Bucket list maker: 154 ideas to pick, date and tick off

The short answer

A bucket list is a list of experiences you want to have in your life, such as seeing the Northern Lights, learning a language or running a 10K. Pick 10 to 20 ideas that excite you, give each one a rough date and a small first step, then tick them off as you go and keep adding new ones.

How to make a bucket list you actually do

1. Collect freely first. Tap every idea above that makes you think "I would love that", and add your own. Cut later.
2. Mix big and small. One or two big dreams, a few things for this year and several you could do this month for little money.
3. Give each idea a "when". A month, a season or an age. Press Add dates to write it next to the idea; it prints too.
4. Write the first small step. "See the Northern Lights" starts with "check the best months" or "save $25 a week". Put that step on your calendar.
5. Keep it where you see it. Print it for the fridge or save the image as your lock screen, and tick ideas the day you do them.

Bucket list template: what to write in each column

Column	What to write	Example
Idea	The experience, in a few words you can picture	Swim in a lake, a river and the ocean in one summer
When	A month, season, year or age	Summer 2027
Done	A tick, and the date if you like	✓ Aug 14

The blank template prints 30 numbered lines with those three columns on one page. For every idea sorted by type, with tips for couples, families and each decade, read the bucket list ideas guide.

Why experiences are worth a list

In studies by Van Boven and Gilovich, people said money spent on experiences, like trips and concerts, made them happier than money spent on things. A later study found that even waiting for an experience feels better than waiting for a new possession, so a date on the calendar is part of the fun. These are average results from surveys and experiments, not a promise for every idea on your list.

More lists and next steps

Only thinking about the next few months? Try the fall bucket list printable with 114 seasonal ideas. Want a picture of your list on the wall? Make a bucket list vision board. Not sure which part of life needs an adventure? Score yours with the wheel of life first. And if one idea is really a habit, like reading 50 books or running a half marathon, turn it into a 30-day plan.

Frequently asked questions

What should I put on my bucket list?

Experiences that make you think "I would love to do that": a mix of big trips, small local adventures, things to learn, things to make and ways to help others. Add a few you can do this month so the list starts moving. The filters above show ideas for travel, adventure, kids, couples, before 30 or 40 and this year.

How many things should be on a bucket list?

There is no rule. Ten to twenty is a good start: enough to choose from, few enough to remember. This maker holds up to 50, which still prints on one page. Add new ideas whenever you tick one off.

How do I actually complete my bucket list?

Give each idea a rough date and one small first step, like "look up flights in March" or "book a trial class". Put the next dated idea on your calendar, and pick a few cheap or local ideas you can do soon. The "When" box on each line is there for that.

Is there a printable bucket list template?

Yes. Print my list prints your ideas, dates and ticks on one page in classic, adventure or soft designs. Print blank template gives a one-page numbered bucket list with 30 empty lines, a box to tick and a column for the date.

What does "bucket list" mean?

It is a list of things to do before you "kick the bucket", an old saying for dying. The phrase became popular after the 2007 film The Bucket List. Today most people use it for any list of experiences they want to have, from this summer to the rest of their life.

Where is my bucket list saved?

Only in this browser on this device. Nothing is sent to our server and there is no sign-up. Save as image puts a copy on your phone, and printing keeps one on paper.

Sources and evidence

1. Van Boven and Gilovich (2003): To do or to have? That is the question — Across surveys and experiments, people reported that experiential purchases, such as trips and concerts, made them happier than material purchases.
2. Kumar, Killingsworth and Gilovich (2014): Waiting for merlot, anticipatory consumption of experiential and material purchases — Waiting for an experience was more pleasant and exciting than waiting for a material purchase, one reason to put a date on bucket list plans.
3. Gollwitzer and Sheeran (2006): Implementation intentions and goal achievement — Plans that say when and where you will act linked to better goal follow-through across 94 tests; used for the "when" and first-step advice.