[.ca] Checklists for Life: 104 Lists to Help You Get ... (ISBN 0375707336)

From Amazon.com:
At some point in our lives, we all wish life had come with an instruction manual; a little something to help us navigate the labyrinth of this complex world with a touch of grace and dignity. Is it so much to ask? Luckily for us, Kirsten M. Lagatree has risen to the challenge. Checklists for Life offers 104 lists that can help you with all those nagging little uncertainties, from organizing your closet to choosing a lawyer. "Show me a successful person," asserts Lagatree, "and I'll show you a list-maker.... Lists ensure that the job gets done correctly and completely--and with the added finesse that springs from an uncluttered mind." Categorized into personal safety, getting organized, stocking up, home maintenance, housework, flowers and plants, social life, correspondence, death, children, moving, travel, health, the law, your money, professional life, your computer, and your car, many of the lists in this book consist, as she points out, of commonsense advice. Others, though, are less obvious. For instance, her advice on extras to pack when you go abroad (electricity converters, adapters, pre-addressed envelopes and Benadryl, just to name a few) and choosing realtors (Do they insist on a buyer/broker contract? Do they use a computer to help find homes?) are clearly the product of experience. While all the lists are highly helpful--the checklist for organizing your workspace alone is worth the price of the book--the best seem to be those for less common events, such as buying and moving to a new home or preparing for court. Lagatree has clearly done her research on these topics and her advice will save you time, money, and a great deal of stress. --Laszlo Simonyi

Yes, this is for a late teen.:
This is one of the internet pit-falls. A book seems very promising, and arrives a disapointment. For ones just starting out in the world, this is a very good book.

What's their problem?:
I bought this book a while back and have used it probably a dozen times over the past year -- including lending it to various friends who were clueless about how to do something (recently it was how to choose a mover). I'm just puzzled by some of the reviews here that are pretty nasty. In fact, a couple of these actually misrepresent what's in the book. What's up with that? Anyway...it's a good book and a great gift for anyone from a young person just starting out to a divorced man or woman, just starting over, to anybody who digs reading lists.

Very Useful:
I consider this book very useful. I am glad that I bought it. I found many useful checklists in it. I was able to use these checklists as a starting point to organizing many aspects of my life. I particularly found the checklists regarding safety deposti boxes, first aid kits, and finances very important to have.I also appreciated that she provided extra resources for more information. I had two complaints about this book which is why I rated it a four instead of a five. -The checklists cover too broad a range of information- from How to unclog your sink to how to pick a lawyer to first aid kits. I think this book would have been stronger if it had zeroed in on two or three types of checklists (finances and survival for example) and left the others out. - The author felt the need to explain many of the items on her checklist. Sometimes these explanations were necessary and important and provided more information about something. However, many of these explanations were unneccesary. I would suggest that this is a good book to have if you are trying to organize your life and your environment.

Helpful Little Handbook!:
I really appreciate the wide variety of lists here. Sure there are some no-brainers like how to clean up quickly or how do laundry (I wish my husband would read these!), but there are many much less obvious choices. How to shop for a funeral -- a real eye opener! -- is my favorite. The ones I've found particularly useful: 1) Which kinds of stationery to buy so I'll always be prepared to dash off a "correct" note. 2) How to choose a charity to donate to; 3) How to write various kinds of letters -- I recently had to write a condolence note to a friend and leaned gratefully on that "how-to" list.

A Good Reference for a Range of Situations:
I bought this book years ago and still enjoy referencing it for the occasions that I had yet to encounter. The author's style is simple and concise, yet friendly. No one book, without being incredibly bulky, will cover every possible checklist, but this one proves itself to be extremely helpful.