Things You'll Need:
- Public transit card
- Bus and train maps
- Internet access
- Canvas tote bags
- Collapsible cart with wheels
- Friend with a car (optional)
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Step 1
Buy put-it-together-yourself furniture. It’s a lot easier to carry home a bookshelf or a desk chair in a box than one already put together. Two people can easily maneuver a bookshelf in a box on a bus and down the street.
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Step 2
Take public transportation during non-peak times when you’ve got a big load to carry. Lugging five bulging bags of groceries on a crowded rush hour bus is just not practical and often not safe.
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Step 3
Use a collapsible cart with wheels for laundry or large grocery items (like bags of kitty litter). You may feel like a grandmother, but wheeling a load is always easier than carrying a load.
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Step 4
Use canvas tote bags for smaller shopping trips. They’re easier on the hands than plastic shopping bags and better for the environment.
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Step 5
Know what local stores offer delivery. Many family-owned garden and hardware stores offer free neighborhood delivery.
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Step 6
Be aware that sometimes, the only way to get heavy things into your home without a car is to shop online. Many major online retailers offer free delivery during sale periods.
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Step 7
Call a cab to pick you up at the store if you simply must have something and can’t find a solution to getting it home without the use of a car.
