Are you looking to do some major shopping for your home? Having an organized shopping list can save you money, time, and a lot of shopping hassles while ensuring you get everything your family needs. However, creating a good shopping list means determining what items to add and which to leave out. So, below is a comprehensive list of household items you can add to your shopping lists and tips that can help to make your shopping excursions as smooth as possible.
1. Food Items
Foodstuffs are among the most essential items to add to your shopping lists. After all, you want your family to be well-fed so that they can stay healthy. So, when planning a shopping trip, you must include food items like fresh produce, pasta, rice & cereals, dairy products, beverages, meats, fish, seafood, deli items, and canned goods. Others include snacks, bread, baked goods, beverages, herbs, spices, condiments, sauces, baking supplies, frozen foods, etc.
When creating your food shopping budget, you can set aside money for various food services your family uses regularly. This can include take-out services, fast food delivery, or BBQ food services from your local restaurant. In addition, you can invest in something like fresh produce or healthy meal delivery services, which can save you time and provide your family with healthy food.
Unfortunately, when creating your list, you should remember that food prices are expensive; according to the U.S. News & World Report, a family of four spends between $977 and $1,910 a month on food. Therefore, you should save money by shopping in bulk, purchasing seasonal foodstuffs, and looking for retail outlets with low prices. In addition, you should prioritize your list so that you purchase the most essential foodstuffs first, leaving luxury items like snacks for last.
2. Household Cleaning Products
You must clean your home regularly to keep it looking and smelling nice. A clean home is also the perfect way to keep germs and disease-causing organisms at bay, thus guaranteeing the health and safety of your home. Therefore, household cleaning products are other top items to include in your shopping lists when planning a trip to the supermarket.
You can include several items in your cleaning products shopping list. The top ones include antibacterial spray, surface cleaners, white vinegar, feather dusters, stainless steel cleaners, and cleaning cloths for dusting and wiping the surfaces in your home. Others include floor cleaners, glass cleaners, rubbish bags, dishwasher soap, polish spray, cleaning gloves, shower cleaners, toilet bleach, duster cloths, multipurpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, etc. Lastly, you shouldn’t forget vital items like drain cleaner and grease trap cleaning products to keep your sink and drains clean and smelling nice.
Laundry cleaning products are other essential items that should feature in your household cleaning shopping list. These include washing detergents, laundry bleach, stain removers, and fabric conditioners. In addition, you can include other laundry room essentials like a lint roller, odor removers, and water softener (to soften the washing machine water supply).
3. Kitchen Supplies
Kitchen supplies are other items you can add to your shopping lists when planning your monthly excursion. These supplies can help to improve your kitchen’s functionality and organization. In addition, they can greatly improve the comfort and convenience of your kitchen, for example, by making food preparation and cooking easier and more fun.
The best part about creating a shopping list for kitchen supplies is that you can add as many or as few items as you want, depending on your needs and budget. Some top items include cling film, tinfoil, greaseproof paper, freezer bags, and baking parchment, which are vital for food preparation and storage. You can also replace or purchase vital kitchen utensils and supplies like oven gloves, scissors, coffee cups, peelers, knives, graters, mixing bowls, measuring spoons, colander, etc.
Of course, most kitchen supplies, like utensils, don’t need to be replaced or replenished every other month. Therefore, you should ensure that you only prioritize the essential supplies when shopping, especially if you’re working with a tight budget. This will help you save money, which you can use on other essential items on your shopping lists. You can also save money by shopping at discounted outlets, purchasing reusable items (kitchen towels, produce bags, zipper bags, etc.), and properly caring for your kitchen tools.
4. Personal Care Products
Taking proper care of your body can help you lead a healthy life by preventing diseases like diarrhea, respiratory infections, and oral health problems. In addition, good personal care can help to show off your personal style and keep you looking radiant, fresh, and beautiful, which can do wonders for your self-confidence, mental & emotional health, and productivity. Therefore, personal care products are another item that you mustn’t leave out of your shopping lists.
Personal hygiene products are some of the most essential items to prioritize when creating a shopping list. These include oral hygiene products (toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, mouthwash, etc.), feminine hygiene products, bath & shower products (shower gel, shampoo, cleansers, bath soaps, bath bombs, etc.), and shaving supplies (razors and shaving cream). Others are toilet soap, handwash, hand sanitizers, wet wipes, baby wipes, bath towels, body lotions, and deodorants.
Besides personal hygiene, you can also add cosmetology products to your shopping list. These include skincare & beauty products like face cleansers, scrubs, anti-aging creams, eye creams, makeup products, makeup removers, sunscreens, exfoliating products, moisturizers, etc. Others are hair care products (shampoos, conditioners, hair oils, hair sprays, etc.), perfumes and fragrances. Lastly, you can purchase cosmetic drugs like anti-dandruff, acne, skin whitening, and teeth whitening treatments to fix cosmetic issues ailing you or your family members.
5. Health and Wellness Items
Health and wellness are two essential human needs that you must fulfill to lead a happy and fulfilling life. In fact, according to a 2021 McKinsey Survey, 79% of consumers consider these needs to be ‘important,’ while 49% perceive them as a “top priority.” Therefore, health and wellness products are other top items to add to your shopping lists when creating your household budget.
