If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed whenever you try to keep up with life, this monthly to-do list is going to be able to help you! Use this monthly checklist to stay on top of organization, social expectations, and emotional health. Try it out for yourself and see the amazing changes it can make in your life!
Let me tell you, to-do lists are my jam!
I am extremely forgetful by nature, and I can’t keep track of things in my life very easily, so to-do lists and agendas are a MUST in my life if I want to prepared for anything.
I’m that friend you have who is constantly forgetting things. Birthdays, events, assignments, you name it!
If it is not written down, it is not remembered.
If you’re anything like me, you start each day with that sinking feeling that you are DEFINITELY forgetting something important. I know how horrible it can feel to be that person that is constantly unprepared for the day.
So when I say that I NEED organizational tactics to keep my head on straight, you can believe it!
And one of my favourite organizational routines that I have kept in my life to keep me on track is this AWESOME monthly to-do list.
It has helped me stay aware of what’s coming up that month so that I don’t start the month already feeling like a high-strung ball of stress. And I believe it can help YOU, too!
But before you jump in, don’t pass up this great freebie!
Not only does it have the monthly to-do list written out for you as a printable, but it also provides you with some bonus reflection questions and a decorated page to write out those answers!
Sign up below to get this great workbook sent to your inbox!
How to create a monthly to do list for a more organized month
Here are 15 ideas from my own Monthly to do list that anyone can do! Pick and choose from the ideas below and add your own ideas to make a personalized “Monthly Reset Checklist.”
Before you make your own checklist, it’s a good idea to establish when you intend to implement these tasks.
Do you want to do it on the first weekend of the month, or the last weekend? Do you like doing it all in one day, or do you like to work on a couple of tasks throughout the week?
Remember, it’s always best to first consider what works for you, otherwise, it probably won’t stick.
I, personally, like to do my monthly checklist on the last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each month.
For example, I like to do my technology-related tasks on Friday and Saturday and save any reflective tasks for Sunday. This helps me to start my Monday on a calm, rejuvenated note as a result.
Once you’ve got the date figured out, you need to figure out where you want to store your checklist. For instance, if you’re a pen and paper kinda gal, putting it in a plastic cover could be helpful. You can use a white-erase marker to check them off, then clean your ‘board’ and reuse it next month. But if you prefer technology, you can make a checklist on your memo app and reset it each month.
Okay, you’ve established when you want to do your monthly tasks and how you want to keep track of their completion. Finally, you’re ready to figure out the fun part- what you want on your list!
Related Post: How to Make Your Own Customized Monthly To-Do List
1. Deep Clean all of your email accounts.
In a perfect world, you check your emails on a daily basis and delete everything at an appropriate time. But let’s be honest, we all have that one email account that just gets left in the dust.
If you’re the kind of person that has this problem, this is a great task to add to your monthly to do list! This is a reminder for you to check more than just your primary account. It’s a reminder to attend to any items that you have maybe been putting off for a while. Maybe a date on an email that you have yet to mark in a calendar. Or maybe it’s a task you said you’d do but haven’t gotten to. It could even be an email that you just forgot to delete, but it’s clear you no longer need it.
CLEAN IT OUT!
Make sure no stone is left unturned.
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2. Clean up your phone.
Depending on what you like to do on your phone, this could be a very easy task…
…but it could also be insanely difficult and time-consuming.
Either way, it is a great thing to do on a monthly basis. It ensures that you never run out of storage or have pointless apps just sitting on your phone.
If you’re having trouble motivating yourself to do it, just think about how good it will feel when you’re done! Imagine pulling out your phone every day and having only the stuff you want on it- so satisfying!
So set aside some time to take a good scroll through your phone. Delete any apps you no longer use. Re-organize your icons so they are formatted in a way that best works for you. Delete chats and texts that you never refer to.
If you want to go the extra mile, open up some of the apps on your phone (like Spotify or Facebook messenger). Clean up/reorganize them until you feel satisfied.
Related Posts: How to Organize Your Phone Like a Minimalist /// 7 Digital Boundaries That’ll Free You From your Smartphone
3. Clean up photos on your phone and computer.
This is another difficult task depending on who you are and how you like to use your photos.
You know best how you like these organized. Edit old photos, or load them onto a hard-drive. Plan when to post them on social media, or (my personal favourite) print them. Whatever your preference, this is a great time to do it!
When you’re done, delete them from your phone so you have space on your device to make new memories!
Related Post: How to Organize Digital Photos in 5 Easy Steps
4. Change the monthly theme on your phone.
I’ll admit this task has nothing to do with organization. But seriously, it makes a huge difference in your mood if you just find a little time to switch things up.
Looking at the same colours on your home screen every day for months on end starts to feel a little stale.
