Monday 26 April 2021

Mundane Monday, April 26, 2021- Lists

As I am sitting here, typing up this post on a chilly April morning, there are no less than four lists in close proximity. One of those lists is so long, it spans from one side of a folded 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper to the other, and then there is a separate list on the inside. One heading says, "To Do Tomorrow". Of course, I wrote that probably three weeks ago, so it's not really a tomorrow list. I have crossed those items off regardless. 



I make a list for grocery shopping - always. I start it a couple of days ahead, and leave it out so that other family members can add to it, if they have a request or if they've realized we are out of something. I categorize my grocery list with little headings: produce, bakery, deli, meat, can/box, dairy/frozen. 

I have always been a list maker, especially in my profession. If something didn't get written down, it likely got forgotten and with my work taking me in many different directions (subjects), I needed to be organized. I had class lists, parent e-mail lists, deadline lists, and lists of things I wanted to accomplish. 

Husband has lists. He has headings such as "Indoor", "Outdoor", "Personal" for his various tasks and things he needs to finish. 

Mother-in-law always kept a calendar sitting beside her chair in the livingroom on which she wrote EVERYTHING. It was her version of a list, but now I realize it was probably also a coping mechanism for her progressing dementia. 

I feel great satisfaction being able to cross items off lists. Sometimes I will write something down that I've already done, just so I can cross it off and feel that I've accomplished something.

Lists at home always go on scrap paper. I have a large (but nice looking) container on top of the computer desk filled with old hand-outs that didn't get used at school. So I might have a grocery list that has animals of the rainforest on the other side of the paper. My mother used old envelopes for some of her lists. 

What do "the young people" do now? Do they make lists, or do they keep all of their thoughts on a file in the cloud somewhere? 

Since it's been a while since I've posted a Mundane Monday, I'm looking forward to reading your comments and contributions to the mundane topic of list making! 

74 comments:

  1. As I started reading this I was adding an item to my grocery list - on my phone app "Out of Milk".

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  2. Good morning!
    I am also a list keeper but I have learned to make my lists in chunks instead of one running list of to do's because then it overwhelms me but I make just about the same lists you do. I think if I didn't I'd forget everything and even though I don't work I've had a planner for over 35 years because it's like my brain and without I have no clue whats happening...

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  3. I'm a list maker too. For household chores, I add them to the list WHEN COMPLETED. It helps me realize my day hasn't been wasted.

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  4. I also make lists. However, I also lose my lists. Somehow, if I touch something, it gets lost. There is no list to correct that. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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    1. Ha, you need to make a list of where you put your lists!

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  5. My grocery list is now handled through my Google mini - I can pull the app up on my phone in store and check items off as I find them. I use Flipp as well, which creates a list of things that are on sale that I'll check for too. If I could just figure out how to merge the two.

    Like Karen, my household chores get listed as I complete them. I keep a calendar on the fridge for that. On that calendar I have kept track of where I've been as well on my grocery shopping day - just in case I ever needed to provide the information for contact tracing.

    You definitely use lists more than I do. My compulsion is spreadsheets, not only for budgeting and keeping track of other financial information but for vacation planning (or at least I used to) and tracking residential properties for sale (in case I ever do sell this house).

    Enjoy your Monday!

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    1. Calendar on the fridge... our whole life used to be on our fridge, but then when we finally renovated the kitchen and I got a brand new fridge, I vowed I would not put anything else on the fridge.

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  6. We have a whiteboard in the kitchen. F tried a digital version and simply didn't get on with it. Wiping stuff off the whiteboard seems to be more satisfying.

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    1. Wiping something off a white board - as satisfying as drawing a line through something on your list on paper.

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  7. I am not a list person. Lists scare me that they will take over and become my master.

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  8. I am definitely a list maker and heaven forbid I forget the grocery one.
    I also have an ongoing to do list, many things I do not get around to as soon as I would like.
    I'm sure others use their phones but I have yet to master that.

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    1. I did try an app on my phone, but for me it's quicker to just write it down on paper. I think I only had it for about three weeks, then I got rid of it.

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  9. How can one function without lists?? Definitely a list maker here. My problem is I don't write down what I consider to be the mundane things I do every day so sometimes I end the day with nothing crossed off The List but find I've 'bout worked my tail off all day long doing all those things that must be done to keep things functioning around here. Actually, one evening recently I was replying to a friend's e-mail who had ended her note to me asking what I had done that day. I was going to say I didn't get diddly-sqwat done but when I took the time to think back and list what I had done (none of it on The List), she wrote back something to the effect that just reading what I did in the day's time exhausted her. So maybe your readers who have said they write down what they DID do of a day would be a more positive way for me to realize what I do get done! ;o)

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    1. I highly doubt you've ever had a "diddly-squat" day!! You're a busy lady.

