Last week I started talking about the infinite ways to keep track of your to-do list and how to get the most out of them. This week I want to look at the types of lists you can keep, more specifically the paper based methods. 

There's plenty of technology around that can be used for tasks and just as much talk about "going paperless". But I find just as many people are still more comfortable writing with pen and paper. It's usually quicker, and some say that you think differently when you write the "old fashioned way". 

Personally, I have a foot in both camps. I love my phone for quick notes and reminders on the go and rearrange and organise them after, but I'm also a sucker for pretty stationery and do find I can sometimes think more clearly when I'm quickly scribbling away on paper.

Notepads

Notepads are great to have at your desk or on the kitchen bench for quick notes. When you're done with a page, you can tear it off and keep the pad fairly neat. There are plenty of special purpose notepads around now too from stores like Kikki-k, Officeworks and Typo to help you plan your day, week or month. A possible problem could be if you tear off a list and lose it or it adds to your overall clutter.

Diaries and notebooks

These are great for keeping notes and lists all together in one place and are great for portability. Diaries are great for keeping track of what happened when and for scheduled appointments. Notebooks sometimes give you more flexibility if you need to take more notes than a diary page allows for and you're not wasting pages if nothing happens on some days.

Loose paper/folders

It's inevitable that you're going to get loose papers that have some sort of to-do attached to them. Notes from school, receipts to claim, bills to pay etc. I recommend having one location in the house or office to keep these papers. If you tend to keep things in piles, go for an in tray or trays to sort into bills to pay, calls to make etc, or by timeframe; today, next week, etc. alternatively you can set up some files or a folder to sort into. Try to only use this spot for "action" items. If you're keeping other stuff there that doesn't have much chance of moving on, there's a chance you could end up with an overwhelming pile that you won't want to go near and things could get missed. 

Again I have only just touched on the basics of paper tools for your to-do lists today. Feel free to comment on the Facebook page with any questions or let me know what you use. Next week I'll get into the techno tools and apps that can help keep you sorted.