You can add several health and wellness essentials to your shopping list. For example, you can buy items like air purifiers, essential oils, humidifiers, diffusers, and houseplants to improve the air quality of your living spaces. Others include sleeping aids like natural fiber bedding, cool pillow cases, and sleeping masks, which can help improve your bedroom’s environment, leading to better quality sleep.
When creating your shopping list, you can also add products that can help to improve your family’s physical health and wellness. These include weight loss products like prepackaged healthy meals, diets, supplements, natural herbs, FDA-approved pills, etc. You can also include fitness products like exercise equipment, fitness trackers, supplements, massage balls, exercise clothes, and exercise recovery tools (foam rollers, massage guns, etc.).
6. Landscaping and Gardening Supplies
The exterior of your home is just as important as the interior. As a result, you should also include items like landscaping and gardening supplies in your shopping list when creating a household budget. These items will help you care for your home’s exterior, thus creating attractive, relaxing, and inviting spaces where your family can have fun.
For landscaping, you can include lawn care items like lawn herbicides & pesticides, mulch, lawn fertilizer, hand sprayers, garden hose, leaf blower, etc. You can also purchase hand tools (shovels, rakes, pruners, digging trowels, sprayers, a lawn mower, a trimmer, and an edging tool. Other excellent items include cleaning supplies, lubricants, degreasers, rust remover, oil, and fuel for your landscaping tools and equipment.
Likewise, you can add several tools and supplies to your shopping lists if you want to do some gardening. For example, you’ll need essentials like mulch, fertilizer, and compost to improve the soil health of your garden. Other items to buy include herbicides and pesticides, gardening tools (shovels, digging tools, wheelbarrows, etc.), gardening gloves, and watering cans. Lastly, you’ll need flowers, transplants, seeds, planting trays, and planters to make your garden thrive.
7. Recreational Activities Supplies
Adding recreational supplies to your shopping lists can offer several cool and fun activities for your family bonding time. This can help in strengthening and improving your family’s bonds and relationships. In addition, according to the University of Utah, participating in recreational activities can improve physical fitness, enhance emotional health, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function and productivity. Therefore, purchasing supplies and tools for recreational activities is a cool way to spend money.
The best part about shopping for recreational supplies is having an almost endless list of products to consider. For example, you can buy indoor activity supplies like darts, Monopoly, Scrabble, checkers, a chess kit, a pool table, and poker cards. Others include puzzles, arts & crafts supplies, knitting supplies, books, video game consoles, etc. In addition, you can invest in play toys like Lego, Barbie dolls, action figures, marbles, toy cars & trains, and construction sets if you have young kids in your family.
You can also add several supplies to your shopping list to guarantee fun-filled outdoor adventures for your family. Examples include water guns, painting supplies, water balloons, sports balls (soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc.), and tennis equipment (rackets, nets, and tennis balls). Other excellent ideas include bikes, roller skates, hover blades, and garden play toys (for kids). Of course, some recreational supplies can be expensive; hence, you must prioritize the most essential items if you’re working with a limited budget.
8. Home Repair Supplies and Tools
While it’s always good to hire a professional, there are several home repairs and maintenance tasks that you can easily complete by yourself. However, you must use quality supplies and tools to do a good job. Therefore, home repair and maintenance supplies are other top items you can add to your shopping lists when budgeting for your household expenses.
At the top of your home repairs shopping list, you should include basic tools like a hammer, nails, wrench, screwdrivers, a tape measure, a toilet plunger, a ladder, and pliers. These items are readily found in local building supply stores and can come in handy when performing simple tasks at home. You can also invest in additional supplies like duct tape, a box cutter, extension cords, electrical tape, spare light bulbs, flashlights, spare batteries, a first aid kit, etc.
You can also include extra supplies and tools for your DIY projects in your shopping list. For example, you can purchase hand and power tools like saws, drills, a wall stud finder, a wrecking bar, a pipe wrench, and a digital multimeter. You can also purchase home repair and maintenance materials like natural stone, wood, tiles, plumbing pipes, electrical wires, paver stones, etc.
9. Pet Supplies
Buying quality pet supplies will help ensure your animal companions are comfortable and well-cared for. Consequently, this will lead to a healthy, happy, and prolonged life. And as a bonus, happy pets will, in turn, offer unconditional love to your family members. Therefore, pet supplies are another top item to add to your shopping lists.
Of course, pet food is one of the top supplies you can purchase for your animal companions. And just like the rest of the family, you should consider buying healthy foods that will boost your pets’ growth, increase their immunity, and prevent diseases. In addition, you can splurge on a few pet treats, which you can use to reward your pet during training or bonding times.
Besides food, there are several other pet supplies you can budget for. Examples include comfortable beds, pet crates, tracking collars, leashes, grooming products, food & water bowls, and litter boxes. In addition, your pet also needs constant stimulation, and thus, you should consider purchasing items like chew toys, play balls, plushies, throw toys, water toys, and toy robots. And as a bonus, some of these pet toys can be an excellent addition to your family’s recreational activities.
Shopping can be a fun experience, but it can also be very stressful, especially if you’re unsure about what to purchase, forget to buy essential items or spend more than you had budgeted. Fortunately, the above are various items you can add to your shopping list, thus ensuring you purchase everything you need for your home. In addition, you can save money on your shopping by prioritizing the buying of essential items and shopping at outlets with discounts, offers, and sales promotions.