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  10. I keep a pad on the frig and when we open up something new such as ketchup etc we write it on the list so I try never to run out of something. I hate the little trips to the store a time waster. Other than that I am not much for list unless we are hosting something which we have not done in forever.
    Cathy

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    1. We don't live in town, so my groceries get done once a week (which is why a list is so important) - no little trips for me.

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  11. I make lists for everything - groceries, stuff to do in the week, sewing projects, books to read, books I have read.

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  12. I make lists for everything - groceries, stuff to do in the week, sewing projects, books to read, books I have read.

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  13. I make lists, always have. Now as they years are going by I need them lol.

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    1. I think they are helpful because they get it out of your head - you don't have to keep thinking about it.

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  14. I have 2 lists, one for groceries and the second for projects. The calendar keeps track of appointments.

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  15. I use to be able to do things without a list but not anymore. I have to have everything written down to remember. I am only 63 but remember crap lately is not happening so list making for me too. I am not one of those savvy peeps that can put things in their smart phone. I still have to have the old fashion write on calendar and list paper! Happy Monday. Have a great week. xoxo

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  16. I have a magnetic list pad attached to the fridge for our regular food shopping. Then I have a personal 'to do' and project list in my notebook. I just get great satisfaction from putting a big tick through things that are completed. I don't keep lists in my head, I like to keep my mind free for others things! (My husband has everything on his 'phone, far more tech savvy than me.)

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  17. I always make a grocery list too. My "to do" list is usually just kept in my head, so I can conveniently forget my plans to do this or that. It something MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN, I do write it down, lol.

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    1. Oh, good for you still being able to keep it all in your head!

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  18. My daily lists are on my iPhone and I do X them out when done. Lots of time I have to move them to the next day... and so on. But mostly they get done. As for grocery lists, we have come to love online shopping and curb-side pickup. Now the grocery has a list of what we almost always order, so all I have to do is add or subtract from that. Love it!

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    1. Oh, I'm not enamored with online grocery shopping, but I'm glad it works well for you. And look at you, all iPhone listing!!

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    2. I never was either until this pandemic. And some stores are better than others, but Central Market (which is kind of an HEB WholeFoods store) people are so good about doing your personal shopping... even ask if there's anything you forgot when they bring it out.

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  19. This made me smile because I am also a list-maker and often write down something I have already done so that I can cross it off. It might sound daft but to those of us who do it it is a logical thing to do isn't it?

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  20. I keep a grocery list, a movies/shows to watch list, hardware/garden list and a liquor store list all on my iphone. It takes 30 - 45 minutes (unless I plan a Sam's Club run ....65 minutes) to get to the store so I like to have it all written down so I don't have to go back.

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  21. Only use a list for when I am going grocery shopping. The list starts the same day as my last shop - for the things I forgot to buy! Then gets added to all week as I run out of things.

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  22. List maker here, and yes, if something is not on the weekly list, and I managed to do it...well, it goes on the list and gets crossed off. I find it really easy to use pen and paper instead of the phone. Old school I guess!

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  23. Inveterate list maker here. I keep a soft-bound book (5.5"x8") where, each month, I add a two page list of the days of the month and list any significant events (using colour-coded pens...red for medical appts, blue for family events, etc.). The following pages after each month are where I keep a list of all the things to be done or purchased (grocery list is separate). Put a lined space beside each item and mark off as done. At the end of each month, I move on to the next open pages and start the next one. That way, if I didn't finish something in previous month(s), it can be moved forward to the next (or not). Basically a gentle version of a bullet journal. Before I retired, I used a more intense version of bullet journaling for work. For larger jobs with many moving parts, like some current house remodeling, I keep spreadsheets with multiple tabs--a holdover from my years of handling multi-million dollar budgets. :)

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    1. You are an organizational queen!! I used to colour code things at work, too.

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  24. I have always been a list maker - both professionally and personally. I actually bought a second "day-timer" this year as the first didn't have enough space for daily lists and notes (I hate not being able to actually see things - ordering online has lead to more than one disappointment).

    However, I don't do a full grocery list - I make note of an item if I am totally out or it's an item that I need for something specific reason. I keep a well stocked pantry and actually like going up and down the grocery aisles. The one grocery related list I do keep is for my PCoptimum points!

    And yes, I much prefer pen & paper - online lists just don't seem real.

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    1. I also enjoy a well-stocked pantry. It's sort of like the pioneer woman comes out and I feel comforted when I know I have choices and enough to last for a while. I also make little notes on my grocery list for items that give me PC points.

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  25. Like you I start my weekly shopping list a few days before so that it can be added to. In the past as we were in catering we shopped daily so a list is essential when shopping weekly. I also use a slim hanging calendar for appointments and birthdays and tick the days off each morning. This is so I can see at a glance what day and date is but doing it first thing seems less pessimistic as I don't want it to feel like ticking my life away. Small jobs to do each day I have as a mental list and they may be things like write a blog post, ironing, cleaning the chicken dishes etc. I like to tick off a couple of jobs a day in my head. I think lists of some sort are essential.

