apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Palm Pilot. It's so damn satisfying to check (click) off a task once it's done.

i have a reporter's notebook in my work bag that i carry with me 6 days a week. i also have a small brainstorming notebook for my "light bulb" moments. Each are filled with various lists and mind maps.

I keep a notebook on my kitchen counter, and a small notebook in my handbag. I have a half-round magnetic backed pencil cup for pens/pencils that I also keep on the fridge. Velcro would probably be equally effective.

When moving into a new place, I've gone so far as to keep a single post-it on the bathroom mirror and one on the fridge (and accompanying stylus) so that as items came up, I could jot them down.

If I didn't have a magnetic fridge or cabinet door, I would use velcro. Attach the hooks on the fridge (or cabinet), and attach the loops on a long, narrow shopping list pad. If you hate the look of the pad in plain site, put it inside a cabinet door, or on the side of a fridge/cabinet. It's easy to do the same thing with a pencil or pen.

I'm big on lists -- I stress out if I feel like I have to 'hold' a bunch of unrelated tasks/items in my mind.

I use gubb.net to keep track of my lists. I use it mainly for grocery and shopping lists, but it's also a good place to keep my lists of errands and project ideas (and what I may need for those projects). And they also have a mobile site which makes accessing it from my Blackberry a breeze.

whiteboard next to kitchen. Keeps important phone numbers, running grocery and to do lists and is also magnetic for all those other bits and pieces. I transfer from the white board to my palm (just like in the picture) when I have a short list, or onto some recycled paper (used #10 envelopes make great shopping lists!)

I read today to keep a list (dry erase board, maybe inside a cabinet) and then take a photo of the to do list with the camera phone. It is right there. I have a publish to blog feature with my photo phone so my list would show up on my blog as well...

Funny that you should post about lists. I'm making one now for my vacation.

For groceries we use a magnetic pad on the fridge. Having it in our faces definitely helps. We've gotten used to putting items on the list as they are about to run out. When I go out shopping the list is already done, so I just tear the page off and go!

palm pilot (when I remember to keep it charged), magnetic pad on fridge, other pad on counter between sink and stove (the one I use most often), even my cellphone (send myself text messages or voicemail, or if it has the function, in the memo section) -- I keep a lot of lists!

I use gubb.net as well. And for those of us without a Blackberry to access the website, you can add to your lists just by sending a text message.

Palm Pilot, which is with me 99% of the time.

I keep a post-it inside the flap of my wallet, because it's the one thing I can count on having with me at all times.

There was a post on Lifehacker earlier, about someone who uses their cameraphone to keep a to-do list. Seems like a good idea to me, I always have my phone with me. I've done this in the past when I have seen an idea or item I want to remember. Here's the link to the post: http://lifehacker.com/391550/keep-a-cameraphone-photo-album-to do-list

The notes app on the iPhone has been my modern day lifesaver, but I still (and have for many years) keep a dry erase marker next to the mirror in the bathroom for things I need to be reminded of on a daily basis.

I keep a miniature composition book (2"x3") in my purse for ideas and lists. Also, my cell phone has a notepad feature which I find myself using more and more often for my shopping lists. I never go anywhere without my cell phone and I can update it at any time.

I have 3 ways I do it...

I have a steel entry door so I have a magnetic clip that I put any outgoing mail and lists of things that need to be done out of the house. (no space for a landing strip near my front door!)

I also have a cork strip inside the kitchen cabinet above my main workspace for my pantry stock list and the recipe I am working on.

And on the fridge I keep a magnetic pad and a pen in a clip to make grocery lists.

I have a to do list on my palm as I type, what a coincindence.

There's a note list utility in my cell phone. I use that for various kinds of lists including immediate grocery necessities, as well as additional wish lists and other spaz kind of needs in the immediate to near future so I don't forget some flash of genius or inspiration derived from such.

Latest is the iPhone, as mentioned above, because I always have it with me.

Originally I wrote stuff on my hand, as in the picture, because I also always have my hand with me.

Then I used the old scrap-paper-on-the-refrigerator-with-a-magnet trick, but I didn't always remember to take it with me when I left in the morning for work.

Then for a while I kept a tiny spiral notebook (probably 2"x3", like itsabecky's) in my pocket, which was useful for all kinds of things, not just lists. You know how you always need a piece of paper for something?

But now it's the iPhone, not only because I always have it, but also because it gives me a little thrill to use it.

Magnetic pad on the fridge. It's the only thing that's ever worked for our family, and it's cheap and low-tech. However, on Friday nights I have a standing date in front of the computer screen to compile my weekly menu and grocery list, which I plan out for the following week. I simply incorporate anything that has accumulated on the fridge list into that.

I love todoist.com! It's simple, and a great way to check things off my list, and jot things down when I am near a computer, but it works great on my blackberry too. I love that I can access www.todoist.com anywhere at anytime.

