Top 3 lists to get things done!

Lists.  I love lists. There are some things I do that just can’t be done without lists.

I’m going to share with you 3 lists that will change your life. They will save you money, “add” more time to your day, and help you to feel more in control of your busy life.

To do lists

Level: EASY

Supplies Needed: Pen and paper (I use a 19 ¢ spiral notebook from Walmart)

Yes, the basic to-do list. Sounds simple and easy enough, right?

Right! They are simple and very easy!

1. Label your list.  Put a big fat TO DO at the top of your paper.
2. Think about what you need to accomplish today.  Do you need to clean your bathroom? Wash & dry laundry? Cook dinner? Call your Mom? Write everything down, even the smallest thing can seem like an accomplishment if you’re able to mark it off your list.
3. Post your list with a pen where it’s easy to see, such as the refrigerator, counter, or kitchen table.  Mark off your list as you go.  Seeing your list get smaller will make it go by faster somehow.

Some tips and ideas:

• It’s okay to write “take a shower and get dresses” on your list. Sometimes that’s even an accomplishment, especially if you have young kids.
• I put little things on my list such as “make tea” and “Text friend to say hi”‘so I don’t forget.
• You don’t have to finish everything on your list. Even if you cross just 1 thing off your list, that’s more than nothing! Don’t feel bad if you don’t finish everything.  Life happens.  You might have “wash clothes” on your list and your washer might break. Or you may have “mop floors” on your lists and unexpected guests come over.  That’s life.  Embrace it. Love it.  Let it Happen.

Meal List/Grocery List

Level: HARD

Supplies Needed:  Pen, paper, cook books/All Recipes.

I’m going to combine the Meal and Grocery lists together because they go hand and hand.  I rated this list as “Hard” due to the fact that it takes so much time and planning.

1.  Gather your cook books and/or recipe website you’d like to use. Label one piece of paper Meal List and another piece Grocery List.  Your meal list is going to be the meals you are going to cook for the week, two weeks, month, or whatever. Your grocery list is all of the food you will need to buy in order to cook the food on your Meal List as well as other items you buy regularly such as toothpaste, toilet paper, etc.
2. Look through your recipes and find as many as you’ll need to get you through to the next shopping trip.  My Meal List has 14 dinners, and about 7 lunches (dinners double as lunches most days.  You gotta love left overs!) as well as the staples I buy regularly. You might like to include lunch and breakfast as well.  You will write your meal on your Meal List and the food you need to buy to make it on the Grocery List.

Example:

      3.  Continue this way until you finish all meals needed for that shopping trip.  Some items you won’t need to add to the list every time such as seasonings, spices, condiments, etc.

4.  Add Other things you need.  Are you out of sugar? Do you need more coffee? How are you doing on cereal? Check your non-food items as well.  Do you need toilet paper this trip? Running low on shampoo or body wash? Do you need some extra toothbrushes?  Add all of these to your list also.

5. Double check your list.  It’s terrible to come home from the grocery store and realize you’ve forgotten sour cream for the Tacos you’re making that night or Ice for the ice tea you’re making.  I still do that, even with a list.  I imagine it would be a lot worse if I didn’t even have these lists.

6. Post your meal list somewhere it won’t get lost or thrown away.  Now look here for the meals you’ve planned.  You can meal plan and put your meals under a certain day, but I don’t.  I just leave them all up there as a list and choose or have someone else choose what we’ll eat for dinner that night.  Some meals I do choose for certain days, such as grilling out when my husband is off work and crock pot meals for Sunday since we’ve got the meetings (Church).  Now that you’ve got your grocery list you can confidently go to the grocery store knowing exactly what you need and save money in the process!

7. Relax, your meals and shopping are taken care of.  You’ve saved money.  You’re feeding your family healthy meals.  And no more running to the store for Dinner last minute!  An hour every 2 weeks really can make a difference!

     What kind of lists do you make? Are you a meal planner or do you just “wing it”?