12 Useful Types of Lists You Should Make

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you may have probably noticed how much I love lists because nearly all my articles are in listicle format. In this post, I want to share a different type of list. A list of some useful types of lists you should make either daily, weekly, yearly, or whenever you need them.
When your world seems to be in chaos, whether from the mess and clutter in your space, in your life, or in your brain, making various types of lists can help you become more organized and restore order.
Unfortunately, many people often make fun of those who love creating lists, calling them control freaks or obsessive. But everyone can benefit from making various types of lists for their everyday use. They help you keep your things, activities, plans, as well as your thoughts in order so you can go and seize the day.
Making lists helps you structure your life and have more control over the events that occur in it. So, if you made a resolution to be more organized this year, keep reading this post to find out some useful types of lists you should make to get your life in order.
RELATED POST: 17 Ways to Get Your Life Together in 2023 (and Why You Need to)

12 Useful Types of Lists You Should Make to Organize Your Life
- Goals list
What is life without goals? It would be directionless, meaningless, and purposeless.
Goals give you something to look forward to and work towards each day, and that is why this is a useful type of list you should make, especially when bored and idle.
Creating a goals list will give your life direction, make it meaningful and give you a purpose to fulfill. Your goals list will keep you motivated and focused on achieving them.
- Gratitude list
Gratitude lists are among the most important types of lists you should make every day. They help you find things to be thankful for each day and celebrate them, no matter how small they may be.
Making a gratitude list is especially important when you are going through a difficult time and need some positivity.
Finding things to be grateful for each day when you are having a hard time shows you that there is beauty even when things seem bleak. It gives you hope and helps you remain positive when things feel negative.
READ ALSO: 10 Things to Remember When Going Through a Difficult Time
- Strengths list
If you ever need a confidence boost or motivation to chase your dreams, a list of things you are good at is exactly what you need to make.
This type of list reminds you about your strengths and would be quite useful when you are feeling down or when you need encouragement.
Always remember, you are stronger than you think.
- Spending list
Creating a budget and learning how to spend your money wisely will help you achieve your financial goals. You need to make a spending list to plan and monitor how you spend your money.
The best time to make a spending list is at the beginning of the month after receiving your salary in order to plan what you want to do with your money and also avoid going broke before the month ends.
READ ALSO: 6 Reasons Why You Need a Spending Plan
- To-do list
Although this type of list is similar to the goals list, your to-do list is a bit simpler and is usually for the things you need to do within a shorter period, for example, a week or a day.
Making to-do lists for the activities you need to do every day or a week is vital because they help you reduce the burden on your brain having to remember all your tasks and when you are supposed to do them.
This type of list is useful because it ensures you never forget any activity or feel overwhelmed by all you have to do.
A to-do list will also help you keep your priorities in life straight. So, go get yourself a daily or weekly planner to write down all the activities you need to do and when to do them.
- Gifts list
If you are a social person or have a big family, you probably have to attend and give or send people gifts for various events and holidays often. For example, birthdays, baby showers, weddings, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.
For such celebrations, gift lists are some useful types of lists you should make in order to avoid hurting people’s feelings by forgetting or getting them something they don’t like because you bought the gift without giving it much thought.
READ ALSO: 12 Best Ways to Show Someone You Love Them with Actions and Words
- Bucket list
What places do you want to visit before you die? What experiences would you regret not having when on your deathbed?
As we have witnessed in the past few years due to the pandemic and the other bad things happening around us, life is fragile and unpredictable.
We should, therefore, live our lives to the fullest to avoid having regrets when the time to go comes. In preparation and to be adventurous, a bucket list is one of the useful types of lists you should make.
On your bucket list, you can include places you want to visit, life experiences you want to have, and other things that will stimulate your personal growth and help you live a fulfilling life.
- Friends list
Friends are people we all cherish having in our lives. However, not all your friends will add the same value to your life. Therefore, you should sort the different types of friends you have using a list.
In this type of list, you can have sections such as the close friends you can always count on, the toxic friends to avoid or be cautious while interacting with, and the casual friends.
READ ALSO: 11 Types of Toxic Friends: Signs and How to Deal with Them
- Doctors list
You never know when you might find yourself in an emergency or requiring a doctor who is familiar with your condition, your medical and family history, or just one whom you are comfortable with and can trust.
You should make a list of doctors for the different types of medical conditions you have or a list of healthcare professionals in the various fields you may ever need in your lifetime.
When compiling this type of list, you can include doctors you already have experience and a good relationship with, those who work at hospitals that accept your insurance plan, ask friends and family members for recommendations of those they have had good experiences with, or add them based on their good reputation.
- Shopping lists
This is one useful type of list you should make every day, weekly, or whenever you need to go shopping.
Your shopping list can be a combination of different items you need to buy on one shopping trip or for a particular category of things, such as a grocery shopping list or a clothes shopping list.
Making a shopping list will help you budget and save your money because, with it, you will avoid impulse buying or spending on unnecessary things due to the lack of a plan.
READ ALSO: Stop Spending Your Money on These 7 Things
- Wish lists
Is there something you wish you could buy, but don’t have the cash right now? Or, perhaps, you need to discuss it with a partner before purchasing the item. Add it to your wish list.
Wish lists are useful types of lists you should make because they help you remember things you were interested in and where to get them.
When you are finally ready to order the item, you won’t have to struggle to find the store to buy from, which will make shopping a quicker and less daunting task.
You can also keep checking your wish list to stay updated on prices and take advantage when a store offers a discount on items.
- Get your shit together list
The GYST list is similar to a to-do list, only that it is not one you have to make every day or every week.
A get your shit together list is great for situations such as when you feel like your life is in chaos, when you are developing toxic habits such as laziness, making excuses, and procrastination, or when you feel unmotivated or overwhelmed.
Making this type of list will remind you what needs to be done in order to get your life back on track and be more productive.
Some things you can have on your get your shit together list include; cleaning, becoming organized, decluttering, cultivating healthy habits such as drinking water, sleeping enough, exercising, and eating healthy foods, your activities for the day (including those you have been putting off), and taking breaks, etc.
READ ALSO: 17 Ways to Get Your Life Together (and Why You Need to)
Wrapping Up
And there you have them! Above are some useful types of lists you should make to help you become more organized, spend your money wisely, and feel like you have more control over your life.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, or if you want a more structured life, you should try making these types of lists to get organized.
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Read more articles from Aisles of Life here.
Cool. I learned the word listicle. I knew (and even used the format) but did not know the name for it.
Thank you so much for reading, Geoff!❤ I’m glad to hear you learned something from my post.
Wonderful post, Sherri! ❤️ Lists are helpful.
I’m really glad you liked the post, Jeff . Thanks for reading!❤