Monthly Lists

I'm all about lists this week!  First was our Summer Fun List on Tuesday, something new we're doing this year (although, most of the activities aren't new, I just like checking things off).  Today I'm talking about something I've been doing for 18 months and helps me make the most of my time.

I start off each month, generally on the 1st, with my project list for the month.  These are almost all things I hope to get done personally or a few dependent on Matt (house projects, namely).  There's the stuff that makes every month, projects we are working on or finishing up, family events we are looking forward to, and some just general "get on that" to-dos.

I don't need to right all these things down; some of them are almost guaranteed to happen anyways (Easter made my April list) but it's how I get an overview of our month and the things that are going on or need to happen.

For instance on May there were the...

Recurring items:
-run 20 miles (I've been bumping up my mileage goal every month)
-delete 100 digital files (I've been slowly working on cleaning up my computer files.)
-bike ride to the downtown library (we do this once a month in nice weather)

The Home Projects (posts coming on most of these when they are completely done!):
-finish craft shelves
-order rugs (for the new front room floors)
-order couch (2+ months couch-less is getting old...)
-finish floor
-finish bedroom painting
-linen closet shelves
-order bedroom light

The "Get on That" items
-garage sale
-pot outside flowers
-marble photo board
-plant morning glories
-get dresses altered

And the Fun stuff:
-Kings Island
-drive-in
-Lake
-make nutella turnovers
-family zoo trip

My winter lists are generally shorter because we have less going on then but especially in the summer I want to make sure we stay on top of projects and get some of those fun things in there too.  Writing it down makes it much more likely to happen, maybe because of the joy of crossing things off, but I also hate having to transfer something to the next month that didn't happen!

I'm not sure what all will make June's list yet but I know it'll be done by the end of the day! (Also, making this monthly list is a recurring item in my Swipes...so making a list full of things to cross off is something I get to swipe off). 

These lists keep me motivated (crossing things off!) and accountable for things that need to happen.  I love a good list!

What would do YOU hope to get done this month?  Enjoy crossing holidays just for the sake of completing a to-do item?  I can't be alone in that!