My mother-in-law was known for making lists for everything. When the kids were young, she had a list for loading the boat before we left in the mornings. She had a list of things to pack in their camper when they headed out to Bismarck Lake each summer. She had a list of what to make when company came over. She had a list of what to take to Texas every winter and a list of what to bring back every spring. Everything had a list, and she kept the lists to reuse the next time around which made things a whole lot easier. She altered and amended the lists as experiences demanded. Her lists were invaluable.
I should learn from her. In the past five months, I’ve traveled more places than ever before. You’d think by now packing would be an easy chore, but it’s not. I have no list for packing other than in my head, and that’s a very poor place to keep one. I should be more like my mother-in-law was and get more organized. I could throw together a suitcase with everything needed in no time at all, rather than taking all day and night. The night before a trip is usually not restful because I wake up remembering something I’ve forgotten and have to get up to get it. A list would prevent with that.
As you probably know, I have a large stash of notebooks and journals. One of those would make the perfect place to keep lists, but since I didn’t buy them to make lists, I need to go out and get another notebook specifically for my lists. That may seem silly to you, but all those other ones were bought to keep notes and writing ideas in. It’s not fitting to put lists in them. You may have to be a writer to understand that logic. Maybe it’s OCD, but I need a list notebook.
I have a friend who is way more organized than me. She has lists and color-coding methods that put most people to shame. She is so organized I can only look on and wish I were half as organized as she is. I’ve learned a lot from her, and someday I may even implement some of her methods. The problem with getting organized is you have to be organized to get that way.
Until then, I’ll be searching for a pretty new notebook to start keeping lists in while I’m trying to get organized to get organized. That should make packing easier in the future. At the same time, I’m afraid of making a list because it might jinx travel plans and I’d never use it again. I really hate to waste the effort of making a list and never using it. Maybe I’m too trivial. I’ll work on that.
She girds herself with strength and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. Proverbs 31:17-18