Mar. 23, 2009 - Getting Organised #6 - Shopping list

In my control journal I will have a file tab with blank paper and this is the place everyone needs to write what we need to buy.  I have tried to train my children (and I say try because I don’t think we are there yet!!) but we try and write down an item when we open the last of something from the cupboard.  This way I buy a replacement before we actually run out.  I have also stopped buying items in between major shops.  I shop once a week and if we run out of something we just go without until the next planned shopping day.  Toilet paper is an exception!

My real shopping list won’t be in my control journal because I have it on my computer.  

I use Excel for my shopping list.  Each column is an aisle in my local grocery store.  Many years ago I walked through my preferred grocery store and took note of what items where were and typed up a replica. I type up my shopping list, filling in each item we need to buy in the right place on my shopping list.  I print it off and head for the shops.

These days I take my girls shopping – they each take a shopping trolley and part of the list.  My list organized in aisles makes this extra easy.  I tear my list up; one aisle per strip and give the girls the aisles I want them to cover.  We can get through the shopping in less than ½ the time it takes me when I’m by myself.  

Future Project:

I would like to print a master grocery shopping list – where I insert all the grocery items into the framework I already have.  This way I could file the master list in my control journal and the kids could mark off what we need on the actual shopping list instead of me typing it up each week.  But I haven’t got there yet!