Shopping lists usually aren’t written in the order we shop.

We add things as we remember them.

Milk.

Bananas.

Laundry detergent.

Chicken.

Coffee.

Toilet paper.

Cheese.

By the time we get to the store, the list has us walking from one end of the store to the other—and sometimes back again.

I’ve done it more times than I can count.

And I don’t always shop at the same store every week.

Sometimes I go where the bargains take me.

That can mean one list for one store, another list for somewhere else, and a coupon tucked into my purse or pocket that I find when I get home.

The problem isn’t always remembering what we need.

Sometimes it’s having a list that works the way we actually shop.

That’s what this One Step is about.

Not planning every meal.

Not reorganizing your pantry.

Just making the shopping list a little easier to use.

Gigi Says…

Write your shopping list by store section, not in the order you remember things.

You can still add things whenever they come to mind. Just put each item in the section where you’ll find it.

It takes only a few extra seconds at home and can save a lot of backtracking at the store.

Your One Small Step

The next time you start a shopping list, give each item a home.

Produce goes with produce.

Dairy goes with dairy.

Frozen foods stay together.

Household and personal-care items have their own space too.

If you shop at more than one store, write the store name at the top and use a separate list for each one.

That way, when a sale or bargain catches your eye, you know exactly which store you’re planning to buy it from.

You don’t need to change the way you shop.

The list simply needs to work better with the way you already do it.

Free Printable • Shopping List by Store Section

I created this free printable to make shopping a little easier.

The list is organized into store sections so you can see what you need as you move through the store instead of constantly scanning one long list.

There’s a place for the store name and sale end date, which is especially helpful if you shop at more than one store or plan your shopping around weekly sales.

There are also small reminders for the easy-to-forget things—like coupons and whether you’ll need an insulated bag for cold or frozen items.

The printable is designed in landscape format with three columns.

Use it full size at home while you’re building your list, or fold it along the dotted lines to make it easier to carry while you shop.

The printable is completely functional on its own. You don’t need anything else to use it.