I am a compulsive list maker. My monitor is lined with post-it notes and my paper planner (yes, I still have one of those) is full of bullet points and checkmarks.
I’ve relied on Apple’s Reminders to get me through the summer months, but I’ve found a new app that is perfect for holiday shoppers (or everyday list makers like me).
Don’t Forget Your List is a GPS-based list app that reminds you that you need to stop at the store based on your current location.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve set a reminder to get milk, only to have the notification pop up 15 minutes after I’ve left the store. Super frustrating! With Don’t Forget Your List, you can choose to be notified anywhere from a mile away to when you’re parking.
And while it’s really convenient for grocery shopping, it can do so much more than that. For example, I’ve reminded myself to get copies of exam results the next time I visit my doctor. I’ve even added my own address so I can remember to text my mom and let her know I made it home safe — it drives her crazy that I can never remember to do such a simple thing.
Conceptually, it’s fantastic. And I’m happy to report that functionally, it’s pretty bad ass. The interface is extremely simple and user-friendly. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles and you don’t have to jump through hoops to get things done. Don’t Forget Your List is all about what matters: your list.
Opening the app, you’re greeted by a quick tutorial. You can either dismiss it, or keep it around for a quick refresher (I promise you won’t need it). I started by adding all the stores I visit regularly.
Don’t Forget Your List is pretty good about finding nearby locations, but I wish it had predictive text so I could find places faster. I did, however, run into a few instances where it couldn’t locate the store I was looking for, which meant I had to try to remember to search for it when I was actually at that location.
Then, when adding your list items, you can tap the building icon to the right and choose which location you want to use. Being able to add both elements in the same step is a big time-saver.
And I like that I don’t have to elect to be reminded on a certain day/time. I don’t have a shopping schedule and I hate rescheduling reminders. It’s too much guesswork!
To choose when you’d like your alerts to go off, visit Settings. Here you’ll be given four options: 1 mile away, 1/2 mile away, 1/4 mile away, or parking. I never really measured, but the reminders seemed pretty accurate. You can also customize the alert sound — I like to keep my alert different than all the others so I know immediately what it means.
Whether you’re trying to be more organized or just need a bit of help this holiday season, Don’t Forget Your List is a must. And the $1.99 price tag is way better than having to haul ass back to the grocery store because you forgot the milk.
