One pitfall of the to-do list is writing down more than can possibly be done in one day. You may never get started. Keep your list realistic. Many big projects get ignored because a person doesn't know where to begin. The next time you face a big project, take 10 minutes to break it down into pieces that will fit on to your to-do list.
Most people have a time that they are more productive.
Figure out what time is your most productive, and use that time to tackle a large portion of your to-do list. I will clean that closet this Saturday. Then write it in on your to-do list. You may fear you can't do the task well, or it may be a task you can't stand. Pinpoint the reason.