Things You'll Need:
- Initial investment
- price club membership
- lists
- coupons
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Step 1
If you are just starting out on your own, newly married, or just ready to finally get organized, the Inventory Method might be for you. If you have wasted more time than you'd like to remember looking for items in your home or have ever used baby wipes because you're out of toilet paper, this method is for you.
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Step 2
First, organize the areas of your home. Decide where the cleaning items go. One place. There is no good reason to have multiple places for half used Windex bottles. Throw out any old supplies and ones you never use. You should have no more than 3 or 4 cleaners plus special use cleaners like silver polish. Get a plastic carrier for all the cleaning supplies and put them in one cabinet. On the inside cabinet make a list of the cleaning items you need and really use. You will need Inventory for each of these items. Clip coupons or use your club membership to purchase these. When you run out of a cleaner, move the inventory bottle forward and put the item on the list. Purchase when you have a coupon or there's a sale.
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Step 3
Decide where your paper products go. I have an old frig in our garage. I use the top to stack and store toilet paper, paper towels, and tissue boxes. Easy to keep an eye on and when inventory is low, restock. I keep two boxes of trash liners stacked in the pantry. When one is empty, the inventory one moves up and I purchase another for inventory. Use this method and never run out of toothpaste, shampoo, etc. You have to be willing to purchase a little more upfront but not "running out" frees you to have coupons clipped and be able to shop the sales if you aren't running out to the store on the spur of the moment for tampons or whatever. Use your back up inventory and put the item on the list.
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Step 4
Use your pantry wisely. Keep a running list of inventory and when the inventory cocktail sauce bottle goes in the frig, put cocktail sauce on the list to buy for inventory. Mayo, salad dressing, anything you use a lot. It's such a drag to be making a turkey sandwich and not have mayo. Use the inventory method and you'll never be out of mayo again! If you can clear a space in the basement for a supply shelf, that space will be valuable for stocking up. Aren't you smart. And frugal too!
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Step 5
Start now to clean out all those half empty bottles from under your bathroom sinks. Seriously, how many different bottles of shampoo and lotion can you use. Pare down to a few and get inventory stock on those you really need. Deodorant, mouthwash, any products on your must have list.
