Lists: The Good, The Bad, The Lost, The Found

I’m a list maker by nature. I ALWAYS have a list going, if not 2 or 4 or 10. Grocery lists, To Do lists, General Shopping lists, Menu lists, Christmas lists, Ideas lists. I’ve got ‘em. I love lists and love making them. The problem is, I’m not the most organized person, DESPITE all the lists and I suck at keeping track of the lists. I’m often losing lists or burying them on my desk, which despite my best efforts, I’m unable to keep tidy for more than a few days at a time.

It’s maddening to KNOW there’s another list around with something I IKNOW I’m forgetting and not being able to find it. It truly makes me crazy and I know I’ve got no one to blame except myself.

And sometimes, I do something stupid, like put a to-do list on the side of a grocery list and then throw the grocery list out when I’m done shopping BEFORE I’ve finished the To-Do list.

I have tried using One Note, a program available in Windows to keep track of things, and it worked pretty well for a few things. I was able to plan a couple of trips that way and 2 birthday parties, but for the everyday stuff, I found that I was still writing things on paper and then entering them in the computer, which kind of defeated the purpose of using the program.

Side Thought: I just had a thought to have one paper notebook dedicated to lists and only lists. Hmm, maybe that would work? I’ll put it on the list to think about. (hahaha)

The thing that kills me is grocery lists. I ALWAYS have a grocery list going, even 5 minutes after I get back from the store. I do have a small white board by my desk to write down the things that come up that I don’t want to forget. However, after a while, it gets too big and I have to write it down on paper.

I found a grocery shopping template for my word processor that I quite like. I’ve used it a few times, and I like that it’s categorized, but… again, I end up jotting things down on note paper and then transferring it to the template and then printing the template out before I shop.

Another Side Thought: I should just print the template out and keep it in the pantry or something (duh, lightbulb moment!) and fill it in there. Hmmm… I just might do that.

So, the other day, I dropped Mouse off for a playdate with some friends and Baboo and I went out to do a mega grocery shop. I planned to hit Aldi for the basics and then finish up at Walmart. I did not have my pretty template list, I had a scrawled handwritten list, with a to-do list and I also had my master, and ONLY, Christmas list in case I had time to browse.

Half way through Aldi, Baboo had to potty, so we shoved some people out of the way in the checkout aisle to get to the bathroom. I decided to go too, and then we went out to finish shopping. I wasn’t really following my list because, I knew the store so well and the items I needed there. I bought a ton of stuff and it took me a while to get it all bagged. I admit to bribing Baboo with Peanut M&Ms to keep her in one place.

Finally, we were finished. After I buckled Baboo into her seat, I reached for my lists to review what I need to get at Walmart. Hmm, not in my jacket pockets. Or my jeans. Or my purse. I looked over Baboo’s head into the trunk at the pile of bags with a kind of horror and thought “Oh good grief! How will I find it in THERE?” But I KNEW I didn’t put it in any of the bags. It must have fallen out of my purse or pocket.

I tried to remember what was on the list and immediately drew a blank. I considered just moving on and winging it, but then I remembered the Christmas list, which had some great ideas on it that I really didn’t want to forget, and decided we had to go back into the store. I gave a few more M&Ms to Baboo before going to hunt for the list (This isn’t the first time I’ve done this. Ask Hubster, I made him crazy this summer with looking for lost lists). We walked up and down the aisles to no avail, but just as we got to the check out, the only way to get out of the store, I remembered the bathroom. As a last effort, we checked it out. It’s wasn’t by the sink. Or on the floor by the toilet. Sigh. I turned around to open the door to leave and just happened to glance down at the garbage can with the lid propped open. Hey there it was - sitting right on top! I looked around the single stall bathroom, knowing that we were the only ones in there, but feeling a bit creeped out and guilty. I reasoned to myself that it WAS sitting on paper towels not on a pile of rotting garbage, RIGHT at the top and it had only been about 20 minutes since we were in there last before reaching in and grabbing it.

Baboo and I left the store, and headed down the road to finish up our shopping. I didn’t forget anything, and no, I didn’t buy one Christmas thing. If you ask me where that list is right this second, I honestly have to say, I don’t know…. for SURE. I’m guessing it’s buried on my desk under cameras, tissue boxes, coupons, more lists, calendars, chargers, receipts, art work, magazines, cds, photos, flyers and returns. But it’s around. Somewhere. Or maybe it’s still in my purse. Or my jacket pocket.

But hey! At least I can get to the white board and that’s a good thing, because despite doing groceries 2 days ago, I noticed this morning that I need more of my bedtime tea. So I guess I’d better start a new list…