What does “putting it on my list” mean?

When talking to other travelers, it is common to hear the phrases “bucket list” or “I’m putting that on my list.”  For many I think it is rhetorical.  For me it is literal…

I also pride myself that my trips (and therefore ultimately my blog posts and recommendations) are exceptionally well researched.  This goes back to my literal list.  So, what does that mean for me? 

I keep a never-ending, always growing spreadsheet of trips and ideas.  If I read a blog with a recommendation that intersts me, it goes on the list.  If I get a recommendation from a stranger on the bus, it goes on the list.  If I read a book or see a movie with a cool spot – you guessed it, it goes on the list.  Etc… Etc…

At the time I am writing this post, my spreadsheet has 57 tabs.  Some tabs are by continent, some by country or region, some are by city, and some are even by topic (hiking, beach etc…).  Let’s break it down…

The first several tabs are overall plans.  I have a rough 3-year plan on where I want to travel.  This helps plan my time off work, gives me lots of time to do detailed research, allows me to monitor what things should cost (how do you know if you are getting a good deal), gives me the opportunity to save money, and the ability to make plans with friends and family who might want to come with me, I can get in shape (if needed), and frankly – Dream!  In these first tabs I also keep a longer bucket list of ideas and destinations. 

Next, I have tabs for where I live and frequently visited locations.  I make it a point to get out in DC …. NYC is a short train ride away, and I try to make it to the London, Paris, DR and Spain as much as possible.  For these locations, I have a running list of things to do, places to eat, affordable hotels etc…  It sounds counter intuitive, but I want to be ready to be impulsive. 

The next set of tabs is for those trips coming up in the next year. These develop over time but have a fairly solid structure to them.  They might not have dates yet, but they outline what days are where, things to do, and places to eat.  And I start to develop how I will travel between locations. 

I will also have tabs for each of the locations on the rest of the three-year plan but those are less developed the farther out you go.  But I want to have a spot to record ideas as I hear and read about them. 

I also have dozens of tabs for other ideas and bucket list destinations.  Some of these are specific to a country or a city.  Others are less developed but a holding place for ideas.  As an example, I have been to Europe often but without a specific plan, it would be overwhelming and messy to have a tab for every country or city.  So instead, I have one tab to record ideas that have nowhere else to go.  Then, when a trip pops up and I start to create a plan, I will reference this tab to see what might fit into the trip. 

Unfortunately, some trips are completely planned but have no dates.  During COVID I started planning a trip to Melbourne and Tasmania.  The trip never happened and since then it has been replaced by other opportunities.  But until I can go, I keep adding to the list and refining the plan so I am ready when it happens.

I also rarely delete a tab even after a trip.  I learn so much in while traveling and always have new ideas of what to do “next time.”  These get recorded and saved if I can ever get back.  South Africa is a great example, I came back from my first trip with more places to see. 

Some might think this is a little much… but I love having an organized method to capture ideas and recommendations.  It gives structure to my dreams and helps me capture places to see or recommendations on where to eat and stay.