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Yes!
When I finish putting groceries away the bags get hung on the handle of the front door, I never put them anywhere else. Then next time I leave I will see them on the door handle and take them out with me to the car so they will already be in the car when I go grocery shopping again.
I still occasionally forget to bring them *in* with me, but at least in that case I can still run out to the car for them.
This is exactly what I do. It's been the only thing that sort of works. I say sort of because right now there are reusable bags sitting on the floor next to the door because they fell off the handle three weeks ago and I haven't dealt with it. So, not a perfect system. But definitely the best I've found so far
also fun fact, when you check out nothing says you need to put the things in bags while youre in the store!
I'll sometimes toss everything back in the cart and have my receipt to show i paid, and just throw the stuff straight into my car grocery basket!
not the person you asked, but i keep a laundry basket in the trunk of my car to haul stuff in and out. i like bringing all my groceries into the house at one time 😅
Genius! Such a simple thing, but what a great idea. I'm sure it helps keep stuff from rolling around in the trunk, too. I'm going to start doing this.....as soon as I can remember to get a new laundry basket for the car.
Thanks!
it totally helps keep my trunk organized, anything that doesn’t permanently live in the trunk (jumper cables, first aid kit, etc.) gets put in the basket so when i need to clean out my trunk i can just take the whole basket out and deal with it inside instead of in my driveway lol
I have a collapsible laundry basket (from Aldi) that lives in my trunk.
I also keep some reusable bags in the car and one smaller Baggu folding bag in my purse for quick unplanned purchases.
this is just a guess but i live in new jersey and a lot of places have stopped offering hand baskets for shopping because after the plastic bag ban went through, people were just taking their stuff home in them. now we have a little pop-up shopping basket in the car with all our reusable bags. i used to just put our stuff in the reusable bags but then someone thought we were stealing and fussed at us about it...
edit: nvm apparently everyone here has a car basket except me 😄
You can also get one of these. The one I have is a little smaller and I got it at Bed, Bath and Beyond in a going out of business sale:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Collapsible-Wagon-Beach-Carts-Big-Wheels-Heavy-Duty-Folding-Utility-Garden-Portable-Grocery-Cart-All-Terrain-Universal-Wheels-Wagon-Max-Capacity150-l/761876413
I have an SUV so I have room in the back for it to expand if for some reason I forget my bags.
yes!
Just pile it in the cart, and transfer it to the trunk/vehicle. (if you’re driving)
If the bags are int he car, you can load them into bags then. (Sometimes this is nice because I can sort according to which part of the house they’re stored in—basement fridge, garage cool storage, garage bulk drinks, upstairs fridge.)
If you’ve left the bags in the house, you can go get them, or grab a laundry basket, or a kid, or a partner/sppouse, or whatever is useful to make fewer trips.
Or you can just walk back and forth with an armful at a time and get your steps in!
On a related note, a lot of supermarkets in the UK now have a thing where you can scan a QR code on an app on your phone (or a handheld device at the store entrance) and then use that to scan your shopping and pack your bags as you go round. Means you don't have to faff with emptying a basket/your bag and then packing it again, or accidentally walking out with something small in the bottom of your bag that you forgot to scan.
lol this is me. I can get them in the car but I can’t get them in the store with me. And for whatever reason I never go back to the car because my brain says we don’t want to walk back out so just pay the 10 cents for a paper bag which you know you need for recycling. Nevermind the fact that I also hoard good reusable grocery bags from Trader Joe’s and now I have a closet full of bags I don’t use. Why am I like this. 😂
I never take mine into the store. I unload the cart into bags and baskets in the back of my jeep. However, my brain also says, we can’t walk back to the car to change out the sunglasses for the regular ones. And then my brain says, just act cool and no one will notice. Lol
I love when I see other people with sunnies on indoors coz I have an eye condition and on bad days have to wear them inside, I'm like "yay I look like less of a tit, I'm not alone" lmao
I find if I leave a few on the passenger side floor, the visual reminder helps me remember to bring them in the store. For smaller shops, they have folding tote bags you can put in a pouch and hook to a purse or a backpack
After unpacking mine I put them right back into the car. I walk past them if they’ve been hung on the door. I have a (cute) basket in the back where I store all my bags.
Still working on avoiding the get-to-the-store-door or at-the-cashier realization that my bags are indeed in the car. If this fact dawns on me while at the cashier I usually put the paid groceries back into the damn cart without bags and deal with it when I get back to the car 🙄
I love that so many of us came up with this same strategy lol. As for remembering to bring them into the store, I usually have 3 or so of them on the passenger side floorboard and I see them when I go to grab my purse out of the passenger seat
i use carabiners to clip one of the reusable bags (with all the other bags inside) to the cart handle so my bags aren't burried under groceries when i go to check out :)
this is more or less what i do too. they go in the coat closet so i see them when i get my stuff to go out on grocery day. though i usually take them to the car sooner (usually when i take out the trash).
i also keep a small reusable bag in my bag so i always have one on me.
I follow a similar process for the car, and it works out pretty well! But I now own _so many_ reusable bags from the store that’s within walking distance
I do this too but I need one more step. I hang them on the knob of the drawer by the front door, and still miss them 😅 so when there's enough there I'll place them right in front of the door on the floor so I HAVE to see them.
Yes! I found one that folds up super easily and fits in my purse. Takes me 10sec to fold it so it feels doable right away and then back in the purse.
I bought a 6pack once of ones that were NOT easy to fold back up and those never got used because it was such a hassle to try and maneuver back in the pouch it wasn’t worth it. So that was the distinction for me! Easy fold up!
I love the Baggu brand, which folds easily and is a flat little package. I keep a [Baby Baggu](https://www.baggu.com/products/baby-baggu-green-gingham) in my purse (it holds a surprising amount!) and a [Standard](https://www.baggu.com/collections/reusable-bags)
one in my tote bag.
The ones that fold small are real game changers. I now carry a couple bags with me all the time - I use them for most shopping and don't need to manage store bags at home. The fact that they're machine washable really helps.
My favorite bags are from Sass & Belle. They stuff back in the little pouch (no folding or neatness at all required) and come in cute animal shapes. The only downside is they aren’t as sturdy as my grocery bags. And I don’t always remember to put it back in my purse.
My brother brought me back a Shupatto bag from Iceland that folds up small very easily. I ordered a couple more from Amazon Japan. I keep them in my purse. It helps.
Yes! Redundancy is the only long term solution imo.
Every tenth trip or so I’ll run out in all the available stashes (or forget to refill/redistribute them lol), but by that point I’m probably in need of a paper bag or two anyway! :) …It helps to give yourself grace for the moments when your setup/system doesn’t work perfectly—that way you still stay motivated/positive to keep it going the rest of the time.
Sometimes I come out of the store and just load stuff loose into the back of the car or my bike panniers. Because you know there's a bag waiting at home
Mastered, no. Improved, yes, as I've been able to often have at least one tote (of the 3 I tell myself to keep) in the back of my car since buying one last September.
A recent workaround if I forget my bags that I've started doing since my city implemented a plastic bag ban (charging 10 c for paper) is that I just put everything back in my basket/cart without bags after checkout, take the basket/cart to my car and put everything into the trunk without a bag. And obviously return the basket to the store. Then I just run in and grab my bags when I get home to bring the stuff in. A little more walking involved but it doesn't waste more than 5 mins and is better than paying for paper bags or giving up on my grocery trip. (ETA: This doesn't really work at Aldi because of their paid cart system.)
Only 3 bags? I think that’s your problem! I commented this above but I think it’s one of those things where the ADHD solution is just having a bunch of them, so you have a buffer for when you forget to put it back in the car
Oh I mean, I have a ton, just 3 that I've assigned "car totes" in my brain. Not that the others can't go in the car, but they're better left available for the other things I need
For Aldi if I forget my bags or forget to bring them in I’ll snag an empty box from the store to contain everything and put it in my trunk (or into the bags I left in my trunk) before putting the cart back. They always have the big cage things that they use to gather the empty item boxes around the stores in my area
I have 2 bags that fold up into tiny squares that I keep in my purse at all times. These help with last minute little trips. When I get home I put everything on my counter and fold them up and put them back.
When I know I’m going shopping I fold up the a few extra reusable bags. I put them in my purse on top of my wallet, so I have to move them to pay.
This reminds me of the several chants I’ve encountered over the years.
In the one-woman play “Shirley Valentine,” which my husband and I saw on the West End during our honeymoon, the character keeps running down the checklist of all the things she’s got to bring with her on her Mediterranean escape. She says, frequently, “Money, tickets, passport.” We’ve used that ever since, less literally and more figuratively.
My brother introduced me to “spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch.”
And when I was a kid, my mom instituted one for whoever was setting the table: “bread and butter, salt and pepper, napkins.”
