[Tex/LaTex] Itemize left margin

Question

I'm using itemize with the option

[leftmargin=5.5mm]

How can I extend this option to all itemizes in the whole document? I'm on

\documentclass[11pt,a4paper,book,twoside]

Thanks!

Answer 1

You can use the enumitem package to do this.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{showframe}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\setlist{leftmargin=5.5mm}
\pagestyle{empty}
\begin{document}

\begin{itemize}
\item hello
\item world
\end{itemize}

\end{document}

However, I don't think it's a good idea universally change this setting.
In particular, it will effect all list environments (such as enumerated lists).

Alternatively, \setlist allows you specify for which type of list the parameters values should apply:

\setlist[itemize]{leftmargin=5.5mm}

In this case, enumerated lists will not also be effected.

It would be better to define your own list environment.

enumitem provides some nice macros to tailor your own customized list:

\newlist{myitemize}{itemize}{3}
\setlist[myitemize,1]{label=\textbullet,leftmargin=1in}
\setlist[myitemize,2]{label=$\rightarrow$,leftmargin=1em}
\setlist[myitemize,3]{label=$\diamond$}

which when called as

Here's an example of a user defined list using \verb=\newlist= and
\verb=\setlist=.  The first argument to \verb=\newlist= is the name of the new
list; the second argument is which type of list (\verb=itemize=,
\verb=enumerate=, or \verb=description=) to model the new list on; the third
argument specifies how many levels you need the list for.  Minimally, you must
then call \verb=\setlist= to set the \verb=label=s.
\begin{myitemize}
  \item hello
  \item world
  \begin{myitemize}
    \item hello
    \item world
    \begin{myitemize}
      \item hello
      \item world
    \end{myitemize}
  \end{myitemize}
\end{myitemize}

produces

Alternatively, you can also do this as:

\newenvironment{myitemize}
    {\begin{itemize}[leftmargin=5.5mm]}
    {\end{itemize}