I use the notes app on my iPhone

I have a dry erase board on my fridge and I will definitely co-opt the idea of taking a pic of that w/ the camera phone. It would save time transcribing the list.

Years ago I read an article about what people did with their Palm & one woman said she took a picture of the inside of her refrigerator so she'd know what she was missing when she went grocery shopping. I thought that was a great idea, but haven't tried it.

I keep a cute little notebook in my purse, spiral bound, so I slip a pen in it. And I don't tear out the pages so that way I have a quick archive of previous shopping lists to refresh my memory. I also have this affixed to the back of my front door to supplement my "landing strip."

I use the iphone for shopping & to-do lists but my favorite way to use it is for wine shopping -- I keep photos of the labels from my favorite wines so that I can easily find them in a store.

I also carry a mini moleskine reporter notebook for ideas and long-term project lists.

Super-sticky lined Post-its. They stick to anything, so I keep half a pad stuck to my fridge at all times.

Just to clarify my earlier post, it seems like a lot of people use their iphone, but the list app is not exclusive to it (in case anyone really wondered).

Blank index cards. Every day, I take a blank index card and write down the three things I really want/need to do that day, as well as any appointments, addresses, phone numbers, etc.

If I'm going grocery shopping or something that requires a long list, I'll use a separate index card.

It's really simple, and it works incredibly well. I always keep it in my back pocket but I imagine it would do just as well in a wallet.

Wall Candy Arts chalkboard stickers!

Dry Erase board for food, transferred to paper before going to the store.

I use index cards daily for to do lists and such. Easy to carry with me when I leave.

When I was moving I used a huge dry erase board for all of the info to do here and there. I used wet erase markers so the dogs tail didn't erase the writing.


I also have one huge master notebook for relevant info and ideas that I want to keep. I am actually on my 4th.It has design ideas, horse trailer measurements when I re-did the inside to have a place to stay when camping. So I could find the right sized shelves and such, a electrical wiring diagram, garden sketches, Flower pot designs, dog agility info that I found on the web and I wanted to build.

Then when I need to work on a project I just grab the notebook.

Wall Candy Arts chalkboard stickers

I looked them up. The company is wall candy arts. The chalk board stickers are from 19 inch squares to lots of shapes that are decals that stick on the wall.

I also use index cards for daily lists.

I also have a master notebook that I keep perment info.
Project ideas, room sizes, and such.

I bought a little tablet of "All Out of" lists from Urban Outfitters for a couple of bucks. It's magnetic, but if you can't put it on the fridge, try buying a flat metal brace from any hardware store (for that matter Fred Meyer has them) and screwing it to the inside of a cabinet. The magnet will stick to that. My mom has kept important information (piano lesson schedules, sports team phone tree numbers, etc) taped to the inside of her kitchen cabinets for years. At hand and also out of sight.

mobile! :)

i don't have a palm pilot so i use paper for my lists.

i usually make lists on the backs of receipts or mail envelopes that came in.. gotta recycle when you can!

Use magnetic paint on the cement portion of the walls.You have to stir it alot and often as you paint. then you can paint over it in whatever color you would like and use magnets on the wall instead of the fridge.
Another option is to do a cabinet (inside or out) same process.
The paint is available in most hardware stores.

I carry a reporters notebook with me always. I use it a lot in bookstores - I write down names of books I want to read and then take them out of the public library.

I have a cork board which I have hinged behind a picture frame so that the picture frame flips up when I need to look at my notes. I like to be able to look at my clutter when I need to, but also hide it easily. It's a good place to put coupons, a calendar, and a grocery list.

To address the non-magnetic fridge issue, you can buy inexpensive metal flashing in rolls at the hardware store which can be attached to the wall, the fridge, or the inside of a door. Make sure to bring a magnet with you to the store though. Not all types are magnetic.

I use scrap paper for jotting down anything that's temporary.

Why is it that pictures of people writing lists on their hand always has the list written on the palm? My hands sweat and any list on the palm would be long gone by the time I got to the store to buy things, or which ever errand I needed to do.

"I have a cork board which I have hinged behind a picture frame so that the picture frame flips up when I need to look at my notes."

Thanks for the tip, neatstreak! I'm going to try that.

sciencegeek - I write on my palm instead of the back of my hand to kind of hide it. My palms must not be quite as sweaty. (Though sometimes it does wear off.)

what about a manetic clip to hold the list on the fridge? (sorry if this was already suggested)

I use the knockknock.biz 'all out of' list

buy a magnet bulletin board and put a magentized shopping list pad up there with a marker. there 99 cents everywhere. that way as you think of things you need as your in the kitchen--its up there on the fridge.

my friend uses her hand for notes to herself

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisawilkins/sets/72157594480749609/