Lists for chronic list losers

By SHELLEY HOWELLS

On those days when you have lost hours of precious time getting sidetracked by online games, downloads, crashes, and excess instant messaging, it's hard to believe that the web can help save time and get you organised.

But, if we go way, way back, that is partly why those geek academics came up with the darn net, wasn't it?

Getting organised with the web is a question of using the right resources and having the iron will and determination to dodge online time-eating diversions.

Most importantly, don't assume that doing it online will make it quicker, easier or more simple.

For instance, booking flights online can work either way. If you know exactly when and where and with which airline you want to fly, then online booking is the way to go.

But, if you have loose dates and tight wallet, phone calls may work out quicker than ploughing through sites, trying out all the options and comparing.

Shopping online can give or take precious time, depending on circumstances. Plenty of time-pressed folk swear by online supermarket shopping.

But, even with their cunning Quick List, I cannot be bothered to build a list on the Woolworths site.

With flexible working hours, and a disturbing partiality to grocery shopping, it's more efficient and enjoyable for me to whiz round the supermarket during their quiet hours.

Clothes shopping with kids is an invitation to chaos. Save time and energy by browsing the web with junior to find the gear that passes muster. Then buy online, or run in knowing exactly what you are going to get.

There are thousands of websites that aim to advise the chronically disorganised how to get neatly tucked, filed, listed and dusted.

Organized Home is a beaut place to start, with such type-A personality delights such as Declutter 101, Print a Free Household Notebook and articles with titles like Tame Morning Madness.

An organised person is one with a list. A disorganised person is one with a lost list (it will be with the lost car keys).

Entire sites, such as Printable Checklists, are devoted to making lists for you to use or lose.

We are not talking mere shopping lists here. There are lists even the most orderly didn't know they needed, like the Lost Pet Checklist with Printable Flyers and the To Avoid Aggressive Driving Situations Checklist.

Forgetful as well as disorganised? Head to ez-reminders and set up a few reminder messages that will be e-mailed to you at specified times and days (you will probably find, however, that writing the reminder message about Auntie's birthday or the root canal will burn the event into your memory forever, rendering incoming e-mails redundant).

If all that's not scarily organised enough, here's a seriously chilling thought for the disorganised: Christmas.

Christmas organising will have you working towards a perfect Christmas every day of the year.

But there's a fine line between being organised and just plain sick.

Woolworths

Organized Home

Printable checklists

ez-reminders

Christmas Organizing