Could a daily to-do list help turn disorganized, overwhelmed lives around?

LONDON, 4 OCTOBER 2026 —

Whenever I thought about getting a handle on life – decluttering, sorting my finances, improving my health and productivity – I felt defeated. So I tried this month-long experiment to feel more in control A lvin and the Chipmunks was my wake-up call.

Zooming out, things weren’t much better. I had a mountain of clothes that needed to be hung up or put away, cupboards stuffed with God knows what, plates and mugs that I had never used … The thought of sorting everything out was overwhelming. My mind wandered to other areas of my life that could do with some scrubbing up: my finances, health and general productivity.

There are 24 hours in a day but, more often than not, they flitter away and I’ve hardly achieved anything. I am not the only person who struggles with the constant demands of modern life. Hence the boom in admin nights, where strangers gather in cafes and bars to blast through their backlog of unpaid bills, unanswered texts or unneeded subscriptions.

My first step, though, was to pick up a notepad and pen and do something I hadn’t done in a long time. I made a list, and immediately felt a little better about myself.

As Vicky Reynal, a London-based psychotherapist, puts it: “We all have something in our minds about the kind of person we want to be, whether that’s ‘adulting’ while taking more responsibility, or looking after ourselves to the best of our ability, and sometimes a to-do list can help us move a step closer.” So began what I hoped would be a month-long journey of self-improvement.

“Sort out clothes.” This is the first item on my to-do list. And what a mammoth task I’ve set myself. My clothing rail has two dozen smart-looking white wooden hangers to give my setup a sleek, curated look. But this is undermined not only by the shabby old garments hanging off them, in a sight to make Miranda Priestly gag, but also by the heap of clothing that sits in a compartment above.

The lower layers are neatly folded but the T-shirts, trousers and shorts near the top are scrunched and rolled up, slotted into random gaps to maintain the structural integrity of my fabric Jenga tower. The first step is to dismantle this heap, which, I’m ashamed to say, is almost three feet high. “Oh, I was looking for that” and “I’d wondered where that was,” I mutter intermittently as I sort through it.

My word, there is a lot of hideous stuff. For years, I have bought clothes only if they are in the sale and, aside from a few gems, I’ve amassed a wardrobe full of one-hit misfires, worn once before being tossed on the pile or shoved on to a hanger. Among them is a multicoloured denim Tommy Hilfiger jacket that Andrew Lloyd Webber would probably consider a bit much even for his Joseph.

I am about halfway through, with two bin bags full of clothes for the charity shop, when I realise I have taken on too much for one day. This is where I learn my first lesson: break down each task. “A good to-do list is achievable, realistic and has concrete objectives,” says Reynal.

“When you break down tasks into small steps, they become more manageable and less frightening.” Starting my day with a to-do list is not only becoming part of my morning routine – it is helping me form one again. Instead of jumping straight into work emails, I put my phone and laptop aside and, notebook in hand, think: what do I need to do today? This is much easier without the constant barrage of notifications.

I squiggle down the basics: make coffee and eat breakfast. It may sound silly, but as I tick off every task, no matter how insignificant, it gives me a push to keep going. I then write up a list of my work tasks, including a few I would normally leave until they became urgent, and feel calmer for it. It is the most productive working day I’ve had in ages.

I also jot down some other things I’d like to achieve today: spend an hour reading, go to the gym and buy some more bin bags for my clear-out. I finish sorting out my clothes after work. A gym session follows and, just before going to sleep, I fit in an hour of reading. I tick this final item off my list and get another hit of dopamine. Today is my first big test.

I’m in Barcelona for a weekend trip, and surely a holiday is a time to unwind and leave the pressures of normal life behind? But I don’t want to fall back into bad habits, so I’m pressing ahead with my daily to-do list. As I lie on my hotel bed, however, I realise filling it with tasks is a bit of a struggle. “Read for an hour” is the only substantial one.

The rest are things my mum would tell me to do: put on sunscreen, eat dinner, get souvenirs. I place the notebook in my backpack in case something else pops into my head, but I get carried away with having fun instead. Before I know it, it’s 2am and I’m in a nightclub. Out of nowhere, a pang of guilt hits me.

I haven’t opened my notebook for hours and most of my tasks remain undone.