This is really simple, but incredibly useful.
Get a book or a journal, and make it into your “List Book”.
It’s a book where you just make lists.
Lists of what you have to get done for today, tomorrow, this week, whatever!
If you aren’t into PDAs or organizers, then this is a cheap and efficient way to keep track of what you need to get down. Just do a brain dump into the book, and create a list.
Cross off each item as you complete the task, and if you want to make a new list, then move the uncrossed items from the old list to the new ones.
I know you could use Google Docs, or Don’t Forget the Milk online or things on your computer to make a list, but it’s not portable or a hard copy. Those were my top two things for when I am imagining myself running around in a grocery store trying to remember what I need to buy to make tonight’s meal.
Now for notebooks.
May I suggest a Moleskine? I hear people are enamoured with it! Makes me almost want one. Then I realize I have an electronic PDA…
Or you can go the Etsy route too, for something cute, if you don’t want a boring Five Star spiral binder.
Red Otter – Gilded Robin’s Egg Journal – $18.50
Red Otter – Cherry Caliope – $18.50
Bombus – Atlas Notebook – $29
See Jane Work is another option.
Moyka Turquoise Composition Book – $12
Duet Jounal Set – $10
- How do you organize your day?
- 10 Tips to Keep your Office/Work Area Neat
- It’s TCB time! (Taking care of business)
- Paper Reducing Strategies
- Organized: How to keep your taxes clean and simple
Make Do Style
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 7:25 AM:
I don’t know what I’d do without my list or moleskin – truly it is the mother of notebooks!
K.Rae
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 7:52 AM:
I started doing this my freshman year, and it’s since morphed into a homemade daily planner of sorts, including a page each week for menu planning and a grocery/shopping list.
I’ve been thinking about scanning in some pages and blogging about it. It’s always interesting seeing how people keep themselves organized.
Rylee's Auntie
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 9:26 AM:
I have had a list book for years. I am completely lost without it. The current one is just a little spiral bound notebook with a cook black and white photo of the Eiffel Tower on it.
paradigmshifted
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 11:51 AM:
yay, i love my list book. i feel so old school.
C - The Asian Pear
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 12:48 PM:
I do this too! I buy cute notebooks wherever I see them and load up if they’re on sale.
Indigo-Chapters usually sells nice ones for a decent price when they’re placed in the ON SALE racks too.
Unfortunately, now I’ve got more notebooks than I can use. It’s become a small GROWING collection in my closet. Heh.
Full o' Debt
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 12:49 PM:
I highly recommend the Moleskine. I *heart* mine so much that I use both the notebook and the weekly agenda. One of the best things about it is the little pocket at the back (where I keep my stamps and a few other little scraps of paper)
Little Fish
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 1:46 PM:
Love this idea!
Mezamashii
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 2:00 PM:
Beautiful books- thanks for the suggestion!
Revanche
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 3:15 PM:
I actually prefer to use plain, small sized, books so that I don’t feel compelled to keep each one when I’m done with it. I’m bad enough with not being able to discard planners when I’m done with them, I still have one from 2004!
And it’s more of a brainstorming book that I use to rehash my finances constantly, and to take notes in occasionally.
Very handy!!
born socialite
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 4:52 PM:
i use a list book. usually, i just scribble things down in it so fast that only i can decipher what i wrote.
i also use my moleskin as my “look book,” totally love it, i take it practically everywhere.
Feli
on Jan 27th, 2009
@ 11:09 PM:
I have my PDA and my moleskine. I cannot live without either. My bestie introduced me to Moleskine 2 years ago and now I am hooked.
marisol
on Jan 30th, 2009
@ 12:37 AM:
I consider myself a total techie but I also have a moleskine notebook where I write random things. Love the new layout!
joyful
on Jan 12th, 2010
@ 8:59 AM:
I just came across your blog today and am very impressed by your efforts to get out of debt, declutter and everything else! I think the journalling books in this post are lovely but most of them I've seen at a local discount/dollar type store for $1.00 or $1.99 each….in case folks really want to save on their notebook purchases.