All About To-Do Lists: Finding a System That Works for You

By Mandi Ehman • March 14, 2009

source: Cellach

Chances are that if you’re a list maker, you’ve seen – and perhaps drooled over – dozens of different systems for creating your daily to-do list. From fancy Franklin Covey planners to PDAs to those systems tailored for moms and everything in between, there is definitely no lack of options to consider.

So how do you decide which system works best for you?

I’ve been working on describing the pros and cons of a few different systems for a few days now, and to be honest, I’m having trouble putting them into words (maybe because I prefer a system that starts with a blank sheet of paper, a few categories – such as Home, Blogging, Paperwork, etc. – and making my list there. Pretty simple, without many bells and whistles).

However, I know that some of you have much better systems, whether you use Tsh’s Daily Docket or some other system (ListPlanIt.com has some awesome to-do list printables!), so I’m hoping you’ll help me out here and share more about your system and what you love – or maybe don’t love – about it!

Can’t wait to read what you have to say!

Categories: To-Do Lists

About the Author

Mandi Ehman

Hi. My name is Mandi and I’m an organizing junkie. I’m also a wife, and Momma to four little girls (5, 3.5, 2 and a new baby!). I've worked at home since our oldest was a baby, and like a lot of other moms, my life is a constant balancing act of caring for my family and my home, meeting my obligations and finding time for hobbies in there somewhere. Oh, yeah, in the interest of full disclosure, I’m somewhat of a kitchen dunce and I only like to pretend that I’m crafty. Read more here!

5 Responses to “ All About To-Do Lists: Finding a System That Works for You ”

Avlor Mar 15th, 2009 at 6:04 am

I’ve been using Remember the Milk the last few years, because I don’t like writing recurring things and my handwriting is terrible. I whittle my list down to at most 10 things that day.

Avlor’s last blog post…Printing Hints and Tips

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Marci Mar 15th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

I keep a small pad of paper on my night stand to write a simple “must-do” to-do list for the next day right before I go to bed. Each Sunday, I write a general to-do list for the week on a paper with categories like to-do, to-call, to-buy… These lists go in my life management folder (for lack of a better name!). I try keep it simple.

Marci’s last blog post…Your house maybe clean, but is it healthy?

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robyn Mar 16th, 2009 at 9:03 am

i tend to be a simple list-maker myself. i have a spiral notebook (the kind you can get for like ten cents during “back to school sales”) that i just write everything down in. everything. yes, sometimes stuff gets written down three or four times, but i love looking back at all the pages of stuff that’s been crossed off.

and the bonus? if something’s been left ten pages back, it’s probably not that important at the end of the day. so i cross it off, and move it to the last page of the notebook. and i don’t usually ever miss it!

i’ve tried other systems, but always come back to spiral bound paper and a pen.

robyn’s last blog post…My New Toy

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Maggie Mar 17th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

Thanks for picking my picture to illustrate your blog, Mandi

I’ll be following this with interest – organising and decluttering are things dear to my heart!

Maggie’s last blog post…Foxy!

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Lori Mar 18th, 2009 at 12:04 pm

I finally came up with a system that worked for my home calendar/to-do’s and then I saw that Amy Knapp already beat me to it with her Family Organizer. https://www.familyorganizer.com/product.aspx?id=50

I like the Grocery list, long to-do section, and week @ a view all spreadh out together. I don’t do menu planning really so I use that section for other notes or reminders. The Grocery list/menu list are perforated so you can tear them and take them with you instead of the whole planner!

Lori’s last blog post…Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Crackers Guarantee

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