Summer is here and so is the dreaded errands in the heat! Ugh, I feel sticky just thinking about it! One tip is to try to beat the heat all together, go early or late, but if you cannot avoid doing some errands in the heat, try to streamline your errands. I have recently discovered a way to keep my sanity while running errands in the summer.
The other day I had to pick up chicken feed at the feed store. Usually this is a 6 step process. Go in, order, pay, get back in car, drive to loading dock, get my purchase. This time I called them on the way there. I knew just what I wanted and asked if I could pay for it over the phone and just go straight to the loading dock. They said, "Yes"! I gave them my credit card info over the phone and when I got there the guy was waiting for me with my order and loaded my van. I didn't even have to get out of the car! This meant I didn't have to get the kids out and back in the car either. I drove up, they loaded, I left... happy! Now that's what I call "Streamline Errands"!
Today I was on my way home from a friend's house, kids all hot and tired. Hubby called and asked if I could stop on the way home to pick up some shock for the pool at the local swimming supply store. My first thought was, "Ugh, tired tired, don't wanna" but then I had another thought, "Will the pool place let me pay over the phone too and have my order waiting for me at the front counter"? I called on my way and they said, "Sure"! Yahoo! I parked right in front of the store, ran in and signed the credit card paper and ran back out. My order was already in a bag at the counter when I got there, all I had to do was sign and run. In and out all in less than 1 minute! Thank you Jesus!
Streamlining your errands may still necessitate going into a store with kids, but all the shopping and payments are taken care of ahead of time so the trip inside is shorter. The other benefit to shopping this way is you are not tempted to buy compulsively. You get just what you need, nothing more.
Another sanity saving tip is try to combine errands into fewer places. This may mean you going to one of the big box stores, like Target or Walmart so that you can get 10 items at one store instead of making 5 stops at other stores. Even if you have to spend a dollar more on an item to do it this way, it will save your time and your sanity, especially if you are lugging small kids in and out of vehicles.
One last tip, do your hardest errand(s) first, that way it's done and over with while you have the most amount of energy.
Errand Streamling Recap:
1- Avoid heat whenever possible: go early or late
2- Ask if you can pay over the phone & if they will have your order waiting for you at the front.
3- Consolidate multiple errands into fewer stops/shops.
4- Hardest errands first.
Hope this helps you keep your sanity while running summer errands! Happy Streamlining!
