Heading Out?
Map it Out.

Sometimes just heading out of the house can seem like a project in and of itself. But it doesn’t have to be that way, as long as you have your “system” together. Try these helpful tips for taking your show on the road:

Map Out Your Day

Make a list of each place you want to hit, and what you plan to do there. Then make an easy route to get from one to another. It’s a great way to conserve energy and remember everything you have to do. There are some helpful online mapping sites out there. Google Maps and Mapquest provide free route planners, and Hop Stop (www.hopstop.com) offers a great way to plan out your public transit route in many major US cities.

Pick “User-Friendly” Places

Heading out for a day of shopping? Figure out which stores are the easiest to navigate and make those your targets. You’ll be in and out a lot faster. Choose a store that’s laid out well, one with good (non-wobbly) shopping carts, and when you’re done, ask someone to bring everything out to your car. They have people on staff to do that. If you want, you can call ahead to see which stores offer this type of assistance.

Make a List

Before you start your day of errands, make a list of everything you need to get done and then order them based on your map. Put the “heavy lifting” errands at the beginning, like groceries and picking up the dry cleaning. Then move on to lighter items to round out the day, like minor appointments and quick pick-ups. You can also divide your list up by store – mapping out what you need from where and grabbing everything in one fell swoop.