I’ve tried using my phone for reminders, but sometimes I’ll miss an alarm if I’m wearing ear protection or out in the garage.
That’s exactly my problem too—earplugs and noisy tools make me miss half my phone’s alerts. I actually scribbled a rough checklist on the back of an old cereal box for the pipe project (recycling at its finest, right?). It got a little soggy, but at least it didn’t run out of battery like my phone tends to do halfway through a job. Not the most high-tech solution, but it worked... mostly.
Cereal box checklist—now that’s a move I can get behind. I’ve tried fancy reminder apps, but between sawdust and dead batteries, it’s usually just me and a half-broken pencil by the end of the day. I’ll admit, paper gets beat up pretty quick in the workshop, but at least you don’t have to worry about software updates or some random notification popping up about dog food while you’re elbows deep in pipes.
Honestly, there’s something satisfying about scribbling things off a physical list, even if it’s on the back of a box that once held Raisin Bran. Maybe it’s not “efficient” in the digital sense, but it’s real—and it works (most of the time). I’ve got a drawer full of old envelopes with notes and sketches for projects that went sideways, but hey, they got the job done. Sometimes low-tech is just less hassle.
Not gonna lie, I used to be all about the paper lists—old receipts, coffee-stained napkins, you name it. But after one too many times losing my “master plan” under a pile of PVC scraps, I caved and tried a cheap digital checklist. Now my phone’s as grubby as my wrench, but at least I can zoom in on the text when my glasses fog up.
- Paper’s great till it gets soaked or buried.
- Digital’s not perfect, but no more hunting for that one envelope with the measurements scribbled sideways.
- Still, there’s nothing like crossing something off with a real pencil... unless you lose the pencil.
Guess it just depends how chaotic your bench gets.
Honestly, I still can’t get behind the digital lists. Tried a few apps and half the time I’m fumbling with my phone with wet hands or dropping it behind the water heater. Paper gets trashed, sure, but at least I can stick it to the wall or fold it in my pocket. Maybe I just need to be less messy, but tech just adds another thing to break or forget to charge. Guess I’m stubborn, but there’s something about a crumpled-up list that just feels right... even if it’s covered in flux.
Can’t blame you for sticking with paper. I’ve tried those apps too, but when you’re halfway under a sink with sealant on your hands, the last thing you want is to smudge up your phone or have it slip into the crawlspace. I keep a stack of index cards in my toolbox—just jot down what I need, cross things off as I go, and if they get trashed, no big deal. Sometimes the old ways just work better, especially when things get messy.
