"I keep forgetting to take my cloth bags to the store. I feel awful about it! We live on the third floor of our building so emptying the cloth bags and taking them right back to the car isn't appealing. We leave them hanging by the door and then don't look at the spot where they hang as we leave! I have to break myself of that habit!"
Linda,
I, too, had that problem. One day at the grocery store I was soooo frustrated by my lack of remembering to bring bags from the car that I told the clerk to just put it all back in the cart and I would bag the food in the parking lot. Standing in the parking lot, bagging food into my canvas bag, I was more frustrated but really relieved that now I could figure out what to do when my bags were in the car or at home.
Thankfully, I have never had to bag groceries in the rain or really high temperatures. I have fallen into the habit of not taking them all the time. So, this post is to boost my memory. There are other solutions to forgotten bags than bagging them in the car or going home and bagging them to get them into the house. I would not want to climb three stories to retrieve bags. I really don't blame you for taking plastic!
Maybe one of these solutions will work or help you to figure out a viable solution for you:
*Bag the groceries in the parking lot like I do. (#1 for me)
*Bag the groceries at home after you retrieve the bags from the house like I do.
*Have two sets of bags that will give you an opportunity to maybe keep one set in the car.
*Get bags free or cheap so that keeping all bags in the car will allow you to have forgotten the rest upstairs.
*Ask someone to carry the bags down when that person is leaving but not going shopping, ie., when someone is going to school or work, even if the person is not going in the car that needs the bags.
*Attach the bags to your purse or keys so that you will have to take them to the car next time you leave...binder clip, twist tie, string, anything that will hold bag full of bags to your purse. It does not have to be pretty. It just has to get them beyond the door of your apartment, on the way out.
*Put all the bags you have into one bag, making it easier to get someone to comply and take bags to the car and easier for you to take them.
*Don't wait for grocery shopping day to take the bags to the car.
*Ask the store employees for a box or two so the walk up three flights won't hurt you. Yikes!
I don't have any way to improve your memory. If I did, I would improve mine first. LOL
How do you get more bags, cheap or free? I wrote a post about how I get bags cheap or free.
Your turn
It seems that remembering the reusable bags is a problem for many people. How do you solve the problem of remembering the bags?
Thank you Linda! I can commit to some of those tips. Its just remembering to remember! I do better in the warmer months because I am not so stressed out.
ReplyDeleteI get most of my bags as free promotional items, like when you go to special events. Once we actually bought soda and got a free bag. I make some if mine from cloth I buy at a thrift store as well.I will read your post on the subject. Thanks again!
Good. I just threw out a bunch of ideas that have worked for me or might work for another person.
ReplyDeleteI wrote an article on reusable shopping bags for the Savings.com blog. Here are a few tips from it:
ReplyDelete* Put one reusable bag, filled with your other reusable bags, on the same hanger that holds your coat.
* Keep a bag hanging on the knob of the door you use to exit your home, condo or apartment.
* Stash a few bags in the trunk of your car.
* Get at least one bag that folds up very small, and keep it in your purse, briefcase, backpack or coat pocket.
If it's kosher to post URLs, here's the link:
http://www.savings.com/blog/post/Forget-Paper-or-Plastic-the-Answer-is-Reusable-Shopping-Bags.html
Donna,
ReplyDeleteIt's kosher. Thanks for a few more ideas. Maybe people can find something that helps. Good ideas. Thanks for stopping by. I will check out that link.
I manage to remember my bags when I'm doing list shopping but forget when popping in for one or two items. When that happens, I pull out a produce bag or two that I always keep in my purse or just walk out without bagging. I had to get over worrying about funny looks as I carry my non-grocery purchase in a yellow produce bag.
ReplyDeleteDmarie,
ReplyDeleteThat's the moment when having a really thin, nylon bag in your purse would be great, like Donna suggested above. I turn down bags in lieu of carrying that single item out in my hands. Now, that brings funny looks, too.