7 Must-know Tips to Organize Black Friday Shopping

Happy Thanksgiving and happy baking and cooking this week! This is such a wonderful time of year, filled with food, family, excitement and gift giving. Do you go shopping on Black Friday? Hi, Susan here from Organized 31, sharing 7 must-know tips to organize Black Friday shopping. Taking a few minutes to get organized before you head out early Friday morning, will make all the difference in your comfort while you’re shopping.

People are split on Black Friday shopping – some people love it and others wouldn’t do it if you paid them. I only go Black Friday shopping after I have done my shopping research and have a plan. In addition to my shopping preparation, I take just a few minutes to make sure that I have organized several basic items to make my shopping easier and more comfortable. A comfortable shopper is a happy shopper. 🙂

Wear comfortable shoes – If you only plan for one thing, plan to wear comfortable shoes. You’re going to be doing a whole lot of walking and standing so you want to make sure your feet and back don’t hurt. You also need to consider inclement weather conditions and wear the appropriate (comfortable) shoes for the weather.

Wear layers of clothing – You’ll be out shopping early in the morning and it will most likely be cold outside, but it will be warm (maybe even hot) inside the store. Plus, with all physical exertion from carrying items and fighting through crowds, you’ll get overheated in the store. Be sure to dress in layers that can be unzipped or easily removed to help you stay comfortable in changing temperatures and environments. A hot, sweaty shopper is not a happy shopper.

Wear a coat with deep pockets – When you enter a store from the cold outside weather, you’ll immediately remove your hat and gloves. Be sure to wear a coat with deep pockets so that you can stash your hat and gloves in your pockets and not worry about them again until you leave the store. Without secure pockets, you’ll be juggling your hat and gloves when you need your hands to carry items. You also don’t want to stuff them in your purse, because they’ll be in the way when you need to pay for your items and you’ll hold up the line of harried shoppers while you wrestle with your hat and gloves.

Keep an envelope in your purse to hold receipts and coupons – You want to be able to quickly find your coupons when you’re checking out and you also want to keep track of your receipts for budgeting and for any returns. Check out my tips on how to organize your purse receipts and coupons. Consider requesting receipts be emailed to you so you don’t have to keep track of them on the busy Black Friday day.

Bring a snack and drink – Pack a thermos and snacks to leave in the car. You will be out of the house before breakfast and will work up an appetite with all that shopping. There will be long lines at all the restaurants and coffee shops, so unless you like standing in line, pack a snack. A hungry, thirsty, caffeine-deficient shopper is not a happy shopper.

Bring cloth shopping bags with you – I always shop with cloth bags to save the landfill, but they’re also a great way to keep curious eyes away from your purchases. Since cloth bags are opaque, it will be more difficult for curious family to see what you purchased when you get home.

Stash a box in the trunk of your car – Place a large box or two in the trunk of your car to keep your bags organized. A simple box will keep your bags and contents from sliding all over the trunk of your car. When you finally arrive home after a tiring morning (or day) of shopping, it’s a nice reward to simply pick up your bags and walk into your home, put your feet up and relax.