe you have one on your computer that you print out and check off. Do you have it in your wallet, or is it posted on the refrigerator so family members can add to it? Whatever it is, a grocery list is essential to make sure nothing’s forgotten, and to cut down on impulse buying.

* General to-do list – Ah, the running tally of things to do. Laundry goes on here. And sweeping, vacuuming, laundry, putting away stray toys, cleaning the refrigerator, laundry, and so on. If you go by the 7 Habits philosophy, this long list will be broken down into smaller ones, which are the next two items on this list of lists.

* Weekly to-do list – These are for the once-a-week or once-a-month things that need to be done. Buying groceries goes here. It may not matter what day of the week they get done. A trick is to spread them out through the week, so you always have something to tackle daily. Also, all errands other than groceries are best scheduled on a single day. These include picking up prescriptions, mailing letters, returning library books, short trips to the mall, etc.

* Daily to-do list – Laundry always appears on this list somehow. I make use of my daily to-do list to breakdown the weekly tasks.

* Yardwork list – Mowing, weeding, planting, pruning, fertilizing, etc. etc. Some people make this a yearly list, scheduled at the appropriate month or season.

* List of people to call – Some of this may appear on your daily or weekly lists. It’s important to keep in touch with family and friends so this is a reminder to all of us to keep at least a mental list of people to contact.

* Mend and sew list – I confess that this is my list that never gets crossed off. I always have mending that needs to be done. It’s the one sure way that I know my kids have outgrown their footed pajamas… when I see a toe peeking out!

* List of items to stock in the diaper bag – This is for moms and dads with little ones. I keep this as a mental list. After months of packing diaper bags, you just memorize the necessities eventually.

* List of questions to ask the pediatrician at the next visit – I keep this list in my planner, written down on the day of the doctor’s appointment.

* Birthday list – I’ve seen a really cool Rolodex birthday list made by a scrapbooker. You may or may not have one of these as a list by itself. But it’s there, in your planner, in your mind.

* List of bills to pay – A monthly affair in my house. Even if you use online bill payment, the list still needs to be checked that payment has gone through, no?

* List of mommy (or daddy) blogs to read – Just to remind us homemakers with kids that we are not alone!

* Babysitters list – Another helpful reference for those with kids.

* List of school supplies to buy – This is among the important lists at this time of year, in the U.S., at least. If your kids don’t have theirs yet, better get started!

* List of tools to help get organized – To start off, how about a list of 25 online to-do lists?

This is just a sampling of the lists that are so much a part of a homemaker’s daily life. Do you have another list that you always refer to?

Tags: lists, to-do, grocery list, homemaking