Posted by Marie on September 4, 2008
Grocery shopping is one of the most requested tasks for a personal assistant. It’s also one of the most confusing for the client. Here is an easy way to use an errands service effectively.
- Create a list of weekly purchases. (bread, milk, apples, etc.)
- Create a list of monthly purchases and another one for bi-monthly purchases. (shampoo, dog food, laundry detergent, etc.)
- For each item, decide if a certain brand name is important to you or if cost is the major factor.
- Keep a blank list in a convenient place, such as on the refrigerator. As you run low of a certain thing or if you realize that a particular item is going to be needed, jot it down.
- Provide the regular list to your errands runner. On a weekly basis, supplement it with the extra list.
After the initial effort, your grocery needs will be fulfilled easily and with minimal work from you.
Posted by Marie on August 25, 2008
Laundry is a cyclical task. It seems like an easy thing to do, but then why is it always such a chore? Before I had my in-unit washer and dryer, I used to dread lugging all that weight to the laundry room or laundry mat.
Even with the washer and dryer right in my living space, it’s a huge waiting game. I have to interrupt whatever I’m doing to transfer the load from machine to machine and to put away the ones that are done.
Something that seems so simple ends up being a huge time drain.
Luckily, laundry is one of the most efficient ways to use a personal assistant. Since there is all that wait time, the assistant should be given other tasks to do in between loads. Whether it is other cleaning needs or getting your bills paid, you are getting multiple things done during the same time period.
This makes the time cost effective and doubly productive. As a bonus, a trusted personal assistant can have all this done in your absence. Imagine the joy of coming home to a closet full of clean clothes.
