This is a guest post from regular contributor Baylie Carlson. Baylie blogs at tinyhousegrowingfamily.com .

There are times when you get shaken so hard you turn upside down.  

How Upside-Down Lists Can Save Your Sanity 

Recently, that happened to me when we moved our Tiny House to Washington DC.  I am a west coast girl living in an east coast world.  My world had been rocked.  Everything changed.  I was upside down and it wasn’t pretty, my skirt was over my head and you could see my grannie panties.

Trying to live out your day with a skirt over your head is an incredible task.  Getting organized and getting things accomplished is nearly impossible.

I am an obsessive list maker. However, during this time in my life, I could manage to write out a list, but the act of getting anything done was impossible.  At the end of the day I would be left with a list with no check marks.  

I spiraled, the beautiful spinning dresses of dancing days it was not.

When the dress is upside down over your head, you basically tie yourself in a big knot.  (Think – bathrobe belt in the washing machine.)  I had to stop making lists because at the end of the day looking at a list that had no check marks wasn’t helping me, it was making everything worse. 

Then I had an epiphany.  A friend shared with me: Don’t make a list with things to do, make a list of things you did do. 

Make An Upside-Down List

Mind. Blown.

All I had to do was write down things I’d already done, and my world was right-side-up again.

Wake up

Make breakfast

Drink coffee

Shower

Finish cold cup of coffee

Get gas

Pick up husband from work

Get more coffee

Keep children alive

Look how much I did today!!!

Our family decided that me showing off my grannie panties wasn’t okay.  We have since moved to Washington state and all is right with the world.

Next, after writing this blog post, I am going to make my to do list.  I am upright.

I call it an upside down list, Emily of So Damn Domestic calls it the Done List. Check it out!

Baylie is a Tiny House dweller and minimalist. Lover turned mother. Writer.
She crams her entire family, two adults, a toddler and a baby into 204 sqft Tiny House on wheels and love every moment.  She writes Tiny House Growing Family to show how though they live Tiny, their lives are very full.

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12 Comments

  1. This is definitely a life-saver on busy and hectic days! If you’re like me and get depressed when you don’t check off your whole list, this can really put things in perspective. Oh, and show us East Coasters some love, it’s not so bad here! 😉

  2. This is so cool! I’d never heard of this idea before, but I know that I’m going to use it. I’m an obsessive list maker too and recently there was a period of time where all I could do was make lists and stare at the lack of checkmarks. In the past I’ve written down things that I’ve done mixed in with the things to do. Just so that I could get more checkmarks. 🙂 But, I love this idea so much!!!

  3. ha! This is a great idea, I could totally use it today, it’s been one of those week! Thanks for linking up with The DIY Collective, come back and visit us again next week! xo! Cassie

  4. So I’m NOT the only one who has written my day’s accomplishments after they happened. Those were the days that I felt like a total “To Do Failure!” I needed to see where all the time had gone. When I did, Ureka! I felt good about myself again 🙂 You’ve just inspired me to write about it. Thanks ♥
    Sinea

  5. LOVE THIS. Some days nothing gets done and it seems like I was a failure, but if I think hard, I got A LOT done – it was just “necessary” things and everyday things!

  6. I do this but I call it my Ta Da list!


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