How to create a Master To Do List
How to Create a Master To-Do List for Life Organization
If you are someone who loves to write things down, you probably have lists and notes
all over the place. Notebooks and journals on your desk, a notepad in your kitchen, a
planner in your bedroom or purse, multiple to-do lists scattered around. The problem is
that they aren’t organized. With 10 different to-do lists and shopping lists, it’s hard to
keep up with them or see what actually needs to be done.
This is where the master to-do list comes in. It compiles all those lists and notes you
have into one “master” list. One place where you keep absolutely everything you need
to reference, whether it is an errand to run, task to complete, home project to start, or
item to buy. It is all there on your master to-do list.
A master to-do list is one list that combines all of the other lists and notes you have lying
around. Think of your brain clutter and what you are constantly thinking of, consider all
the journals and notebooks with random notes, and all the many to-do lists you have on
paper and digitally. You could have all of this on one big list with a master to-do list.
This is not just for productivity and home management, but for your personal life, and
anything you want to do. It could be places you want to travel to, experiences you want
to have, even just books you want to read. It all goes on the master to-do list.
Your master to-do list can include absolutely anything you want, but typically all those
notes and lists you often write down. You can split it up into multiple categories or
dividers to make sense. It might include things like:
Items you want to purchase
Places you want to go
A seasonal or holiday bucket list
Chores and tasks you have been putting off
Home renovation projects
Errands you need to run
Gift buying lists for birthdays and holidays
Movies or TV shows you want to watch
Activities you want to do
The list goes on, depending what you want to do in your life.
It can seem a little intimidating starting a master to-do list, but there are a few strategies
for simplifying the process:
Gather all of your lists – Start by tracking down all those different lists you inevitably
have. Remember to look in notebooks and journals, on sticky notes, printed to-do lists,
your computer and other gadgets, and the notes on your phone. Put all the lists together
and start writing down what is on the lists, not worrying about repeat items.
Find notes, notebooks, and journals – In addition to lists, you can also look at other
notes you have taken on your phone, notepads, and journals to see if anything should
be added to your master to-do list.
Do a brain dump – At this point, it is time to do a brain dump. This allows you to get all
of that stored information in your brain onto paper so you can start adding more to your
to-do list. Just get a journal or notebook and write whatever is on your mind.
Consider the different areas of your life – Lastly, you can write down the different
areas of your life you consider a priority for a to-do list, such as shopping for essentials,
saving money to buy higher-ticket items, cleaning or organizing tasks, home renovation
projects, places you want to go, errands you need to run, chores you have to complete,
things you want your kids to experience, movies you want to watch. There is so much to
think about.
How you decide to put your master to-do list together is completely up to you, but since
it has multiple categories and will be a growing list, a binder is one of the best ways to
organize it. For a binder master to-do list, you will need a binder, 3-hole punch, printer
for your printables, and possibly dividers for the different categories.
This allows you to use printables for your master to-do list instead of writing everything
out on blank pieces of paper.
If you are someone who loves to write things down, you probably have lists and notes
all over the place. Notebooks and journals on your desk, a notepad in your kitchen, a
planner in your bedroom or purse, multiple to-do lists scattered around. The problem is
that they aren’t organized. With 10 different to-do lists and shopping lists, it’s hard to
keep up with them or see what actually needs to be done.
This is where the master to-do list comes in. It compiles all those lists and notes you
have into one “master” list. One place where you keep absolutely everything you need
to reference, whether it is an errand to run, task to complete, home project to start, or
item to buy. It is all there on your master to-do list.
What is a Master To-Do List?
A master to-do list is one list that combines all of the other lists and notes you have lying
around. Think of your brain clutter and what you are constantly thinking of, consider all
the journals and notebooks with random notes, and all the many to-do lists you have on
paper and digitally. You could have all of this on one big list with a master to-do list.
This is not just for productivity and home management, but for your personal life, and
anything you want to do. It could be places you want to travel to, experiences you want
to have, even just books you want to read. It all goes on the master to-do list.
What to Put on a Master To-Do List
Your master to-do list can include absolutely anything you want, but typically all those
notes and lists you often write down. You can split it up into multiple categories or
dividers to make sense. It might include things like:
Items you want to purchase
Places you want to go
A seasonal or holiday bucket list
Chores and tasks you have been putting off
Home renovation projects
Errands you need to run
Gift buying lists for birthdays and holidays
Movies or TV shows you want to watch
Activities you want to do
The list goes on, depending what you want to do in your life.
How to Get Started
It can seem a little intimidating starting a master to-do list, but there are a few strategies
for simplifying the process:
Gather all of your lists – Start by tracking down all those different lists you inevitably
have. Remember to look in notebooks and journals, on sticky notes, printed to-do lists,
your computer and other gadgets, and the notes on your phone. Put all the lists together
and start writing down what is on the lists, not worrying about repeat items.
Find notes, notebooks, and journals – In addition to lists, you can also look at other
notes you have taken on your phone, notepads, and journals to see if anything should
be added to your master to-do list.
Do a brain dump – At this point, it is time to do a brain dump. This allows you to get all
of that stored information in your brain onto paper so you can start adding more to your
to-do list. Just get a journal or notebook and write whatever is on your mind.
Consider the different areas of your life – Lastly, you can write down the different
areas of your life you consider a priority for a to-do list, such as shopping for essentials,
saving money to buy higher-ticket items, cleaning or organizing tasks, home renovation
projects, places you want to go, errands you need to run, chores you have to complete,
things you want your kids to experience, movies you want to watch. There is so much to
think about.
Create a Binder With Your Master To-Do List
How you decide to put your master to-do list together is completely up to you, but since
it has multiple categories and will be a growing list, a binder is one of the best ways to
organize it. For a binder master to-do list, you will need a binder, 3-hole punch, printer
for your printables, and possibly dividers for the different categories.
This allows you to use printables for your master to-do list instead of writing everything
out on blank pieces of paper.