I’ve noticed that when I change my phone’s theme on a monthly basis, not only do I feel more light and inspired at the beginning of the month, but I’m even more in tune with how the seasons are changing around me. Try it and see what you think; you will be amazed with what such a simple change can do for your morale!
Related Post: How to Use Your Phone With Intention and Purpose
5. Go through all papers, magazines, and books.
Throughout the month, loads of papers, pictures, notes, and flyers come through your doors. If you don’t take the time to look at everything, you will lose the important information in all the trash.
Do your best to be constantly reviewing the papers you come across.
But when even the best of us fall short of that expectation, a monthly purge is a fail-safe way to keep from falling too far behind. Make sure you take the time each month to get on top of it.
Related Post: How to Manage Your Paper Organization Like a Boss!
6. Empty all pockets and purses.
I don’t know about you, but I find the task of organizing a purse particularly satisfying! It is easy and quick to do, but in the process, you usually come across some fun items (why exactly did I have a kinder surprise toy in my pocket?)
And, if you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself a little cash in the process!
Related Post: How to Keep Your Purse Organized
7. Check and plan for monthly holidays, birthdays, and events.
I don’t know about you, but I am just horrible at remembering events. I’m lucky if I remember my own birthday half the time!
If you are anything like me, then this monthly task is a must!
At the beginning of your month, take a look through your calendars and social media and invitations. Write down anything that stands out. Put all of the information in one place so that it can’t be missed. I like to keep a bullet journal with a future log that has all the important dates recorded at the beginning of the year.
If you want to go the extra mile, write down all of the to-dos that you will have to tackle for each event with an event-planning brain dump. Some of these tasks could include making/buying cards, planning parties, or buying decorations and gifts.
Having this task completed will help you not only to remember what is coming up, but it will save you so much stress by helping you to get prepared for those upcoming monthly events.
Trust me, your future self will definitely be thanking you for doing this now.
Related Posts: How to do a Brain Dump to Start Your Week Right /// A Helpful Guide of the Best Things to Write in Your Future Log This Year
8. Schedule Monthly Appointments.
You already have your calendar out. As a result, you know what days are already booked up, so you can go ahead and book any other appointments you don’t want to miss.
When you really take the time to think about the things that have been on your mind (social, mental, or physical things you’ve been meaning to get to), scheduling them in your month ahead of time will ensure that nothing gets forgotten- yet again!
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9. Make cards for monthly occasions.
This step comes naturally after you have figured out everything that you will be doing this month.
If you are crafty and like to make your own cards for birthdays and parties, this task might be a good one for you.
It is nice to have a time set aside to really enjoy the crafting process. Plus, your mind will be at ease knowing that you are prepared for your month.
One huge bonus of doing the crafts all at once is that you only have to get your tools out once, and cleaning up is one simple step.
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10. Check all of your bank accounts.
Though you are likely checking up on your bank accounts and budgeting more often than not, scheduling a time to really take a look at all of the accounts gives you a guarantee that, when you start to lose track of things, your bank accounts are still getting checked at least once every month.
Check that nothing is amiss, familiarize yourself with what you’ve got in your accounts, and record it somewhere if that helps.
Related Post: 10 Helpful Budgeting Tips When You Know Nothing About Finances
11. Review your budget.
After you’ve got a good understanding of where you stand financially, this would be a good time to re-evaluate your budget.
Make sure that your budget allows you to live within your means given what you already have, and decide if you want to set aside money for anything specific, like events or tithing.
Maybe you are saving up for a vacation, or maybe you want to buy that fancy new gadget on the market- whatever it is, decide your game plan before jumping into a purchase. Your wallet will thank you later.
Related Post: How to Tithe and Why It’s Important
12. Check for things to donate or toss.
For anyone looking to live simply, I would highly recommend this task!
First, take a slow walk through the house and evaluate each item you see. Next, consider whether or not you have used or appreciated that item in the past few weeks and decide whether or not it’s worth keeping. If not, figure out if you want to donate it to a charity or a friend. If it is in poor condition, consider reusing some of the material (I like to re-purpose old shirts for rags) or if you would be better off tossing it.
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13. Choose a learning goal.
I am all about that personal development! Back when I was a teacher, PD Days were something I really looked forward to. I just love reflecting on my performance and skills and coming up with new learning goals for my classroom.
But personal development is not just something you can do in the workplace; you can also do it at home. In fact, you should also do it at home.
It doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal, though, and you will probably find that it’s something you’ve sort of unofficially been doing already.
Just take a little bit of time to look back on your month and reflect on what you’ve been learning in your life. Once you’ve done that, simply decide on one thing you’d like to dive into during the next month.
For example, it could be something hands-on, like finishing a diy project you had forgotten about.
Maybe it’s something more academic, like taking an online course about something you find interesting.
It could even be something more emotional, like trying to gossip less or letting yourself take more time to just do nothing.
