I am a list maker. It’s the only way I can remember to get anything done. If you tell me something and you don’t see me write it down or make a note in my phone, then it’s not happening. Sometimes on my To-Do List is a note about making a new list. Once one list gets all scribbled over, it’s time to rewrite and revise the list.

I use four main things for my list writing:

My phone notes, a big calendar, lined sticky notes and any scrap paper I can get my hands on. I’ll share my favorite list making tools and I’d love to hear about your favorite organizational tools as well.

1) My phone notes: This is where I store all my notes for when I don’t have a list handy to write on. It’s my list on-the-go. I often talk-text these notes and then have a hard time deciphering them later. I also have to remind myself to actually go back and look at these notes regularly because sometimes I’ll find them months later. Phone notes are later converted to notes on paper.

2) Lined Sticky Notes: I use these lined sticky notes for when something needs to be IN MY FACE so I won’t forget. My computer screen is decorated with sticky notes all around the perimeter like a unique ever-changing frame. Sometimes my lists have sticky note lists stuck to it.

3) A Big Calendar: I love this giant desk calendar with lined dates. After trying a bunch of different planners and even a big wall calendar, this desk calendar has become my favorite thing. It has extra space for the monthly to-do list and then each day can be planned in advance. And it’s big enough that I can actually read what I wrote.

4) All the Paper: I use up all the random paper in the house for my main notes. If there isn’t a notebook available, then I just put blank printer paper on a clipboard. If I’m feeling really organizational, I’ll print out little checklist type thing from a template. I currently have two clipboard lists going and keep one upstairs and one downstairs so I will always have one near me to jot down things I need to remember. My husband makes fun of me putting things like “shower” and “eat lunch” on my daily list, but if it takes up time to do, then it goes on the list!

For me, list making is a type of self-soothing. Maybe things are crazy (they’re always crazy), maybe I feel like I can’t figure out how to get everything done, and maybe there aren’t enough hours in the day to even get through my list and I have to carry it over to the next day, but in the end, at least I can make a list and feel like I accomplished something every time I cross an item off the list.

Well that’s it. I guess I can cross “Write blog post” off the list now! So how do you keep organized?