Help - How do I organise all my "lists"/book of lists?

[aprilshowerssoon]

Help - I have lists of "to - dos" - lots of them - possibly hundreds and notebooks full too and then tens of scraps of paper with bits on too. I have been looking at apps to see if there is anything that might help but I think I have decided that none are sophisticated enough for what I need. Has anyone got any ideas as to how I can sort and store this information in a slightly more methodical way? Thank very much.

[JontyDoggle37]

An excel spreadsheet with tabs for each area you want to cover

[spad]

Hundreds of lists can't be helpful.

If I was you I'd write a list of twenty things and pin it to the fridge. I'd then highlight the 'have to get done' jobs and the 'would be nice to get done' jobs.

Then throw all the other lists out. if this makes you feel insecure take photos of them first.

Then each day replace the fridge list with a new one.

[aprilshowerssoon]

I was thinking excel - then can be list for me urgent - list for me in next fortnight, month, 6 months etc , list for husband, house things to get done etc etc

and yes hundreds of lists are panicky and not helpful at all. :)

[aprilshowerssoon]

anyone have other ideas? How do you store the things you need doing short term/long term ideas? Thanks.

[LuckyLopez]

I use an app called wunderlist. Fellow obsessive list writer here...

[RoganJosh]

I would probably downgrade almost everything to a big 'stuff that doesn't need dealing with this month' and then have however many you need for more urgent things.

[DoreenLethal]

I use a notebook that I set up as a Bullet Journal. A very neat system for lists and notes and stuff.

[DoreenLethal]

bulletjournal.com

[aprilshowerssoon]

That bullet journal is fantastic. I just watched the 4 min video on it. I want something very similar to that but just electronic so that undone tasks on lists roll to the next list? I don't want to have to keep re-writing everything out. Does anyone know of such a thing? Thanks

[hippospot]

I have a small spiral-bound notebook, so that I can tear off and discard lists once they are completed.

Depends on the type of list though.

Mine is mainly for to-do lists (home admin) and shopping lists (I usually have three on the go - kids' stuff, food, my stuff). I also put meal plans in there.

I'm not a techie

[accessorizequeen]

You could take a look at Evernote. It's one of the best known information management tools out there. I like that I can clip photos and add a note or highlight something, add tags, move things between notebooks.

[hackneyLass]

Like LuckyLopez I use the app wunderlist for simple lists with items items that need no explanation, get added & quickly crossed off quickly: food shopping, books to get from the library, things to get from particular shops etc. I share most lists with DP.

And like accessorizequeen I use Evernote: it syncs immediately across all my devices, is easy to search, and organise into folders or with tags. I started using it to organise my work but find I am using it for everything: I scan most of my paperwork into it. You can get most of the functionality for free, a bit more (like being able to forward emails into it) for about £20/year or the full premium version for £35/year. It is good.

[aprilshowerssoon]

Thanks v much I am going to check out both those apps/programmes they sound like they may simplify a lot of my life! Thank you.

[pudseypie]

Check out Trello online. It's a website where you can set up to do lists, check them off so you can see what you've done, and add files if you need to. I use it for work and it's free.

[Allgunsblazing]

I use evernote. And an 18 months diary.
I split the to do between summer and winter.
House stuff/decorating/purchases etc always in the 'winter' (oct-april).
All other 'to do's in the 'summer'.
I also have a notebook. It's known as 'THE notebook'.
So, birthday parties, Christmas, Easter, holidays are organised in this notebook. Stuff like invites, menus, presents, wrapping paper, time scale etc, it's all in the notebook.
This year I haven't bought the christmas paper on sale, don't remember why. So I have booked a day annual leave in october (it's in the diary!) to go to Ikea for wrapping paper, table decorations, lights for the tree, boxes and plates/platters for food, napkins etc. i keep adding to the list to buy.
HTH

[accessorizequeen]

It's always interesting to see how other people organise themselves. I have a friend with The Notebook, but it wouldn't work for me. Dp uses Trello but it didn't quite do it for me. Paperless is a great alternative to Wunderlist for very simple lists too.

[aprilshowerssoon]

Does wunderlist work across different devices so could I have it on my iPad and my iPhone?

[aprilshowerssoon]

Allgunsblazing is your to do list in the Evernote it in your actual notebook? If it is in your notebook what do use the Evernote for?

[TeddyBear5]

Yes you have an account so wunderlist syncs across your devices.

[hackneyLass]

Allguns I love your summer & winter split.

April Evernote will. change. your. life. And usually I'm sceptical of magic bullet solutions. The last 3 notes I wrote were a holiday packing list; possible new beds with pictures & links; and all our next optician dates, with reminders. It's very versatile. I was slow to move away from paper till I realised I always have my phone on me, so it makes sense to access my many lists through it. Next challenge: how to get all these to dos done...

[Allgunsblazing]

april, I'm old . I need pen and paper. On a serious note, THE notebook is for brain storming. It's all random stuff that crosses my mind re: presents, stuff, bits. Then I retreat with the notebook and my phone and put it all in order, logically etc in the evernote. And ta-daah, I have a to do list.
hackney :), I grew up on a farm, it's nothing special. In the summer you're outside, in the winter inside. So, these days, in the summer is concerts and picnics and bbqs, outdoors sports etc.
in the winter I can sort out old bedding, decorate, paint furniture, whatever needs to be done around the house really.

[arnieschwartzsnogger]

Remember the Milk app/web

T'is rather brilliant...

[Rummikub]

I like the errands app. It's great for organising lists and reminders. And the full version is free.