Take an honest look at what you need, and let that be your goal. It’s a small thing, but it can be a nice feeling to walk into the next month with something that you want to do to improve yourself in a small way.
Related Posts: 20 Helpful Journal Prompts to Reflect on Your Year /// 5 Unique Ways to Stop Feeling Stuck and Transform Your Life
14. Do a Monthly “Brain Dump”
If you struggle with feeling overwhelmed because there are simply too many tasks swimming around in your head and you don’t know where to start, a brain dump will definitely help you. Brain dumps are a great way to get all of your thoughts in one place in order to take action with a clear head.
Related Post: How to do a Brain Dump to Start Your Week Right
15. Reflect on your spiritual life.
Now, you might be telling me, “Hey now, I’ve already reflected on my life enough. I’ve considered my learning goals. I’m good to go!”
Maybe. But let me explain.
We’ve already considered some of the more concrete things that we want to achieve– things that help us get ahead in life- but have you considered your spiritual life?
What is God doing in your life lately that you have been thinking about and working through? What is he calling you to focus on next? In what ways have you seen him working in your life recently?
In my own routine, I like to go through my prayer binder and write a summary of what God has been doing with me that month. It is a great way to strengthen your faith by noticing the way that God has been interacting with you. It is also a great way to set some intentions for your spiritual life so that your relationship with God does not stagnate.
There are lots of ways to approach this area, so think about what speaks to you and make that your task.
Related Post: 31 Unique Christian Journal Prompts To Strengthen Your Faith
I hope that some of these monthly to-do list ideas can be of use to you somehow. Whether you choose to try the whole list or just a few, it is sure to help you feel a little more prepared for the month ahead! If you haven’t already grabbed the monthly checklist workbook, then go ahead and do that, too! It will definitely help.
What do you do each month to stay on top of things?
I love the idea of thinking about tasks month by month! I often get stuck in a day by day rut. Adding this list to my planner!
I get stuck in that daily rut, too! I definitely find this trick useful for that, because it makes sure that I’m catching all of the little details of life that I miss on a day-to-day basis. I hope it helps!
Oh, I’m obsessed with my to-do lists too. Every month I love to create one big goal to focus on and make sure I don’t forget someone’s birthday! haha
Haha birthdays are always a struggle for me, so I definitely like my monthly to-do list for that reason! It’s nice to hear from a fellow list-lover! 🙂
I am addict to list, sometimes even I do list for the list I want to do…..
Haha yah, me too! I have a “list of lists” in my bullet journal from last year :p
These are great tips! I’m truly awful at reflecting. I still want to look back on 2020 but I haven’t carved out time for it. Thanks for the encouragement 🙂
I’m glad this could give you the motivation to take time for reflection! I like to reflect, but like you, I won’t do it if it’s not scheduled into my life, so this monthly to-do list reminds me to schedule some reflection regularly 🙂
I need my lists! Not written down? Not going to remember. There are some wonderful tips here, but my biggest takeaway is cleaning out your purse each month. I don’t remember the last time I did that and I know there are all kinds of things floating around in there. I’ve got to do that…right now!
Haha yes! I am the same way; if it’s not written down, it’s not remembered. You’ll definitely get some amazing benefits from cleaning out your purse. When I started doing that, I was amazed by how organized I felt on a daily basis! The stuff we collect in our purses can get pretty insane sometimes :p
I’ve been reviewing my budget and goals at the beginning of each month. I broke my 2021 goals into monthly smaller goals, and I feel like it’s made a huge difference! I love seeing the monthly progress because it helps me keep the momentum going forward.
I totally agree, Kelly! I’m the same way- if I create a goal, I have to make sure that I revisit it regularly or I’ll forget what the goal was! That’s a great thing to do each month 🙂
This is fantastic!! I like to consider myself a pretty organized person, but even I don’t always remember to do some of these things and I need that reminder. I appreciate you putting this together and I know I’ll be referring to it towards the end of this month so I can prepare for March!
I’m glad you found it helpful! I definitely need it in order to remember those little items that slip my mind because they’re not quite as urgent as everything else. I hope it helps! 🙂
Oh man, you are so speaking my language! I love this post. Gave me a ton of new ideas – and #3 is something I really need to buckle down on and just do. Thanks for the inspiration!
Haha yes, cleaning up the photos is important but also seriously therapeutic. It feels so good to have it all cleaned up at the end of the month!
I love this idea! I feel like monthly is the perfect time frame for a lot of these organizational goals. I tend to get overwhelmed if I think I need to so something every day or even every week, so I think monthly could work for me without too much pressure.
Absolutely! Daily and weekly tasks for me need to be really digestible and manageable, otherwise, I won’t do them. I feel like a month is a good amount of time to give you a break without falling too far behind.