INTRODUCTION I have been a compulsive list maker since I was old enough to write. Some detractors might suggest the word obsessive , but I like to think that I am highly functioning and effi cient. Other list-obsessed women I'm aware of (Madonna) seem to back up my claim. In any case, from the packing list I compiled for summer camp as an eleven-year-old to the college application checklist I already have handy for my kids (who are all under the age of ten), I like to deal with life's challenges one step at a time. For years, I was a personal resource library for friends and family who needed information. The minute someone got pregnant, engaged, bought a house, or experienced any other milestone, my phone would start ringing. I was always happy to dash off a list and was proud that my checklists were helping others navigate life. When I started getting calls from friends of friends asking me to share my checklists for life's diffi cult moments, I realized it was time to go public. So here it is. This book isn't a beach read; it's not chick lit. Instead, it's more of an owner's manual for some of life's biggest events and transitions. Keep it on the shelf with your reference books, in the kitchen near your day calendar, by your bedside, or anywhere that's handy. When you find yourself in need of a road map, tear out the appropriate chapter, tape it to your computer, and let me help you break down an overwhelming or challenging situation, step by step. I know that sometimes the toughest part of tackling a to-do can be fi guring out how to get started, and I hope that the following checklists, resources, action items, and suggestions will have you on your way to a more organized and less stressful life. Copyright (c) 2009 by Deep Water Productions, LLC Excerpted from Lists for Life: The Essential Guide to Getting Organized and Tackling Tough To-Dos by Rory Tahari All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
