Obsessive Compulsive Checkout Disorder.
I have had this disorder in varying degrees my entire grocery shopping career. And right now I am at a high point. Or maybe that's a low point. I guess it depends on who you're askin'.
I like to put things on the checkout belt in categories. This habit became more ingrained when I lived in the mountains and needed to put all of my cold things in a cooler for the half-hour drive home. One would think that a bagger would do that automatically. Uhhhh, no. One might then think that if a customer specifically asked that all of her cold things be put together, that they could manage it. Wrong again. I always had to look through my bags to take out the stragglers. And if I'd asked, I would become extremely irritated at the necessity of that obnoxious, time consuming task. So I stopped asking and became extra diligent about my categories.
Boxed items all are put on the belt together. Then meats. Freezer, refrigerated, and deli items. Cans and jars. Any bottled juices. Baking goods. Fresh produce. Breads. That's pretty much it. I do group non-grocery items together after the food items.
This really doesn't take as long as it may seem it would. That's why the boxes tend to go on first. Those are bulky, easy to spot. Once they're out of the cart, it's easy to sort the rest. A lot of it is already grouped in my cart that way, just because of how the aisles are arranged.
I never thought that anyone noticed this. Maybe they haven't in the past. But the last time I went grocery shopping, the cashier, who was also bagging, commented on my anal behavior (her words). Rather than criticizing, she was thanking me. It was so much easier to bag that way, she said. I told her she was welcome and felt gratified. I instantly realized that any hope I had at rehabilitation was just dashed. Reinforcement like that will sustain my OCCD for quite a while.
17 fishy comments:
Thanks for linking up!
My wife and I tend to do similar things. She likes to have some sort of a barrier between wet things and dry things— whereas I tend to try and get the heavy things on the belt first.
I do the same thing with my groceries, though not to that extent. I can see I need to step it up a notch! ;)
I do something similar in varying degrees. Everything has to be neatly placed int he basket. It drives my husband crazy who just wants to toss things in.
On the belt at checkout. I like to group things together according to coupons. (It makes me feel organized).
Wow! I am very impressed. I have to say, I am anti grocery shopping. Sure, we need to eat and all, but it is my LEAST favorite chore in the world. Now I see that there's an art form to it. Perhaps I need a little more OCCD in my life :)
My groceries are usually in groups already when I shop because of the way I shop. I too try to group things together. I'm not too concerned about it but it usually gets put on with the frozen stuff and meats together because they are usually near the top. The rest gets put up there kind of in a willy nilly way but usually the cans all go together and the produce all together as well .
Hey, I'll join the club. cuz I do this. It makes it easier to put groceries away at home, too.
I also arrange my grocery list according to which part of the store I visit first. Then I can smoothly make the rounds without hauling myself and the kiddos across the store five times. Thank you, OCD.
You and my husband are two peas in a pod! I'm not ALLOWED to load the groceries on the conveyor belt. That is if I am even ALLOWED to go grocery shopping : )
I'm so repressed, it's heartbreaking isn't it?
Melissa - If being repressed means your hubby is willing to do the grocery shopping, then you and I are in the same 'lousy' boat (hee hee I think it's great - I love to shop, but not for groceries)
And Mina, I thought I was OCD for putting my groceries on there with like items together. Apparently I'm not, based on your other commenters!
:~D
This sounds like a time saver to me!
I do it too! And I actually learned if from shopping with Grandma at Food Basket. Or, as it is known these days "Sucky Lucky".
A few weeks ago a whole bag of frozen food was left in the garage in front of the frig. I was sick about throwing out about $25.00 worth food!
I like your idea.
I buy my food and toiletries all at the same time, and I separate them (the food from the toiletries) because I take them out of two separate places in my budget and it's easier when they are lumped together to figure out how much to take out of each budget spot. Does that make sense? But yeah, I get why you do this. It makes a lot of sense!
Your post made me feel strangely proud because I am NOT an OCD person. I am usually disorganized and probably disheveled, too, but I DO THIS too! My freezer and food storage are downstairs, my fridge and pantry are upstairs and I like to bag things according to where I have to carry them when I get home.
Thank you for making me realize that I really do have some structure in my life. :)
I do this, too, except I always like to put cans & heavy things on the conveyor belt first so I can put the heaviest things on the bottom of my cart after it's bagged, and then I end with the bread & eggs and more fragile things. It works well for me (except, like you said, when you have everything nicely organized and the bagger likes his own system better and messes it all up), but my kids don't like it so much because I tend to not want them to help me unload the cart much. I'm always interrupting their "helping me" by saying something like, "No, we need to put all of the yogurt & refrigerated things together". I guess my being too controlling about this little routine takes all of their fun out of helping. I guess I should just chill and let them help while they're still willing.
Awesome :)
I totally do this. I thought everyone did? Or, rather, I thought all parent-types did this. It seems like a parenty thing to do...
My Dad was a bagger as a teenager and he's compulsive about the way things are organized on the belt! I try to group things together to make it easier to put away. I think your OCD in this case is helpful!
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