I don't believe a checklist is the answer. Large (complicated?) aircraft have simple checklists. Mine has three airborne checklists - After takeoff (2), Approach (2) and Before Landing (3). The sum total of all check items is SEVEN. When flying a piston aircraft for the first time, I used before departure and TMPFSH and BUF before landing. Everything else was checked and set in scan flows or adjusted as and when. By taking this approach, you are constantly considering where you are, what you are doing and why.
Keep checklist simple and relevant.
PM