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    1. I agree that the menial daily stuff doesn't go on a list. My to-do list is for things that are a one-time thing or something out of the ordinary. Vet, for example, which is something I must take care of soon!

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  26. Grocery lists, to-do lists, what's in the freezer lists...How does one function without them? I made a list last fall of all the spring garden things I wanted to do, with rough dates of when to do them, like the order of planting seeds inside... It has been very helpful at keeping me reined in, particularly the dates to keep me from planting my indoor seeds too soon!!

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    1. I have also made a "what's in the freezer" list so I don't keep buying more chicken thighs on sale! I think I could have used your seed planting date as I'm pretty sure I planted mine too early.

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  27. I have to add my two cents to this. I love lists though that doesn't mean necessarily that I will remember to read them. I often manage to go grocery shopping without my list. Thats a damn nuisance. I often come across lists days or weeks later and check to see what I've done or not done. Better later than never

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    1. Two cent comments are always welcome! I don't usually forget my grocery list, but the odd time that I do, I feel useless without it.

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  28. I make a grocery list and cross off as I go through the store each week. I keep a list of Netflix recommendations on the blogs I read. Same with book recommendations, I make a list of the books that sound interesting to me when described on blogs and then I check my library to see if I can get them.
    Sometimes I list the things I need to do in a day, but mostly I do that to make me feel productive. I can waste a lot of time!

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    1. You reminded me, I also have a list of authors / books that I've jotted down, usually recommended on blogs.

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  29. I made more lists when I was working and right after I retired than I do now, but when there are a lot of things on the plate (especially now that someone other than Rick and I can come into the house) the list is essential.And I always keep a running grocery list on the fridge. You never remember that you wanted or needed something when you are almost out or have been for a bit but not needed it. And then you do!

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  30. I also make many lists on paper. Little sticky notes and all other types of paper.

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    1. LOTS of sticky notes when I was teaching. Various sizes, they were life savers for me, helping to keep me organized and on track.

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  31. I am a list maker & I come from a long line of list makers. I also make grocery lists even though I'm doing it all online & there's now a feature that allows me to make the list online & then transfer it over to the order. Gotta love that technology ...

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    1. Sounds like a lot of people embraced the online grocery ordering.

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  32. I always make a grocrey shopping list and always forget it on ths kitchen counter.🙄

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  33. Our school does not allow technology, so the students do make lists. But I worked with much younger people who did do everything through programs like Slack, mainly using their phones and their laptops. I don't think that even desktop computers are very common anymore. I like physical lists because they serve as a memento of what was done, and sometimes as a guide for what to do when a similar project comes up.

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    1. It's just what they are used to. My son and daughter conduct their lives via their phones.

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  34. I love lists. My grocery lists are done in order of where things are in the particular store I shop. My to-do lists are endless.

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    1. Yes, I do that too - putting the categories into the order they come in the store.

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  35. I am a big time list maker! I use a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of notebook paper or yellow legal paper folded in half. Both sides are usually filled up. I start new lists every week or so and add items not marked off the old lists. I keep the old lists. It's fun to cross items off the new lists and all the old lists too. Like you, sometimes I add something I've done to the list so I can cross it off. I could probably get one of the jobs on the list finished while I'm fiddling around with my lists. :) I enjoy your Mundane Monday posts.

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    1. Thanks, I'd kind of gotten away from the Mundane Monday posts, but I'm glad to have restarted. I seem to get lots of comments, and sometimes from new people! (True what you said about being able to accomplish something while you are doing your list making!)

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  36. I am a big list maker, too, like you I will write sometime I have already done just so I can mark it off. Loved this post, thank you or sharing.
    Have a great week.
    Sue

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  37. What perfect timing! I just came across this post and was reminded of just yesterday as I watched my wife excitedly erase several items on the super-sized white board on our kitchen wall. You see, she, too is a list maker. She has her weekly task lists, the ongoing grocery lists, etc., and keeps a running to-do or honey-do list for me, including things inside, outside and around the house I'm responsible for. I'm a lifelong procrastinator, so when I do manage to complete my "assigned" tasks she gets excited and can't wait to make the list shorter. Of course, she always adds to it, too. Enjoy your Sunday.

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  38. I too enjoy lists. Especially for projects. Since my husband retired and took over cooking duties he has learned the importance of the grocery list.

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  39. I always make a list when I go grocery shopping and cross off items when I pick them up. I've learned from past shopping trips that unless I do this, I'm going to forget something! And, from time to time, I make lists for things I need to do. If I don't make a list, it's because I'm procrastinating on something and don't want to be reminded about it! HAHA

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  40. Yes, I wonder what young people do now, apps reminding them of things on their smart phones perhaps? I like lists and used them all the time when at work now I'm retired I still make shopping lists, lists of what to take on holidays and journeys always useful to cross things off as things go into the car:)

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