Below you will find a list of my completely subjective prioritized rules when designing your own bucket list.

Remember those books, “Choose your own adventure?”

Well, things just got real.

It’s true, you can choose your own adventure. That’s right, I said it.

You can also choose your own adventure without selling your home (unless you want to), heading to foreign lands you’ve maybe only seen in National Geographic and you can share your knowledge with others. Below are {Red-i} By Chelsea’s Top 3 Crucial Rules of Creating a Bucket List.

1. There Are No Rules to Creating a Bucket List

Wait, what? Doesn’t that totally contradict the title of this post? Yes, yes it does and that’s the point. There are no rules by which a bucket list is governed. A Bucket list doesn’t have to be a set length with exact steps on the where’s and the when’s. It’s completely up to you. Have you heard anyone say, “My boss made me put this on my bucket list.” No, you certaily don’t, because it’s yours and only yours.

A romantic kiss in Venice with the love of my life…check!

If that means one of your goals is heading to Costa Rica, picking your own coffee beans and making coffee with a local villager – do it. If it means finally after 15 years, getting lasik surgery – do it! {Insert a raised hand HERE!}

2. Don’t Assume That You have to Sell all of Your Worldly Possessions to Fulfill Your Bucket List (unless you want to.)

Many of us do not have the luxury of a wealthy friend or family member who wants nothing to do with their own money, so they set up a travel fund for us. If you do, you can skip this “rule.”

I would never encourage anyone to take out a second mortgage, skip car payments, not get the necessary items for their family for the day to day lifestyle you have in order to take a trip. Let me reinforce that. Never, ever. Part of the beauty of this list is you are the master of your own domain, and therefore can create a timetable that suits you.

Red-i By Chelsea TIP: Stash the extra cash that you would have spent on nights out at the bars or restaurants and make a meal at home. When that jar starts filling up (or in my case, my ING fund) it’ll be much more worth it than that $25 martini…or two. It’s amazing the pile of green that can start to accumulate when you cut back on things that you can go without.

Wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico that we paid for ourselves in stashed away, cold hard cash…check!

Riding a camel in Egypt in front of the Pyramids? Check!

When the time comes to book that trip, or purchase that extravagant item you’ve wanted, you’ll never remember those martinis. If you do remember them, they might be awaiting you on the beach in Bora Bora.

3. It’s NEVER too Late (or Early) to Start a Bucket List

Once again, referring back to the “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, this list has absolutely no age limits or requirements. Whether you have a “Things I Want to Do Before I’m 20” list or you replace the age with 100, it’s all fair game. The lists may look a bit different, but it’s all fair game. Grouping your list in segments of decades might also be a more realistic way to do it. For example, see below:

Example of Items from My List to Accomplish Before I was 20:

• Study abroad in Spain (done, Winter/Spring 2004)
• Sail around the world (done, Semester at Sea, Fall 2004 turned 21 during my voyage in Brazil)
• Graduate college in 4 years (done, Spring 2005- 21 at the time)
• Move to NYC (done, Fall 2006 – 21 at the time)

My rooftop view in Brooklyn…check!