I love making lists… so naturally, I made a list of lists to make! Whether you like to stay organized with to do lists, or you just like scribbling down fun lists when you’re bored, this ultimate list of lists to make will have you inspired to reach for your favorite pen!
I am a list making fanatic!
On any given evening, you can find me sitting at my desk making my favorite type of list – a to do list for the following day.
But I love to make all types of lists. In fact, pinned to my bulletin board currently are lists for blog post ideas, groceries to buy, and emails to send out. And of course, my daily to do list.
Maybe it’s the feeling of being able to check things off of my paper lists that motivates me, or maybe I make lists out of sheer necessity, because I’m just so busy!
But whatever the case may be, I find that lists help me to stay on top of things and be more productive with the limited time that I do have.
If you feel overwhelmed by your daily schedule, the household chores that are piling up, or all of the things that you’re trying to remember to do, then maybe you should try making lists! Here’s a bunch of ideas for lists to make and how writing out lists can benefit you:
Why I Love Making Lists:
So why should you make lists, besides of course to help remember things? Here are some of the benefits of list making:
Lists help prioritize your time
Let’s face it… we all have a limited amount of time. So it’s important to use the time that we do have wisely.
Making to do lists is the best way that I have found to create a solid plan for my time, so that I spend less of it wondering what to do next. And even “fun lists” can save you time… Just think about how many hours you’ve wasted trying to figure out what to watch on Netflix. Hmm… maybe you should make a helpful list for that!
Lists help you not forget
Raise your hand if you feel like your mind is constantly going 100 miles an hour, trying to remember everything that you have to do for the day or things that you can’t forget to buy at the grocery store.
Simple lists are a great way to keep track of everything so that important events, appointments, or to-do’s don’t get forgotten. Making lists gives your brain a break – and these free printable brain dump worksheets are great for that also!
Lists help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed
According to Psychology Today, making lists can help you feel “pro-active, grounded, calm and clear”, and it can also reduce anxiety. Channeling the flood of information in your mind (like upcoming work assignments, errands to run, and the areas of your home that need to be cleaned) into lists can help you feel more organized and better able to tackle everything that you must do.
*And be sure to check out my free printable to do lists at the end of this post!
118 Lists Ideas for When You’re Bored
Without further ado, here are some of the best lists to help you organize your life, be more productive, or beat the feelings of boredom:
My Top 5 Favorite Lists to Make
If I could ONLY pick 5 lists to make, these would make the cut. These are the lists that I personally use that I couldn’t live without:
- List of goals for each month
- Passwords list – I’ve got an awesome free printable password tracker you can use here!
- Shopping list – You can break your shopping list up by store, day of the week, etc.
- Income, expenses, and daily spending list – This is how I keep track of every single penny that my family spends and earns, so that I can see where our money is going and how much we are saving each month. I actually use this Budget Spreadsheet to list every single financial transaction that we have, organized by month. It has been a GAME CHANGER for our finances!
- Weekly to-do list – This is the weekly to do list template that I use to plan my entire week, complete with a main goal and the top 3 things that I want to get done each day! Getting everything on the list done gives me a huge sense of accomplishment.
To-Do Lists to Help You Be More Productive
- Master to do list – Think of a master to do list as a giant running list of things to do, from cleaning tasks to errands to phone calls to make.
- Things you need to get done each day – I like to make a daily to-do list at the end of every weekday, so I don’t waste time the next day wondering what to do next.
- List of weekly priorities – Make a list of things that you absolutely MUST get done each week.
- Errands for the week – Write down a list of places you must go each week (dry cleaners, bank, post office, etc).
- Brain dump lists – You can find out how to do a brain dump and grab these free printable brain dump worksheets here!
- Work-related tasks to do – This might include work emails to send, specific work-related tasks to be completed for the week, etc.
- Procrastination list – Write a list of all of the things that you’ve been putting off, and commit to getting one of the things done each day or each week.
- Morning routine list
- Evening routine list
- Calls to make
- Emails to send
- Honey-do list – List of things for your husband to do.
Important Dates and Reminder Lists
- List of family and friends’ birthdays
- List of important dates organized by month – anniversaries, important school events, etc
- List of things to do on the first day of every month – I’ve got some awesome ideas for things to add to your monthly to do list plus free printable templates here!
- “The last time I …” lists – Last time I changed the air filters, changed toothbrush heads, changed the sheets, dates of last period, etc.
- Packages that are due to be delivered – Since we order so many things online (from a random kitchen utensil to summer reading books for my daughter), I never know which days to expect a package. I like to make a list of the expected delivery dates so I know when to make sure our dog is inside the house.
- Parties and social events – Keep track of RSVPs to send and important details of social events such as time, location, attire, and where the guest of honor is registered.
- Lists of professional contacts – Either for work or home-related professionals like your pest control company, your HVAC repair man, etc.
Lists to Make to Organize Your Finances
- Financial accounts list – Write down a list of bank account and investment account numbers, as well as usernames and passwords for online access… and be sure to keep the list in a safe place!
- List of all of your monthly bills and when each is due – I’ve got an awesome free printable bill tracker you can use here!
- List of financial goals
- List of daily transactions
- List of spending categories for you budget
- Contributions to your savings account – Get motivated to reach your savings goal!
- Charitable contributions or donations made – You’ll be glad that you kept track of these when tax time comes around!
- Work-related expenses – So that you can easily find deductions for your tax return!
- List of things you can do to save money
Medical and Health Related Lists to Make
- Emergency contacts list
- List of medical appointments – Be sure to include specific details about each visit like the doctor’s name, date of the appointment, reason for the appointment, things discussed, etc.
