TapeA year ago at this time, the hubster and I were in the midst of unpacking moving boxes in our house. Cardboard was everywhere, and we took our time getting settled and putting things in their proper places. The big move gave me enough material for many a blog post (to be written at a yet to be determined time)…but today I’d like to focus on the online lists that made the packing and unpacking process doable.

If you need to do anything on the planet – give a hostess gift, create an energy savings plan for your household, get a good deal on drugstore makeup products, pack for vacation, prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for your in-laws, gather family contact information for the babysitter, go to the grocery store, plan a party…it’s likely that several free, fool proof lists on your chosen topic await you online. Right now!

Online lists are, indeed, a gift to the entire world. Seriously! You can peruse them at your convenience. They’re free. And they enable you to capitalize on many other individuals’ creative ideas and personal experiences. As a result, you can end up with the most comprehensive and robust information possible. I first became an online list enthusiast when one of these lists told me to be sure to stow a pair of scissors or a boxcutter in my purse so that I could actually open the sealed boxes when the movers brought them into our new abode. A novel concept, I know, but with everything else going on around the time of the move, I may not have thought of it. That tip really helped us start the move in process with efficiency, avoiding a scenario along the lines of “where are the scissors, and will those keys be able to cut through the packing tape?!”

Whenever I muster up the energy to think about our move experience in some detail, I expect that I’ll create a list or two of tips that helped at our house – and, hopefully, will brighten someone else’s move adventures. For example, my list will mention the importance of having toilet paper, hand soap, towels, water, and cups available to folks during the move out and move in process. And it’s my hope that those tips will really brighten someone else’s move-in process.

What online lists have helped you? Let us know!

* Photo by Rachel Spauldilng