Mastering Bulk Buying: 5 Organizational Do's and Don'ts
Whether you are a Costco girly or strictly a Sam’s Club shopper, we need to talk about bulk buying! Bulk buying can be wonderful and helpful, but can quickly turn south if you aren’t setting boundaries around it. As a professional organizer, I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to bulk purchases. Let’s talk about the do’s & dont’s of bulk buying when it comes to organizing.
Do NOT overbuy. Have you ever watched the show Extreme Couponing? People will build storage sheds in their backyards to stockpile toilet paper, rice packets, and seasonings that they purchase with coupons to save money on grocery shopping. For the sake of your sanity, please do not be this person. I understand the importance of saving money, but there is a line that crosses into the extreme territory. This is the biggest mistake I see made when it comes to bulk buying. Shoppers will see a deal for 50 rolls of paper towels, but get home and are forced to hide these rolls in the most unideal places in their homes. This is absolutely not necessary and will cost you valuable space in your home!
Do keep a running list. I recommend keeping a running shopping list that members in your family can access. We prefer to use our A-L-E-X-A and just tell her to add X,Y,Z to our shopping list. Then using the Alexa app on our phones, we can easily see what is on our list no matter where we area. This will help keep you from overbuying or even impulse buying
Do NOT leave the store without checking expiration dates. You would be surprised at how many expiration dates are overlooked at the store. If you unknowingly buy a whole multi-pack of chips that are expired, you are stuck with a mountain of expired food. Even worse, if you don’t catch the expiration date prior to consuming the product, you may be in for a not so fun-surprise tummy ache.
Do plan for appropriate storage. I am by no means against bulk buying, as long as you are making it work for you and your family. If your child loves to eat Skinny Pop popcorn after school every day, go ahead buy the large pack of bags, but plan for it in your pantry! Make sure you have a dedicated large basket or clear container where you or your child can clearly reach, as well as easily see inventory.
Do NOT let food go to waste. If you buy 5 pounds of fresh chicken breasts, make sure to incorporate the chicken into your meals and/or freeze the chicken breasts in portions you are likely to cook with. Toss them in a freezer safe baggie and write the date on it and stick it in your freezer. Extra tip: Keep a running list of what is in your freezer to help with meal planning and cut back on food you have to toss.
As long as you are intentional with your bulk purchases, keep on shopping! Don’t let the store tell you what you need. This isn’t Target, after-all ;)
Do you feel overwhelmed by the stuff and the chaos in your home? Is your pantry overflowing? We can hold your hand during a greatly therapeutic decluttering session, and then send you off to live your wonderful life while we put together a maintainable organized system at your home! Send us a message to get started today!
