Your Inventory & Re-stocking System?

[Dhiana]

You can have all the lists and inventories you want but do you have a set date/time in which you actually will purchase these items whether at the local grocer or on the internet?

Someone mentioned in a post that they literally forget to buy food! Why not have a set date that you specifically purchase these items, such as 1st & 3rd Monday of each month? Or Every Wednesday?

[Life_is_Simple]

You can have all the lists and inventories you want but do you have a set date/time in which you actually will purchase these items whether at the local grocer or on the internet?

Someone mentioned in a post that they literally forget to buy food! Why not have a set date that you specifically purchase these items, such as 1st & 3rd Monday of each month? Or Every Wednesday?

Dhiana, I think you are getting closer to the issue, which is I don't have a process. Lists are static, process is fluid. And I can't exactly figure out how to make a process. So the best thing I can think of is to waaaaaay stock up on what is on my checklist.

In my head, purchasing can happen any time, instead of having the set date, like you suggest.

Oh, I know what it is. My tasks are grouped according to category, instead of according to date. So I need to maybe use a calendar, or create the lists I have in my smart phone according to date, instead of according to category.

This is weird. When I was organizing papers into binders last summer, I was having trouble because everything was organized by year, instead of category. Now I am having just the opposite problem! This is a common problem for me - organizing incorrectly in ways that don't work.

[herisf]

When I take the last bottle of something off the shelf (supplement, lotion, toothpaste, whatever), I write it down on the refrigerator. One list for each store. If a food item, it goes on the grocery list (and I add to the list when I review the weekly sales flyer). If household supply, it goes on another list. The lists then become my errands for the coming week.

Groceries are obtained once a week (usually Fridays or Saturdays). Supplements, since it's in town, get picked up after work. If I need Target/WalMart, it can be up to 2-3 weeks before I can drive there - but usually not more than that. In the interim, I simply keep adding to the list as things occur to me.

I have made the effort to streamline the supplements and household products I use. There's probably still too many, but it's controllable now.

[Float On]

Specifically about supliments/vitamins/medications and some being 1 month supply, some 2, some 3, etc..

Can you find one place to order everything you take or do you have different suppliers?
I would place a larger order quarterly. I can see value in Amazon's program where they automatically send you a refill based on your needs.

If you can order 6 (one month), 3 (two month), 2 (three month) then you'd have 1/2 the year covered and just refill all the orders in 5 1/2 months so you are ready for the next 1/2 year.
I'd keep a cabinet dedicated to just that with a chart on the inside of the door.
I use to take quite a few things and my problem was remembering daily if I'd taken everything or not (some were morning/some evening). I had to do a checklist chart to help me remember.

[HomemadeChange]

Oh, I know what it is. My tasks are grouped according to category, instead of according to date. So I need to maybe use a calendar, or create the lists I have in my smart phone according to date, instead of according to category.
.

Have you considered using your smart phone to set a reminder. For example if you need Item A every 3 months, you could set a reminder for 2.5 months after purchase. That way you would have two weeks for shipping or a bit of a grace period to pick Item A up. If you have monthly items you could set one reminder for all of them: Purchase Items B, C and D etc. I use my phone to set reminders all the time and it really helps to keep me straight.

[catherine]

The process question also makes me remember another reason I love my white board. If I have a notebook, I tend to just make lists ad finitum and then things just lose their importance and urgency.

I put NO MORE than 6 things on the white board at a time (except for my yearly goal). I can tackle six things. But once "no more butter" gets mixed in with "pick paint for the bedroom" and "clean garage" and 20 other things I completely lose focus.

[citrine]

We usually do a Sam's club run for tp, bounty, body wash, vitamins, and shampoo which lasts us at least 2 months. We do a Target run once a month and the grocery store every two weeks. I use a list as well and before we go to the stores, both Hubby and I run around and check to see if anything else is needed.

[Life_is_Simple]

Specifically about supliments/vitamins/medications and some being 1 month supply, some 2, some 3, etc..

Can you find one place to order everything you take or do you have different suppliers?
I would place a larger order quarterly. I can see value in Amazon's program where they automatically send you a refill based on your needs.

If you can order 6 (one month), 3 (two month), 2 (three month) then you'd have 1/2 the year covered and just refill all the orders in 5 1/2 months so you are ready for the next 1/2 year.
I'd keep a cabinet dedicated to just that with a chart on the inside of the door.
I use to take quite a few things and my problem was remembering daily if I'd taken everything or not (some were morning/some evening). I had to do a checklist chart to help me remember.

Float On - I really do want to get a 6 month stockpile. That would make my life so much easier

There are a few items that I need to get at specific online stores. Then I will typically get the rest from either of 2 online stores.

So I added columns to my spreadsheet for those online stores, and how much it costs for 3 month supplies from each. Then I may check my stock against the spreadsheet, and place some orders.

I do have several 7day pill boxes with morning, noon, evening, and night compartments. That REALLY helps me not forget to take things.

But when I start to run out of things, I will sometimes buy them at the Vitamin Shoppe store, which can be more expensive, or Whole Foods, which you know is going to be expensive.

[Life_is_Simple]

Have you considered using your smart phone to set a reminder. For example if you need Item A every 3 months, you could set a reminder for 2.5 months after purchase. That way you would have two weeks for shipping or a bit of a grace period to pick Item A up. If you have monthly items you could set one reminder for all of them: Purchase Items B, C and D etc. I use my phone to set reminders all the time and it really helps to keep me straight.

HomemadeChange - At your suggestion, I just put some of my ToDos into my smartphone calendar, which has reminders. I'll put the supplement reminder in there after I order a bunch of things on my spreadsheet, and know when the re-ordering will be needed.

Whew!

Thanks everybody! The wheels are in motion

[Life_is_Simple]

The process question also makes me remember another reason I love my white board. If I have a notebook, I tend to just make lists ad finitum and then things just lose their importance and urgency.

I put NO MORE than 6 things on the white board at a time (except for my yearly goal). I can tackle six things. But once "no more butter" gets mixed in with "pick paint for the bedroom" and "clean garage" and 20 other things I completely lose focus.

Catherine - Yeah, all the more reason for me to stock up on what I can, which will leave fewer things to compete for space on the whiteboard. If the whiteboard ends up being: "Friday - Acupuncture" and "Buy meat and cheese" I will be happy