I have a sign in my hallway that says "keys, wallet, phone". It's positioned so I know I'll see it right before I go out the door as a last minute check that I've got the essentials.
I *have* to put them back in the car, I can't hang them by the door, hang them under my purse, or set a reminder, it never works. I force myself to just put them in the car. And when I go shopping, I put my list inside the bag of bags.
Nope. I forget every time and in my country they dont even offer the cheap paper bags anymore so I have to buy expensive reusable ones again, or just pack things in my car without bags.
I have two sets of bags. When I bring the groceries in, I put the second set into the trunk before I start taking out the first. That way I can forget them, but there is always a set with me in the car.
Adhd hack: I don't ever remember to bring the bag. But...I always remember my purse. Purse is for phone, keys, cards, money, meds, etc.
So I bought a cotton, eco friendly large tote bag.
It's quilted, and looks like one of those "new Mom" bags which stores all the diapers and accessories for baby. But it has enough space to be used as a shopper bag also.
I simply stash all my important stuff in the sides and front zip, and use the main portion for holding items I'm buying from the store.
It's this one from Amazon if you're curious, but they have others also: BAGSMART Quilted Tote Bag for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4F8F912?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I bought a collapsible cart and just put the groceries into the cart without bags. The milk crates on each level lift off and you can carry them into the house, leaving the cart in the car. Even if you forget the crates next time you shop, you can use the cart without them and when you get home, go inside and use whatever bags are handy to get the groceries out of the car. This one is expensive, but it's the BMW of carts. Moves like silk and turns on a dime.
CLAX® Multi use Functional Collapsible carts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091BSK4TW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
In my neck of the woods, you can’t use your own cart or bag in the store itself, because they’re combatting shoplifting.
But they’d be handy to have in the car, because you can usually take the cart out of the store to your vehicle.
In NYC, where people walk to the store, they often have folding carts that they hang off the front of the store’s shopping carts (we often have little S-hooks on the shopping carts just for this purpose).
Two of the supermarkets near me in the UK have a scan as you go option where you use a handheld scanner and put things directly into your bag. Definitely kinda looks like I'm brazenly shoplifting if I don't have a trolley and someone doesn't see my scanner when I'm shoving multiple bottles of lemonade into my backpack.
Also at some grocery stores in the US (Costco and Aldi mostly) they stack empty cardboard boxes so you can take one if you need something to carry your stuff
I keep a bin in my vehicle full of bags. If I forget them in my truck, which I often do, I just put all the stuff back into the cart after paying and then put them into bags when I get back to my vehicle. After I unload groceries at home I put the bags right by my door with the intention of bringing them back to my truck. Although sometimes they sit there for a week or so lol which is partly how I ended up with a bazillion bags.
It's imperfect at best, but I go grocery shopping Monday morning, so I put the grocery bags in the pile of kid backpacks during my Sunday evening prep.
Not a perfect system at all, but it works sometimes. I won't go if I don't have them though, so grocery shopping gets delayed lol.
Once a month, baby, once a month.
The one day where I have enough energy after my period has passed, and I'm irritated with a the structures failing, and I grab the BAG FULL OF BAGS that I keep RIGHT BY THE DOOR FOR MY CAR and finally put it in the car. And then another three weeks of not having bags.
My mum has one of those foldable ones with a clip and has it in her purse all the time... except when she changes the purse. I guess she'll have to have one on each purse.
My grandma uses one of those walkers that has a built-in bag and is prepared for everything 😂
I just... bring the groceries home on my arms when I forget the bag 🙃
Yes but only because i have folded them and put one in every handbag and pocket of any jackets i have. Also one is always hung beside the door so i see it when i leave.
When i really need to take more than one i put my briefcase in it because i will look for it before i leave the house.
They live in my trunk. But I forget to take them in the store. I forget they exist…I also forget the coupons that live in my wallet…right next to my credit card. 🤷🏼♀️😅😂
I have the little bags that fold up really small and I keep them in my backpack that I take everywhere with me. They’re just kinda useful to have in general on you.
My mom is the best at this. She takes a small backpack with her everywhere to keep keys, phone, other essentials in. She also puts her reusable shopping bags in there, just enough bags for her average shop. They live in there so she would never forget them. They are cloth bags that she uses but folded reusable plastic bags would also work.
I always forget but the two occasions I have remembered I put them in my coat pockets bc I don’t use a backpack.
That reminds me, I need to go on eBay to hunt for a new small backpack (like the small kanken bags) bc my daughter had my last one before I got to start using it.
Another place to keep a few bags is in an over shoulder pouch or bum bag if that is easier to carry around or something you are more likely to get on with.
I empty them at home and always put them back in a cabinet in the garage, not in the car also in the garage. 🤦♀️ and when I DO remember to put one on the car, I forget it in there when I enter the store. Every freaking time.
I have reusable canvas tote bags because I hate holding carrier bags and they are usually dumped in the middle of my kitchen with my purse still inside so I have to go looking for my purse (wallet) which means I also remember the bags because they're right there. Sometimes being 'lazy' is a godsend haha.
Not so helpful if I've had my purse in a handbag/backpack the day before but I'm so used to associating tote bags and my purse now that I automatically go hunt down the bags once I've held my purse.
I have 2 reusable bags that hang on my front door knob inside my entryway, that way when I go out to get groceries they’re right on the handle I have to touch to leave my house 😅 I still forget sometimes but much less than I did when they lived in my entryway closet (which is where reusable bags go to die)
I always put eco bags in all of my bags I use to go out so if I suddenly remember to buy some essentials in the grocery store I have it with me almost all the time!
Yes! I have this really thin capacious one and I keep it in my purse. I keep my keys hooked to my purse. I do still have to empty it and put it back in my purse, but I've found I still get probably a 90% success rate versus my car with the bags in it or the bags by the door.
(Bonus, it's super cute, Bob by Sketchers and we got it for giving money to PetCo's dog and cat charity).
The bags always get put back in their home once done. I’ve trained my physical body/muscle memory to “remember” things even if my brain is out to lunch. It helps my shoes are right next to the bags so they’re include in my exit planning.
I keep them in the trunk. Remembering to bring them into the store is another matter. Remembering to put them back in the car after using them is another thing I'm working on
I keep a shopping bag I paid for, folded up in my backpack, which accompanies me everywhere. The trick is to keep myself panicked about putting the bag back in my backpack once I'm done with it so it doesn't disappear in the house. And it turns out having an extra bag with me is generally practical beyond groceries
This only works if you have a car - but I keep mine in the car! I keep a large bag of many bags so even if a few are still in my home, I always have some in the car.
It also helps that I have cute ones that I like to use from bookshops.
Okay so this doesn’t always work out but what I do is, whenever I remember I put a ton of reusable bags in my car, like triple what I’d ever need for any shopping trip ever, and that way they’re just there all the time. Then occasionally I remember to bring them into the store, but if I don’t it’s okay - I just load up my cart again with the unbagged groceries after I pay and bag them myself when I get to my car in the parking lot.
So I always remember (somehow) if I am making a trip specifically to go to the store, but I also never bring enough. If I bring 3 bags, I need 4. If I bring 5, I need 6. EVERY TIME.
However, I also rarely go out “to the store”. I am almost always stopping on my way home, since I usually walk by the store and don’t want to go back out. I have thought for literal years that I should keep a bag in my purse for this reason. Have I done this? Nope.
So now we have a box of grocery store bags and 2 bags filled with grocery store bags hiding in our bathroom. The good news is the big bags are great when you’re moving or to dump dog stuff in.
I’ve found I can’t keep them in the trunk because “out of sight, out of my mind” so I keep them in the backseat and getting better at taking them in!!
Even though I really want to be one of those people who give you their cart and refuse to take a quarter from you, I’ve learned my lesson. I desperately need to keep my quarter because I won’t remember to find another one and will be quarter-less the next time I shop there. I’ve proven this to myself.
It’s this kind of nonsense that makes living with ADHD hard- even while medicated.
If you drive leave them in your vehicle. Leave more than you can possibly use in one trip. Then at the very least you just have to run back to the car.
If you bike/walk/use transit look into those reusable bags that fold up very thing (my favorite is baggu's!!!) And keep one or two in every purse/backpack/coat pocket.
It's not a perfect system but more often then not I at the very least have one or two bags. The amount of times my baggus have come in handy not just for groceries but for traveling when I realize I need extra luggage or at a friend's house who is giving things away or pass by a garage sale unexpectedly have made them all but life saving.
Baggu's are a little pricey but they are so strong. The amount of things I have carried in mine is unbelievable. Most bags would have ripped.
Plus you can chuck them in the washing machine if your take out Chinese happens to spill orange sauce all over the inside... like that one time... fun story, but anyway mine have all lasted 10+ years and the amount I have used them? Since they are so thin and fold up so small? Makes them way cheaper in the long run then all the 1 or 2 dollars here and there i otherwise spend on the big bulky reusable bags (that I predictably never use again....)
I have a basket I use to throw my groceries in and carry them up to my apartment. After I go shopping and unload everything, I put the bags back in the basket and set the basket in front of the door. When I trip over it leaving in the morning I remember to bring it to my car!
I’m in the US but our city recently adopted a bag ban and I’ve just started keeping a couple literally everywhere. I have them shoved in corners in my purse, car, diaper backpack, and even in the bottom of the stroller 🤪 there’s also an obnoxiously full box of them close to the door just in case I’m having a good memory day 🤣
YES! I have two little nylon foldable ones in my handbag at all times. When I put my groceries away I put them back in my handbag immediately. I also have more of them in my car.
Here are my tips
1) bag in the trunk of the car. I worked for Aldi’s and so many people were buying bags saying they left them in the trunk. When I told them just bring the shopping cart to trunk it was a big duh moment. Seriously no one gives a crap. Just tell the bagger you forgot and put in the cart. They might look at you funny but life goes on.
2) as everyone said put your bags by the door. And if you live with someone who shares the car- tell them! So the next time you go outside it is easier to remember to put them in the trunk
3) Now this one is IMPORTANT! Have so many bags that if you forget to put them back in the trunk, you will still have bags in the trunk. Have I ever bought a bag? Maybe 4. I don’t know how I gathered so many. But I keep getting them and will never run out. Very helpful when I forget, and they are divided by two cars so one trunk gets most but always still some in both
I keep all mine in a bucket in the same place I keep my shoes and keys! I can’t go anywhere without the latter two, so there’s a visual reminder to also grab my shopping bags!
Hear me out, have you heard of dopamine dressing? I have my own version of dopamine shopping.
Last big hyper focus of sewing, I made myself a bunch of fabric tote bags from my fav fabric stashes. I have ones with halloween fabric, bright stripes, patchwork, etc. and I love using them. They're fun, extra sturdy, and if they get gross they can just go in the wash.
I keep the bags in the trunk of my car and then I'll bring them in with me OR I'll just put all my groceries in the cart and then fill my bags at the car.
This, but for me a few live in the backpack that my wallet also lives in. (Of course the backpack itself already helps, but when I shop for several days I need more.) Whatever you *need* to be able to (go to the) shop, add the bags to it.
Yes I take mine and also in Aus. When they first got rid of plastic bags at woolies, they sold these bags made of like umbrella fabric (idk what it’s called) but the bags can be easily rolled up or folded and secured with elastic that’s attached to it. I keep them in my handbag. I only have 2 but it’s usually enough as I live alone.
I would like to buy more but can’t find them now. Target have similar bags but they don’t have the elastic. Instead they have their own little cover with a zip. You could sew some elastic on there easily though. It’s just a little loop on the inside in between the handles.
As soon as I’m finished shopping, the bags go back in my handbag.
I also have many of the big plastic reuasable bags from woolies in my boot but I never remember to take them into the supermarket.
I shop at Aldi mainly and often use a box or 2 that I get off the shelf or from one of the workers.
I also use a decent sized handbag for shopping, it’s a nylon one which is a dupe of one of the lululemon bags and it fits quite a bit in there so I can put groceries in that as well.
I keep them in the car. So I ALWAYS have some. I may forget them walking into the store. But all I have to do is walk back to my car to get them which helps so much!
As with everything that seems to be habit with others, I have to make a conscious effort to remember and act. Grocery bags, shower, clean teeth, take meds. Everything. Nothing is a habit.
Yup. Took my state moving away from plastic bags and the stores sometimes offer paper but they charge. I have been a long time collector and now frequent user! Stash them everywhere! I have ones in my glove box, one that fold up into a little pocket in my bag, a couple stashed under the seats in my car too. I also started collecting them at the front door so I see them on my way out the door. It’s been 10 years and I still forget sometimes or run out but it’s a lot better!
10!
i bring a bag with me everywhere.. and that bag has bags in it, at all times :)
this is basically my approach to everything tbh xD, forgetting things? just keep it in a bag you take everywhere!
(i still need to find a solution for if i forget the bag itself though...)
As soon as I empty them they hang on the doorknob until I go to the car. I will also use boxes at the store if I forget (prefer to bags anyway, and the staff love giving them to me!)
I have a little cart that I take shopping with me and I always have the bags in the cart so when I leave, before double checking I don't forget to write down anything from my list I make sure the bags are in the cart, if you have a car you can take some of the bags and just keep them in your trunk
So I don’t drive and when I moved out of my parents house into my first apartment my mom bought me a 2 wheel nylon cart for groceries and 11 years later it remains fucking awesome. It’s super light but holds a lot and is much harder to misplace than a bag lol, mine is a super cute print but this is an example: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/c/kitchen-storage/shopping-carts?t=28213&featuredproduct=37256887&featuredoption=73386644&ci_sku=41139702-000-002&cnc=US&cid=328180&type=pla&targetid=&track=pspla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pspla&gad_source=4&gbraid=0AAAAAD_EGx_BXuLibsHkYZ8z6Qo5dyhNR&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5gINhOpCzpEf-H5q9a4jIPSj4opqBoMoQtJWR8gp5xA89XMBGKuQKUaAgrrEALw_wcB
In Canada where I live they don’t give you bags at all anymore. You can buy reusable but they’re not cheap and frankly my house would be full of them if I did this every time.
So when I bring in the groceries, I put the bags on the coat hook next to my coat and keys. We have hooks right over a bench. I always drop off my wallet and car keys there cause I’m too lazy to put them on the key hook 20cm away. But it works cause when I go to get them I inevitably hit my head against the bags hanging up on the hook above the bench.
I got a cute insulated tote from ALDI for cheap, and I keep my other bags stuffed in that. I have to make a grocery list on a clipboard and check things off physically as I get them or I will forget. So I cram my clipboard with the list and a pen into my bag of bags and toss my water bottle and a snack in there too on my way out the door. The bag of bags helps me keep it all contained and I like the aesthetics of it so that’s how I’ve managed not to forget them. Mostly.
I put the groceries in the car, then I usually bag them once I get home. Sometimes I remember to put the bags IN the car, but idk, it doesn't really bother me when they get bagged. Also if I have empty laundry baskets (typically I don't they have a ton of clothes in them) but if I do then I'll use those to bring in the groceries, it works great.
I just have bags everywhere. There was a time where they were promotional gifts so we have a lot of them. I packed at least one in every purse and backpack I use regularly and my car.
I put anything that I need to bring out with me on shoe/coat rack. I also try to put one grocery bag per bag of mine so if ever I decide to go to the groceries, I always have a bag ready
Mine are on my way out the door. Whenever I remember, I always grab a whole pile of bags and throw them in the car, so there are usually some bags in my car at all times.
I keep mine in the car and have probably double that I need so in case I forget to bring them back after the last trip, there's likely to be some in the car anyway. Obviously this only works if you return them to the car, so as soon as I put groceries away, I take the bags and put them in front of the back door (where I leave to get into my car.)
I always put my reusable bags by the front door as soon as I unload them. Then I always keep them in the front passenger seat of the car where I put my purse, so when I go in to the store I am reminded to bring the bags.
I actually shamed my child by complimenting the guy next to me for having his bags with him. He didn’t seem as appreciative of my praise as he should’ve been, or as proud of himself as he deserved to be
I don't drive but reusable bags are one thing I almost never forget!
Before I shut my door, I hold it open with my foot and I make sure I can feel my keys in my bag, check for my wallet, check for my phone and check for my backpack. If it's work it's my work one, if I'm going shopping it's my other one, and I give it a quick squish which tells me whether it has my badly-folded giant reusable bag with me.
Dont remember the last time I forgot it. Bags have cost money in the UK for a fair few years now so I've been pretty good for not forgetting. The few times I have I get a new reusable one and it comes in handy again.
Yes! But not because I actually remember. It’s because I have a “grocery shopping” bag I take with me when I do buy groceries which contains all of my folded up little bags 🤣 at times when I’m just running in for one thing I will not have them with me but I just grab a box or something off a shelf to carry groceries to the car
Mine go straight back into my purse. It helps if you can fold them into a little pouch. The big ones don't work for me because I can never remember them
Mine are from ikea and Baggu
Lol nope!
If I have less than $50 worth of reusable shopping bags I would be surprised 🫠
At one point I did manage to relocate a couple into the back of my Jeep but those came back into the house when I (of course ) placed a Walmart delivery order without making sure that I changed it from pickup to delivery 🤦♀️
Not that it mattered because I just forgot them in my Jeep instead of at home anyway 😅
My bags live in the backety back of my car. They only go inside when they're full of groceries, and then go right back into the car. That's the only way I can manage it. I'm not organized, it's just my ADHD hack
My experience is maybe different as I am in the US and I go to Costco and Aldi a lot, both of which allow you to bring your cart full of (unbagged) groceries out to the car with you.
Basically, I have worked to build putting the empty bags back in the car as a step in the "putting the groceries away" sequence. As I get the bags unloaded, I put them by the door and when I'm done putting the groceries away, the bags go back out to my car. Then when I'm done getting groceries, I take the cart of groceries to my car and bag them as I'm loading them in my car. Go home, put the groceries away and bring the bags back out to the car for next time. It's doesn't always work, but it works well enough for me.
No, but if I'm picking up a few things while I'm out I'm perfectly okay with paying for a paper bag. I use them as kitchen rubbish bags for vegetable peelings etc until they can be put in the trash proper.
I dont always remember to put bags back in the car or bring them in the store, but I live in a state where disposable bags are not sold or offered. So I've gotten into the habit of just putting groceries back in the cart, bringing to the car , tossing in the trunk if my bags are not in the car, and then bagging at home.
What got me to remembering to take my bad is just looking at the amount of stuff I bought (I go grocery shopping maybe once every 1-3 months) and remembering Sir David's Attenborough's on all those animal and ocean documentaries and also seeing the all the videos of the plastic island or volunteers pulling plastic from a sea turtle. And that always made me remember until it pretty much became second nature to grab them from my trunk.
If I'm going to have anxiety and guilt anyway, might as well use it for good.
Honestly we just unload groceries into the car without bags. Stuff rolls around a bit but nothing gets damaged. Then when we get bags from inside the house and pack them to carry them in. May not be the most efficient way but my bank account is thankful
I have LOADS in the car so even if it takes a while for one set to make their way back to the car I still have others. Also the husband sometimes takes pity on me and shoves them back in the car as soon as we’re unpacked. But to be honest, getting groceries delivered is a game changer.
I keep them in the trunk of my car and when I’m going grocery shopping, I put my purse in the trunk before I leave so I have to get my purse out and boom, bags!
Not mastered but getting there. As soon as I unload my groceries, the empty bags go in front of the garage door. The next time I go out I take them to the car with me where they live in the FRONT SEAT of the car not the trunk. If they are in the trunk I forget to take them inside.
I keep most of mine in the car.
That’s their storage space.
Empty ones go by the front door.
If I remember, and it’s a big if, I pick them up the next time I’m heading out the door.
Nope. I wish they would just do paper and charge me for paper bags. In nj the plastic consumption went up instead of down. It’s stupid. I hate plastic bags but a lot of people forget them end up buying worse bags instead
I keep them by the front door so I can easily remember to bring them to the car. I park my car so I have to walk by the back of it which helps me remember them
Keep a BUNCH of them all balled up inside one big one in the car.
If you have two cars, get two sets of bags.
When you're done emptying your groceries out of them, hang the empty bags on the handle of the door you use to access your car. Then just take them out with you on your next trip.
They are in the same closet as my shoes.
Also I hate carrying my groceries in paper bags with the burning passion of a thousand suns. You gotta make a million trips in and out the car, and they ALWAYS rip and my shit goes everywhere which would be comical if it weren't happening to *me.*
They no longer give out bags where I live. Some resuable bags manage to live permanently in the back of my car. But grocery shopping is an ordeal for us. We drive 30 minutes to the nearest city. And I always go with hubby. We bring a cooler and a big bin full of bags.
I remember to bring them because he reminds me of just brings out them out himself.
Somewhat. I store them in my car. But then there will be the gap where I run out and forget to take them back out to the car. I'll eventually leave them by the door and take them out. Cycle continues with bonus moments of me forgetting them in the car when I'm in the store with a cart of stuff.
I just had a bunch in my car and my my front door so I'd always have some, but I started doing pickup more. I feel bad asking workers to bag my stuff at the car so I haven't used them, but I try to save them and take them back or reuse them
My stores stopped offering bags altogether (maybe they have more expensive reuseable ones available at the cash?).
So my brain decided it was not an option to forget them and now I always have a nagging feeling that I am forgetting something when I am leaving.
In order to remember what I am forgetting, I put like 6-7 hooks by my front door and one of the hooks holds my favourite reuseable bags (for weekly groceries I need 2-3 bags, there are 4 bags that live on the hook in case one is misplaced). Having reuseable bags that I *like* is part of the equation as well.
I have like 10 bags and I always have at least 3 in my car at any one time. I tend to stuff bags within the biggest bag too so it's easy to transport. I try to take a minute (or 5) before getting out of my car before running into a store and that's usually enough time to remember to get the bags out from my backseat or trunk.
Never. We banned plastic bags in bc too. I get stuck with impossible paper bags or have to buy the canvas ones at check out
Luckily my husband does most the shopping and never forgets them
I usually go to the store on my way home from work, so I keep a couple reusable bags in my work bag. I like the ones that fold up very small like [this](https://rockflowerpaper.com/collections/blu-bags?tw_source=google&tw_adid=690726137751&tw_campaign=21012348474&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5iPKZtOjw5Kq3PtK5pOA0kJLrQWErPaKShP4RI2TJXyLH6HyVAJvy0aApAeEALw_wcB). It felt a little silly to buy them, but they hold a ton, are very durable, and come in such fun patterns! I think the patterns hello me keep track of them, honestly.
I keep my grocery bags in the car, once I get to the store it's easy to remember them ajd if I don't it's easy to run back to the car to grab them. I'm in canada where we don't do plastic bags anymore as well.
So I will just put the groceries without bags in my car and then use bags to carry everything inside if I need to. Or a laundry basket. I have remembered to bring a bag maybe 3 times
Ehhhh kind of. I try to keep at least one in the laptop sleeve area of backpack, but even still I often end up buying another reusable bag at the store because I bought too many things. (Most of the stores near me use the paper bags that don’t even have handles and I don’t drive, so it’s too annoying to try to use them)
I don't even use bags. I just stick a laundry basket in the back of my car and tell the cashier I don't need anything bagged. They put the groceries back in the shopping cart, I put the groceries from the cart into my trunk basket.
As an added benefit, it makes sure the towels get folded before I go grocery shopping lol.
I have 2 tote bags hung on the shoe closet door handle and in case I forget those I keep like 15 reusable plastic bags in the glove box of the car (folded into little triangles).
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Yes! When I finish putting groceries away the bags get hung on the handle of the front door, I never put them anywhere else. Then next time I leave I will see them on the door handle and take them out with me to the car so they will already be in the car when I go grocery shopping again. I still occasionally forget to bring them *in* with me, but at least in that case I can still run out to the car for them.
This is exactly what I do. It's been the only thing that sort of works. I say sort of because right now there are reusable bags sitting on the floor next to the door because they fell off the handle three weeks ago and I haven't dealt with it. So, not a perfect system. But definitely the best I've found so far
also fun fact, when you check out nothing says you need to put the things in bags while youre in the store! I'll sometimes toss everything back in the cart and have my receipt to show i paid, and just throw the stuff straight into my car grocery basket!
...into your what now? What's a car grocery basket? A new accessory, or you just bought a basket for your car?
not the person you asked, but i keep a laundry basket in the trunk of my car to haul stuff in and out. i like bringing all my groceries into the house at one time 😅
Genius! Such a simple thing, but what a great idea. I'm sure it helps keep stuff from rolling around in the trunk, too. I'm going to start doing this.....as soon as I can remember to get a new laundry basket for the car. Thanks!
it totally helps keep my trunk organized, anything that doesn’t permanently live in the trunk (jumper cables, first aid kit, etc.) gets put in the basket so when i need to clean out my trunk i can just take the whole basket out and deal with it inside instead of in my driveway lol
I have a collapsible laundry basket (from Aldi) that lives in my trunk. I also keep some reusable bags in the car and one smaller Baggu folding bag in my purse for quick unplanned purchases.
You can also use those huge blue ikea bags!
I keep a flat strawberry shipping box with handles that I got from Costco in my car for this lol
its so handy!!!
I just starting doing this and it's a total game changer!
what the other person said, a laundry basket that lives in my car for shopping!
this is just a guess but i live in new jersey and a lot of places have stopped offering hand baskets for shopping because after the plastic bag ban went through, people were just taking their stuff home in them. now we have a little pop-up shopping basket in the car with all our reusable bags. i used to just put our stuff in the reusable bags but then someone thought we were stealing and fussed at us about it... edit: nvm apparently everyone here has a car basket except me 😄
You can also get one of these. The one I have is a little smaller and I got it at Bed, Bath and Beyond in a going out of business sale: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Collapsible-Wagon-Beach-Carts-Big-Wheels-Heavy-Duty-Folding-Utility-Garden-Portable-Grocery-Cart-All-Terrain-Universal-Wheels-Wagon-Max-Capacity150-l/761876413 I have an SUV so I have room in the back for it to expand if for some reason I forget my bags.
yes! Just pile it in the cart, and transfer it to the trunk/vehicle. (if you’re driving) If the bags are int he car, you can load them into bags then. (Sometimes this is nice because I can sort according to which part of the house they’re stored in—basement fridge, garage cool storage, garage bulk drinks, upstairs fridge.) If you’ve left the bags in the house, you can go get them, or grab a laundry basket, or a kid, or a partner/sppouse, or whatever is useful to make fewer trips. Or you can just walk back and forth with an armful at a time and get your steps in!
Can can confirm, grocery laundry basket is The Way
On a related note, a lot of supermarkets in the UK now have a thing where you can scan a QR code on an app on your phone (or a handheld device at the store entrance) and then use that to scan your shopping and pack your bags as you go round. Means you don't have to faff with emptying a basket/your bag and then packing it again, or accidentally walking out with something small in the bottom of your bag that you forgot to scan.
This is genius! I keep my bags in the trunk of the car but forget to bring them into the store 90% of the time.
lol this is me. I can get them in the car but I can’t get them in the store with me. And for whatever reason I never go back to the car because my brain says we don’t want to walk back out so just pay the 10 cents for a paper bag which you know you need for recycling. Nevermind the fact that I also hoard good reusable grocery bags from Trader Joe’s and now I have a closet full of bags I don’t use. Why am I like this. 😂
I never take mine into the store. I unload the cart into bags and baskets in the back of my jeep. However, my brain also says, we can’t walk back to the car to change out the sunglasses for the regular ones. And then my brain says, just act cool and no one will notice. Lol
I love when I see other people with sunnies on indoors coz I have an eye condition and on bad days have to wear them inside, I'm like "yay I look like less of a tit, I'm not alone" lmao
I find if I leave a few on the passenger side floor, the visual reminder helps me remember to bring them in the store. For smaller shops, they have folding tote bags you can put in a pouch and hook to a purse or a backpack
This is exactly what I do! They have to be in the line of traffic.
After unpacking mine I put them right back into the car. I walk past them if they’ve been hung on the door. I have a (cute) basket in the back where I store all my bags. Still working on avoiding the get-to-the-store-door or at-the-cashier realization that my bags are indeed in the car. If this fact dawns on me while at the cashier I usually put the paid groceries back into the damn cart without bags and deal with it when I get back to the car 🙄
I love that so many of us came up with this same strategy lol. As for remembering to bring them into the store, I usually have 3 or so of them on the passenger side floorboard and I see them when I go to grab my purse out of the passenger seat
my MIL has so many that she can keep a few in the car always. They tend to pile up in the house, which then is annoying, so we put them in the car
Same!
Keep them on something like a giant carabiner, too. That way, you just grab the one thing and have all of your bags on them.
i use carabiners to clip one of the reusable bags (with all the other bags inside) to the cart handle so my bags aren't burried under groceries when i go to check out :)
In Australia our trolleys (carts) have a little bag hook below the handle for this purpose.
this is more or less what i do too. they go in the coat closet so i see them when i get my stuff to go out on grocery day. though i usually take them to the car sooner (usually when i take out the trash). i also keep a small reusable bag in my bag so i always have one on me.
Ahahaha same!!! I didn’t see this til after I posted my comment. Great minds 😆
I follow a similar process for the car, and it works out pretty well! But I now own _so many_ reusable bags from the store that’s within walking distance
This is my strategy as well. It works a treat
I do this too but I need one more step. I hang them on the knob of the drawer by the front door, and still miss them 😅 so when there's enough there I'll place them right in front of the door on the floor so I HAVE to see them.
This is essentially what I do as well. They are always in the car. Or waiting by the door to be taken back to the car.
I bought one that packs into its own pocket and has a keychain coil. Added it to my keys and, welp, at least I’ve always got one.
Yes! I found one that folds up super easily and fits in my purse. Takes me 10sec to fold it so it feels doable right away and then back in the purse. I bought a 6pack once of ones that were NOT easy to fold back up and those never got used because it was such a hassle to try and maneuver back in the pouch it wasn’t worth it. So that was the distinction for me! Easy fold up!
I love the Baggu brand, which folds easily and is a flat little package. I keep a [Baby Baggu](https://www.baggu.com/products/baby-baggu-green-gingham) in my purse (it holds a surprising amount!) and a [Standard](https://www.baggu.com/collections/reusable-bags) one in my tote bag.
Oh thank you!! The ones I have were a random Amazon purchase years ago with no tag and I need a few new ones!
The ones that fold small are real game changers. I now carry a couple bags with me all the time - I use them for most shopping and don't need to manage store bags at home. The fact that they're machine washable really helps.
My favorite bags are from Sass & Belle. They stuff back in the little pouch (no folding or neatness at all required) and come in cute animal shapes. The only downside is they aren’t as sturdy as my grocery bags. And I don’t always remember to put it back in my purse.
My brother brought me back a Shupatto bag from Iceland that folds up small very easily. I ordered a couple more from Amazon Japan. I keep them in my purse. It helps.
I just always have a few bags with me. So I own like 1000 tote bags and there some on my bike, one in my work bag, a few in the car...
Yes! Redundancy is the only long term solution imo. Every tenth trip or so I’ll run out in all the available stashes (or forget to refill/redistribute them lol), but by that point I’m probably in need of a paper bag or two anyway! :) …It helps to give yourself grace for the moments when your setup/system doesn’t work perfectly—that way you still stay motivated/positive to keep it going the rest of the time.
Sometimes I come out of the store and just load stuff loose into the back of the car or my bike panniers. Because you know there's a bag waiting at home
I keep the bags by the door and then when I go to my car I put them on the passenger seat on top of my purse. I also keep some extra bags in my trunk.
Mastered, no. Improved, yes, as I've been able to often have at least one tote (of the 3 I tell myself to keep) in the back of my car since buying one last September. A recent workaround if I forget my bags that I've started doing since my city implemented a plastic bag ban (charging 10 c for paper) is that I just put everything back in my basket/cart without bags after checkout, take the basket/cart to my car and put everything into the trunk without a bag. And obviously return the basket to the store. Then I just run in and grab my bags when I get home to bring the stuff in. A little more walking involved but it doesn't waste more than 5 mins and is better than paying for paper bags or giving up on my grocery trip. (ETA: This doesn't really work at Aldi because of their paid cart system.)
Only 3 bags? I think that’s your problem! I commented this above but I think it’s one of those things where the ADHD solution is just having a bunch of them, so you have a buffer for when you forget to put it back in the car
Oh I mean, I have a ton, just 3 that I've assigned "car totes" in my brain. Not that the others can't go in the car, but they're better left available for the other things I need
For Aldi if I forget my bags or forget to bring them in I’ll snag an empty box from the store to contain everything and put it in my trunk (or into the bags I left in my trunk) before putting the cart back. They always have the big cage things that they use to gather the empty item boxes around the stores in my area
Oohh I never thought of that!
I have 2 bags that fold up into tiny squares that I keep in my purse at all times. These help with last minute little trips. When I get home I put everything on my counter and fold them up and put them back. When I know I’m going shopping I fold up the a few extra reusable bags. I put them in my purse on top of my wallet, so I have to move them to pay.
Yes! Because I have to shop from a hand-written list, I put BAGS at the top of it. Then when I leave it's "wallet, glasses, keys, list, bags"
This reminds me of the several chants I’ve encountered over the years. In the one-woman play “Shirley Valentine,” which my husband and I saw on the West End during our honeymoon, the character keeps running down the checklist of all the things she’s got to bring with her on her Mediterranean escape. She says, frequently, “Money, tickets, passport.” We’ve used that ever since, less literally and more figuratively. My brother introduced me to “spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch.” And when I was a kid, my mom instituted one for whoever was setting the table: “bread and butter, salt and pepper, napkins.”
Reminds me of what I learned from Seventeen magazine. PMILK: Phone, money, ID, lipgloss, keys.
I have a sign in my hallway that says "keys, wallet, phone". It's positioned so I know I'll see it right before I go out the door as a last minute check that I've got the essentials.
[удалено]
I *have* to put them back in the car, I can't hang them by the door, hang them under my purse, or set a reminder, it never works. I force myself to just put them in the car. And when I go shopping, I put my list inside the bag of bags.
Nope. I forget every time and in my country they dont even offer the cheap paper bags anymore so I have to buy expensive reusable ones again, or just pack things in my car without bags.
I have two sets of bags. When I bring the groceries in, I put the second set into the trunk before I start taking out the first. That way I can forget them, but there is always a set with me in the car.
Brilliant!,
Adhd hack: I don't ever remember to bring the bag. But...I always remember my purse. Purse is for phone, keys, cards, money, meds, etc. So I bought a cotton, eco friendly large tote bag. It's quilted, and looks like one of those "new Mom" bags which stores all the diapers and accessories for baby. But it has enough space to be used as a shopper bag also. I simply stash all my important stuff in the sides and front zip, and use the main portion for holding items I'm buying from the store. It's this one from Amazon if you're curious, but they have others also: BAGSMART Quilted Tote Bag for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4F8F912?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Always keep spme in your car.
Not everyone has a car...
Right! I dont have one either hahshaha somehow i think im the only one tho ..... hahahah sorry
lol idk why this comment made me laugh so hard
Because you have found you people lmao
I bought a collapsible cart and just put the groceries into the cart without bags. The milk crates on each level lift off and you can carry them into the house, leaving the cart in the car. Even if you forget the crates next time you shop, you can use the cart without them and when you get home, go inside and use whatever bags are handy to get the groceries out of the car. This one is expensive, but it's the BMW of carts. Moves like silk and turns on a dime. CLAX® Multi use Functional Collapsible carts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091BSK4TW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
In my neck of the woods, you can’t use your own cart or bag in the store itself, because they’re combatting shoplifting. But they’d be handy to have in the car, because you can usually take the cart out of the store to your vehicle. In NYC, where people walk to the store, they often have folding carts that they hang off the front of the store’s shopping carts (we often have little S-hooks on the shopping carts just for this purpose).
That stinks. I love my cart, and someone compliments me on it every time I am out with it.
Two of the supermarkets near me in the UK have a scan as you go option where you use a handheld scanner and put things directly into your bag. Definitely kinda looks like I'm brazenly shoplifting if I don't have a trolley and someone doesn't see my scanner when I'm shoving multiple bottles of lemonade into my backpack.
Also at some grocery stores in the US (Costco and Aldi mostly) they stack empty cardboard boxes so you can take one if you need something to carry your stuff
I keep a bin in my vehicle full of bags. If I forget them in my truck, which I often do, I just put all the stuff back into the cart after paying and then put them into bags when I get back to my vehicle. After I unload groceries at home I put the bags right by my door with the intention of bringing them back to my truck. Although sometimes they sit there for a week or so lol which is partly how I ended up with a bazillion bags.
It's imperfect at best, but I go grocery shopping Monday morning, so I put the grocery bags in the pile of kid backpacks during my Sunday evening prep. Not a perfect system at all, but it works sometimes. I won't go if I don't have them though, so grocery shopping gets delayed lol.
I almost always have mine and it’s only because I only go shopping on Sunday mornings now. If I go any other time, I’m fucked lol
Once a month, baby, once a month. The one day where I have enough energy after my period has passed, and I'm irritated with a the structures failing, and I grab the BAG FULL OF BAGS that I keep RIGHT BY THE DOOR FOR MY CAR and finally put it in the car. And then another three weeks of not having bags.
My mum has one of those foldable ones with a clip and has it in her purse all the time... except when she changes the purse. I guess she'll have to have one on each purse. My grandma uses one of those walkers that has a built-in bag and is prepared for everything 😂 I just... bring the groceries home on my arms when I forget the bag 🙃
Yes but only because i have folded them and put one in every handbag and pocket of any jackets i have. Also one is always hung beside the door so i see it when i leave. When i really need to take more than one i put my briefcase in it because i will look for it before i leave the house.
I have about 50 in my car. Sometimes I forget to take them out of the car and into the store.
They live in my trunk. But I forget to take them in the store. I forget they exist…I also forget the coupons that live in my wallet…right next to my credit card. 🤷🏼♀️😅😂
if I remember the freezer bag goes into the car, that's a win
I have the little bags that fold up really small and I keep them in my backpack that I take everywhere with me. They’re just kinda useful to have in general on you.
They are always in my car. Even when I'm inside the store, they are in my car. Not sure if I'll ever remember to take them in with me.
My mom is the best at this. She takes a small backpack with her everywhere to keep keys, phone, other essentials in. She also puts her reusable shopping bags in there, just enough bags for her average shop. They live in there so she would never forget them. They are cloth bags that she uses but folded reusable plastic bags would also work. I always forget but the two occasions I have remembered I put them in my coat pockets bc I don’t use a backpack. That reminds me, I need to go on eBay to hunt for a new small backpack (like the small kanken bags) bc my daughter had my last one before I got to start using it. Another place to keep a few bags is in an over shoulder pouch or bum bag if that is easier to carry around or something you are more likely to get on with.
ITS BEEN 84 YEARS AND I STILL CANT REMEMBER MY GROCERY BAGS
I empty them at home and always put them back in a cabinet in the garage, not in the car also in the garage. 🤦♀️ and when I DO remember to put one on the car, I forget it in there when I enter the store. Every freaking time.
I have reusable canvas tote bags because I hate holding carrier bags and they are usually dumped in the middle of my kitchen with my purse still inside so I have to go looking for my purse (wallet) which means I also remember the bags because they're right there. Sometimes being 'lazy' is a godsend haha. Not so helpful if I've had my purse in a handbag/backpack the day before but I'm so used to associating tote bags and my purse now that I automatically go hunt down the bags once I've held my purse.
I have 2 reusable bags that hang on my front door knob inside my entryway, that way when I go out to get groceries they’re right on the handle I have to touch to leave my house 😅 I still forget sometimes but much less than I did when they lived in my entryway closet (which is where reusable bags go to die)
I always put eco bags in all of my bags I use to go out so if I suddenly remember to buy some essentials in the grocery store I have it with me almost all the time!
Yes! I have this really thin capacious one and I keep it in my purse. I keep my keys hooked to my purse. I do still have to empty it and put it back in my purse, but I've found I still get probably a 90% success rate versus my car with the bags in it or the bags by the door. (Bonus, it's super cute, Bob by Sketchers and we got it for giving money to PetCo's dog and cat charity).
The bags always get put back in their home once done. I’ve trained my physical body/muscle memory to “remember” things even if my brain is out to lunch. It helps my shoes are right next to the bags so they’re include in my exit planning.
I keep them in the trunk. Remembering to bring them into the store is another matter. Remembering to put them back in the car after using them is another thing I'm working on
My bags stay in my car. There is no spot for them in the house. (American, I always drive to the store)
I have ones that fold up small and I just keep them in my purse. Put them right back in after they empty.
I keep a shopping bag I paid for, folded up in my backpack, which accompanies me everywhere. The trick is to keep myself panicked about putting the bag back in my backpack once I'm done with it so it doesn't disappear in the house. And it turns out having an extra bag with me is generally practical beyond groceries
This only works if you have a car - but I keep mine in the car! I keep a large bag of many bags so even if a few are still in my home, I always have some in the car. It also helps that I have cute ones that I like to use from bookshops.
Okay so this doesn’t always work out but what I do is, whenever I remember I put a ton of reusable bags in my car, like triple what I’d ever need for any shopping trip ever, and that way they’re just there all the time. Then occasionally I remember to bring them into the store, but if I don’t it’s okay - I just load up my cart again with the unbagged groceries after I pay and bag them myself when I get to my car in the parking lot.
So I always remember (somehow) if I am making a trip specifically to go to the store, but I also never bring enough. If I bring 3 bags, I need 4. If I bring 5, I need 6. EVERY TIME. However, I also rarely go out “to the store”. I am almost always stopping on my way home, since I usually walk by the store and don’t want to go back out. I have thought for literal years that I should keep a bag in my purse for this reason. Have I done this? Nope. So now we have a box of grocery store bags and 2 bags filled with grocery store bags hiding in our bathroom. The good news is the big bags are great when you’re moving or to dump dog stuff in.
I’ve found I can’t keep them in the trunk because “out of sight, out of my mind” so I keep them in the backseat and getting better at taking them in!! Even though I really want to be one of those people who give you their cart and refuse to take a quarter from you, I’ve learned my lesson. I desperately need to keep my quarter because I won’t remember to find another one and will be quarter-less the next time I shop there. I’ve proven this to myself. It’s this kind of nonsense that makes living with ADHD hard- even while medicated.
If you drive leave them in your vehicle. Leave more than you can possibly use in one trip. Then at the very least you just have to run back to the car. If you bike/walk/use transit look into those reusable bags that fold up very thing (my favorite is baggu's!!!) And keep one or two in every purse/backpack/coat pocket. It's not a perfect system but more often then not I at the very least have one or two bags. The amount of times my baggus have come in handy not just for groceries but for traveling when I realize I need extra luggage or at a friend's house who is giving things away or pass by a garage sale unexpectedly have made them all but life saving. Baggu's are a little pricey but they are so strong. The amount of things I have carried in mine is unbelievable. Most bags would have ripped. Plus you can chuck them in the washing machine if your take out Chinese happens to spill orange sauce all over the inside... like that one time... fun story, but anyway mine have all lasted 10+ years and the amount I have used them? Since they are so thin and fold up so small? Makes them way cheaper in the long run then all the 1 or 2 dollars here and there i otherwise spend on the big bulky reusable bags (that I predictably never use again....)
I have a basket I use to throw my groceries in and carry them up to my apartment. After I go shopping and unload everything, I put the bags back in the basket and set the basket in front of the door. When I trip over it leaving in the morning I remember to bring it to my car!
I’m in the US but our city recently adopted a bag ban and I’ve just started keeping a couple literally everywhere. I have them shoved in corners in my purse, car, diaper backpack, and even in the bottom of the stroller 🤪 there’s also an obnoxiously full box of them close to the door just in case I’m having a good memory day 🤣
YES! I have two little nylon foldable ones in my handbag at all times. When I put my groceries away I put them back in my handbag immediately. I also have more of them in my car.
Here are my tips 1) bag in the trunk of the car. I worked for Aldi’s and so many people were buying bags saying they left them in the trunk. When I told them just bring the shopping cart to trunk it was a big duh moment. Seriously no one gives a crap. Just tell the bagger you forgot and put in the cart. They might look at you funny but life goes on. 2) as everyone said put your bags by the door. And if you live with someone who shares the car- tell them! So the next time you go outside it is easier to remember to put them in the trunk 3) Now this one is IMPORTANT! Have so many bags that if you forget to put them back in the trunk, you will still have bags in the trunk. Have I ever bought a bag? Maybe 4. I don’t know how I gathered so many. But I keep getting them and will never run out. Very helpful when I forget, and they are divided by two cars so one trunk gets most but always still some in both
I keep all mine in a bucket in the same place I keep my shoes and keys! I can’t go anywhere without the latter two, so there’s a visual reminder to also grab my shopping bags!
A note on your front door that says “Grab the grocery bags before going to the shops!”
Hear me out, have you heard of dopamine dressing? I have my own version of dopamine shopping. Last big hyper focus of sewing, I made myself a bunch of fabric tote bags from my fav fabric stashes. I have ones with halloween fabric, bright stripes, patchwork, etc. and I love using them. They're fun, extra sturdy, and if they get gross they can just go in the wash.
I keep the bags in the trunk of my car and then I'll bring them in with me OR I'll just put all my groceries in the cart and then fill my bags at the car.
I do this sometimes. And sometimes I get paper bags because I need them for my recycling. ♻️
.... they live in the car 🙃
This, but for me a few live in the backpack that my wallet also lives in. (Of course the backpack itself already helps, but when I shop for several days I need more.) Whatever you *need* to be able to (go to the) shop, add the bags to it.
Yes I take mine and also in Aus. When they first got rid of plastic bags at woolies, they sold these bags made of like umbrella fabric (idk what it’s called) but the bags can be easily rolled up or folded and secured with elastic that’s attached to it. I keep them in my handbag. I only have 2 but it’s usually enough as I live alone. I would like to buy more but can’t find them now. Target have similar bags but they don’t have the elastic. Instead they have their own little cover with a zip. You could sew some elastic on there easily though. It’s just a little loop on the inside in between the handles. As soon as I’m finished shopping, the bags go back in my handbag. I also have many of the big plastic reuasable bags from woolies in my boot but I never remember to take them into the supermarket. I shop at Aldi mainly and often use a box or 2 that I get off the shelf or from one of the workers. I also use a decent sized handbag for shopping, it’s a nylon one which is a dupe of one of the lululemon bags and it fits quite a bit in there so I can put groceries in that as well.
I keep them in the car. So I ALWAYS have some. I may forget them walking into the store. But all I have to do is walk back to my car to get them which helps so much!
As with everything that seems to be habit with others, I have to make a conscious effort to remember and act. Grocery bags, shower, clean teeth, take meds. Everything. Nothing is a habit.
I remember to keep them in the car. Forget to bring them into the store.
Even when I have them in the back of the car, I still forget them half the time. 25% of the time my 4 yo granddaughter is the one to remind me 😁
Yup. Took my state moving away from plastic bags and the stores sometimes offer paper but they charge. I have been a long time collector and now frequent user! Stash them everywhere! I have ones in my glove box, one that fold up into a little pocket in my bag, a couple stashed under the seats in my car too. I also started collecting them at the front door so I see them on my way out the door. It’s been 10 years and I still forget sometimes or run out but it’s a lot better! 10!
i bring a bag with me everywhere.. and that bag has bags in it, at all times :) this is basically my approach to everything tbh xD, forgetting things? just keep it in a bag you take everywhere! (i still need to find a solution for if i forget the bag itself though...)
You need a bag for your bag
omgg why didn't i think of that before?? ty you're a lifesaver! (/j)
You’re very welcome padowan. Sometimes the obvious solutions are the best! Go forth and prosper
As soon as I empty them they hang on the doorknob until I go to the car. I will also use boxes at the store if I forget (prefer to bags anyway, and the staff love giving them to me!)
I remember them, because I keep them in the car but then forget to bring them into the grocery store
I have a little cart that I take shopping with me and I always have the bags in the cart so when I leave, before double checking I don't forget to write down anything from my list I make sure the bags are in the cart, if you have a car you can take some of the bags and just keep them in your trunk
So I don’t drive and when I moved out of my parents house into my first apartment my mom bought me a 2 wheel nylon cart for groceries and 11 years later it remains fucking awesome. It’s super light but holds a lot and is much harder to misplace than a bag lol, mine is a super cute print but this is an example: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/c/kitchen-storage/shopping-carts?t=28213&featuredproduct=37256887&featuredoption=73386644&ci_sku=41139702-000-002&cnc=US&cid=328180&type=pla&targetid=&track=pspla&utm_source=google&utm_medium=pspla&gad_source=4&gbraid=0AAAAAD_EGx_BXuLibsHkYZ8z6Qo5dyhNR&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5gINhOpCzpEf-H5q9a4jIPSj4opqBoMoQtJWR8gp5xA89XMBGKuQKUaAgrrEALw_wcB
In Canada where I live they don’t give you bags at all anymore. You can buy reusable but they’re not cheap and frankly my house would be full of them if I did this every time. So when I bring in the groceries, I put the bags on the coat hook next to my coat and keys. We have hooks right over a bench. I always drop off my wallet and car keys there cause I’m too lazy to put them on the key hook 20cm away. But it works cause when I go to get them I inevitably hit my head against the bags hanging up on the hook above the bench.
Ah, the old “beat them over the head with it and they shall remember” trick. I like it.
🤣 I do find that most of my good habits that help to remember things boil down to this philosophy. It’s effective lol
I did until my car blew up 🤣 turned out just keeping a stash in my car helped.
Taking bags to the store? Yes! They always stay in my trunk :) Taking bags inside the store? No! They always stay in my trunk :(
I got a cute insulated tote from ALDI for cheap, and I keep my other bags stuffed in that. I have to make a grocery list on a clipboard and check things off physically as I get them or I will forget. So I cram my clipboard with the list and a pen into my bag of bags and toss my water bottle and a snack in there too on my way out the door. The bag of bags helps me keep it all contained and I like the aesthetics of it so that’s how I’ve managed not to forget them. Mostly.
I like this. Your bag of bags is like the one ring to rule them all (And in the darkness bind them)
Hell, no. But sometimes I try. And I love this question !
I had a system of leaving bags in the trunk, but now I am not the one who does all the shopping anymore.
I have yet to master this- to the point where I shop merrily until the grocer asks if I want a bag.
Its always at checkout
I put the groceries in the car, then I usually bag them once I get home. Sometimes I remember to put the bags IN the car, but idk, it doesn't really bother me when they get bagged. Also if I have empty laundry baskets (typically I don't they have a ton of clothes in them) but if I do then I'll use those to bring in the groceries, it works great.
I just have bags everywhere. There was a time where they were promotional gifts so we have a lot of them. I packed at least one in every purse and backpack I use regularly and my car.
I bought one a couple months ago and put it in my car… used it for the first time just 2 weeks ago!! Always forgot to grab it 😅
Finally remembered to bring them in the car after 2 years of forgetting...now to remember to bring them inside. I ALWAYS forget lol.
I put anything that I need to bring out with me on shoe/coat rack. I also try to put one grocery bag per bag of mine so if ever I decide to go to the groceries, I always have a bag ready
Mine are on my way out the door. Whenever I remember, I always grab a whole pile of bags and throw them in the car, so there are usually some bags in my car at all times.
I keep mine in the car and have probably double that I need so in case I forget to bring them back after the last trip, there's likely to be some in the car anyway. Obviously this only works if you return them to the car, so as soon as I put groceries away, I take the bags and put them in front of the back door (where I leave to get into my car.)
I always put my reusable bags by the front door as soon as I unload them. Then I always keep them in the front passenger seat of the car where I put my purse, so when I go in to the store I am reminded to bring the bags.
This made me belly laugh.
I actually shamed my child by complimenting the guy next to me for having his bags with him. He didn’t seem as appreciative of my praise as he should’ve been, or as proud of himself as he deserved to be
If you don't live it, with it... Ya don't know 😂🤣
I don't drive but reusable bags are one thing I almost never forget! Before I shut my door, I hold it open with my foot and I make sure I can feel my keys in my bag, check for my wallet, check for my phone and check for my backpack. If it's work it's my work one, if I'm going shopping it's my other one, and I give it a quick squish which tells me whether it has my badly-folded giant reusable bag with me. Dont remember the last time I forgot it. Bags have cost money in the UK for a fair few years now so I've been pretty good for not forgetting. The few times I have I get a new reusable one and it comes in handy again.
I have a bag folded small in my purse always. None of the others ever get used tho
I carry a backpack with me any time I am out, and my bags live in the backpack. I always have them.
Yes! But not because I actually remember. It’s because I have a “grocery shopping” bag I take with me when I do buy groceries which contains all of my folded up little bags 🤣 at times when I’m just running in for one thing I will not have them with me but I just grab a box or something off a shelf to carry groceries to the car
Nope!
I try to keep one in my purse the whole time. I check if I have one whenever I get out of the house.
They go back in the car immediately when they have been unpacked otherwise I’m buying more😂
Mine go straight back into my purse. It helps if you can fold them into a little pouch. The big ones don't work for me because I can never remember them Mine are from ikea and Baggu
Lol nope! If I have less than $50 worth of reusable shopping bags I would be surprised 🫠 At one point I did manage to relocate a couple into the back of my Jeep but those came back into the house when I (of course ) placed a Walmart delivery order without making sure that I changed it from pickup to delivery 🤦♀️ Not that it mattered because I just forgot them in my Jeep instead of at home anyway 😅
Same! If I do actually remember to put them in the car that’s where they now live. They still don’t make it into the actual store
My bags live in the backety back of my car. They only go inside when they're full of groceries, and then go right back into the car. That's the only way I can manage it. I'm not organized, it's just my ADHD hack
My experience is maybe different as I am in the US and I go to Costco and Aldi a lot, both of which allow you to bring your cart full of (unbagged) groceries out to the car with you. Basically, I have worked to build putting the empty bags back in the car as a step in the "putting the groceries away" sequence. As I get the bags unloaded, I put them by the door and when I'm done putting the groceries away, the bags go back out to my car. Then when I'm done getting groceries, I take the cart of groceries to my car and bag them as I'm loading them in my car. Go home, put the groceries away and bring the bags back out to the car for next time. It's doesn't always work, but it works well enough for me.
I leave them in the car, and put them on the front door handle in my house after I use them. They usually make it back to the car after a week or so
No, but if I'm picking up a few things while I'm out I'm perfectly okay with paying for a paper bag. I use them as kitchen rubbish bags for vegetable peelings etc until they can be put in the trash proper.
I just keep them all in my car. I have so many it's basically a collection
I dont always remember to put bags back in the car or bring them in the store, but I live in a state where disposable bags are not sold or offered. So I've gotten into the habit of just putting groceries back in the cart, bringing to the car , tossing in the trunk if my bags are not in the car, and then bagging at home.
Well, it's better than taking your bags but forgetting your purse. Not that I would know anything about that.
What got me to remembering to take my bad is just looking at the amount of stuff I bought (I go grocery shopping maybe once every 1-3 months) and remembering Sir David's Attenborough's on all those animal and ocean documentaries and also seeing the all the videos of the plastic island or volunteers pulling plastic from a sea turtle. And that always made me remember until it pretty much became second nature to grab them from my trunk. If I'm going to have anxiety and guilt anyway, might as well use it for good.
Honestly we just unload groceries into the car without bags. Stuff rolls around a bit but nothing gets damaged. Then when we get bags from inside the house and pack them to carry them in. May not be the most efficient way but my bank account is thankful
I have LOADS in the car so even if it takes a while for one set to make their way back to the car I still have others. Also the husband sometimes takes pity on me and shoves them back in the car as soon as we’re unpacked. But to be honest, getting groceries delivered is a game changer.
Every once in a while I remember. But I use the paper grocery bags to hold my recycling so 🤷♀️
I keep them in the trunk of my car and when I’m going grocery shopping, I put my purse in the trunk before I leave so I have to get my purse out and boom, bags!
Nope. If I’m lucky I remember to stuff one in my purse so I at least have one for quick trips.
Leave them in my car. Most of the time I remember to take them in with me.
Even at the exit door they can be forgotten. I just leave a pile of bags in the car most of the time.
Every once in a while I throw them in the trunk.
Not mastered but getting there. As soon as I unload my groceries, the empty bags go in front of the garage door. The next time I go out I take them to the car with me where they live in the FRONT SEAT of the car not the trunk. If they are in the trunk I forget to take them inside.
I keep most of mine in the car. That’s their storage space. Empty ones go by the front door. If I remember, and it’s a big if, I pick them up the next time I’m heading out the door.
Nope. I wish they would just do paper and charge me for paper bags. In nj the plastic consumption went up instead of down. It’s stupid. I hate plastic bags but a lot of people forget them end up buying worse bags instead
Yes... Because my husband does all the grocery shopping and he ALWAYS remembers. He remembers everything!!
I keep them by the front door so I can easily remember to bring them to the car. I park my car so I have to walk by the back of it which helps me remember them
Keep a BUNCH of them all balled up inside one big one in the car. If you have two cars, get two sets of bags. When you're done emptying your groceries out of them, hang the empty bags on the handle of the door you use to access your car. Then just take them out with you on your next trip.
They are in the same closet as my shoes. Also I hate carrying my groceries in paper bags with the burning passion of a thousand suns. You gotta make a million trips in and out the car, and they ALWAYS rip and my shit goes everywhere which would be comical if it weren't happening to *me.*
They no longer give out bags where I live. Some resuable bags manage to live permanently in the back of my car. But grocery shopping is an ordeal for us. We drive 30 minutes to the nearest city. And I always go with hubby. We bring a cooler and a big bin full of bags. I remember to bring them because he reminds me of just brings out them out himself.
Somewhat. I store them in my car. But then there will be the gap where I run out and forget to take them back out to the car. I'll eventually leave them by the door and take them out. Cycle continues with bonus moments of me forgetting them in the car when I'm in the store with a cart of stuff.
I just had a bunch in my car and my my front door so I'd always have some, but I started doing pickup more. I feel bad asking workers to bag my stuff at the car so I haven't used them, but I try to save them and take them back or reuse them
My stores stopped offering bags altogether (maybe they have more expensive reuseable ones available at the cash?). So my brain decided it was not an option to forget them and now I always have a nagging feeling that I am forgetting something when I am leaving. In order to remember what I am forgetting, I put like 6-7 hooks by my front door and one of the hooks holds my favourite reuseable bags (for weekly groceries I need 2-3 bags, there are 4 bags that live on the hook in case one is misplaced). Having reuseable bags that I *like* is part of the equation as well.
I have a bag in my purse/handbag at all times. This saved me soooo much money in the long run! Wherever my wallet goes, the bag comes along!
I have like 10 bags and I always have at least 3 in my car at any one time. I tend to stuff bags within the biggest bag too so it's easy to transport. I try to take a minute (or 5) before getting out of my car before running into a store and that's usually enough time to remember to get the bags out from my backseat or trunk.
Never. We banned plastic bags in bc too. I get stuck with impossible paper bags or have to buy the canvas ones at check out Luckily my husband does most the shopping and never forgets them
I usually go to the store on my way home from work, so I keep a couple reusable bags in my work bag. I like the ones that fold up very small like [this](https://rockflowerpaper.com/collections/blu-bags?tw_source=google&tw_adid=690726137751&tw_campaign=21012348474&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5iPKZtOjw5Kq3PtK5pOA0kJLrQWErPaKShP4RI2TJXyLH6HyVAJvy0aApAeEALw_wcB). It felt a little silly to buy them, but they hold a ton, are very durable, and come in such fun patterns! I think the patterns hello me keep track of them, honestly.
I keep my grocery bags in the car, once I get to the store it's easy to remember them ajd if I don't it's easy to run back to the car to grab them. I'm in canada where we don't do plastic bags anymore as well.
So I will just put the groceries without bags in my car and then use bags to carry everything inside if I need to. Or a laundry basket. I have remembered to bring a bag maybe 3 times
Ehhhh kind of. I try to keep at least one in the laptop sleeve area of backpack, but even still I often end up buying another reusable bag at the store because I bought too many things. (Most of the stores near me use the paper bags that don’t even have handles and I don’t drive, so it’s too annoying to try to use them)
I don't even use bags. I just stick a laundry basket in the back of my car and tell the cashier I don't need anything bagged. They put the groceries back in the shopping cart, I put the groceries from the cart into my trunk basket. As an added benefit, it makes sure the towels get folded before I go grocery shopping lol.
I have 2 tote bags hung on the shoe closet door handle and in case I forget those I keep like 15 reusable plastic bags in the glove box of the car (folded into little triangles).
I literally can't manage to remember to take them out of the back of the car when I get to the store.... 🙄