- List of medications for each of your family members
- List of foods and calories consumed each day – I have done this in the past to lose weight, and you would be amazed at how much better your diet is when you have to actually write down what you eat.
- List of your health goals
- List of affirmations
- Sleep tracker list – Running list of the times that you go to bed and when you wake up with total sleep times for each night.
- List of favorite healthy snacks and meals
- List of healthy habits that you want to work on – These could include drinking 8 glasses of water per day, walking around your neighborhood each night, getting a set number of hours of sleep, etc.
Meal Planning and Meal Ideas Lists
- List of restaurants that deliver to your home
- List of favorite restaurants for take-out – You could also make notes about which offer curbside pickup and your family members’ orders for each restaurant!
- List of restaurants where kids eat free – I have this list in the “Notes” app on my iPhone. Be sure to include the days of the week when kids eat free also!
- Family favorite meals
- List of healthy foods to always have on hand
- Meals to make when guests come for dinner – I keep a list of my favorite meals to cook when I’m hosting family and friends in the “Notes” app of my phone. Whenever I try another dish that I love, I add it to my list!
- List of meal ideas for dinner – Check out my HUGE printable list of dinner ideas and some super cute meal planners here!
- New recipes you want to try
- List of foods expiring soon – Make a list of things in your fridge or freezer that need to be eaten ASAP before they expire. Then, use that list to meal plan for the upcoming week so you have less waste.
Shopping Lists and Things to Buy
- List of things to buy on Amazon
- Gift ideas for family and friends – Throughout the year, you may have a gift idea that would be perfect for a specific person. Add it to your gift ideas list so you don’t forget it when Christmas or birthdays roll around!
- Gifts that you’ve already purchased – Some people like to buy Christmas or birthday gifts throughout the year to take advantage of sales and to help spread out the cost. Keep a list of gifts that have already been purchased so you don’t forget and buy duplicates.
- Master grocery list – List of groceries and household items that are staples or must-haves for your family. You can read all about creating a master grocery list and grab a printable list to use here!
- List of your favorite wines or other beverages – If you’re a wine drinker, it can be difficult to remember exactly which are your favorites.
- Clothing and shoe sizes for each of your family members
- Shopping lists separated by store – What to buy at Costco, grocery store, Target, etc
Practical Lists for the Home
- Pantry inventory list
- Fridge inventory list
- Freezer inventory list – Go here for a free printable freezer inventory checklist and get tips for how to organize your freezer!
- Daily routine
- Contact info for friends and family members that you often invite over
- Card and announcements list – List of addresses for friends and family that you send holiday cards or formal announcements (like birth announcements, graduation announcements, etc)
- List of areas in your home that need to be decluttered and organized
- List of your favorite recipes
- Weekly cleaning list
- Gift lists – You can make a list of gift ideas for different family members for Christmas or birthdays.
- List of chores you want your kids to complete
- List of items to declutter in your home
- List of your family’s favorite foods – These are practical lists that can help you plan meals.
- Cleaning checklists organized by room – Like these super cute kitchen cleaning checklists!
- Packing lists – If you travel frequently, you can make a list of things to include in your carry on bag, toiletries to pack, etc.
- List of home maintenance jobs to do every month or every quarter
- List of home improvement or DIY projects to do
- Car maintenance log – Write down a list of maintenance performed, which car was worked on, date of service, total cost, where the service was done, etc.
- Cleaning jobs to do each week
- Party planning checklist
- Your kids’ school or extracurricular activities schedules in list form
- Lists of birthdays – I’ve got free printable perpetual birthday calendars that are perfect for this!
Fun Lists to Make When You’re Bored
Not all lists have to be productivity driven or loaded down with daily responsibilities! Here are some fun list ideas for when you’re bored or you have a bit of free time:
- Streaming shows you want to watch (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc)
- Books you want to read
- Favorite motivational quotes – One of my favorites is “Dreams don’t work unless you do.“
- Podcasts you want to listen to
- New hobbies to try
- List of journal prompts
- List of family traditions you want to start
- List of things that make you happy
- List of summer activities
- Date night ideas – You can find a HUGE list of 94 creative date night ideas here!
- New restaurants you want to try
- Cities you want to visit
- List of personal goals
- List career goals
- Travel bucket list
- List of weekend activities
- List of new experiences you want to have – Like going on a hot air balloon ride or taking a road trip with your best friend.
- Fun things to do on the weekends
- Favorite books that you’ve already read
- Little things that you’re grateful for – Like a gratitude list
- List of resolutions – Kind of like New Year’s Resolutions, except you don’t forget about them by January 3rd!
- Movies you want to watch with your family
- Lists of things that you envision for your best life
- Things you want to do before you reach a specific age – For instance, “40 Things to Do Before Turning 40“
- List of daily affirmations
- Things you love about your spouse
- Songs to add to your playlists
- Random things that make you happy
- Funny things your kids say
- List of inspirational quotes that you love
- Favorite movies
- Favorite songs
- List of things you can get for free on your birthday
- List of your favorite blogs to read
- Things you’re grateful for – A gratitude list, much like a gratitude journal, has a TON of health benefits!
- Favorite bible verses
- Bucket lists – We like to make a list of experiences for each season with fun family activities that we want to do together. We even let our daughters pick out things to add to the lists!
- Your own personal wish list – Things you want to buy yourself, like a new makeup product you want to try.
- A list of lists to make – Like this one!
Free To Do List Printable
Want to grab some free printable to do lists to help with your list making? Just click the link down below to download and print 4 different list templates:
