Feel like you spend more time in stores than at home? These tips will help.

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You never have enough milk, and the kids are forever outgrowing their shoes. It seems impossible to keep your house sufficiently stocked with the absolute essentials. But if you shop smarter, you can get what you need and want quickly and correctly, avoiding a second (or third) trip to pick up forgotten items or return things bought in haste.

Have goods come to you. "Whenever possible, shop online, from catalogs, by fax, by phone," says Jeff Davidson, a time-management expert and author of The Joy of Simple Living. "It's worth the extra cost of shipping and handling to save you the hours spent in stores and getting there."

Buy in bulk. You don't have to join Costco ("Better to avoid those massive warehouse places," says Davidson, "since the time you spend driving to them and waiting to pay isn't worth the few dollars you save,") to buy 20 rolls of toilet paper. When bulking up, stick with "paper products and canned goods you know you will consume," says Davidson.

Timing is everything. You'll save hours by being counterintuitive. "Everyone shops for food on Sunday mornings," says time-management expert Lee Silber. "Therefore, that's the worst time to go. Shop instead at 9:00 p.m. on a weeknight. Go to a 24-hour pharmacy at 10:00 p.m. instead of battling the lunchtime crowds." Whatever your pattern has been, he says, "break it."

Know what you're after. Create a permanent boilerplate list of all the food items you purchase each week. Organize it aisle by aisle, so if you send your husband to the market, he won't miss anything or have to backtrack later. "Spend a few minutes checking your food inventory and planning your menus, to avoid impulse buying," says Davidson. "And don't write the list or shop when hungry. You'll buy things you don't really need." Also, Davidson recommends making one supermarket trip per week. This saves you the hassle of running back every day for more milk, more eggs, etc.

Canvas the closets. Before heading to the mall, inventory your family's closets and drawers. "People tend to make repeat purchases," says Emily Cho, a New York City-based personal shopper. "I always advise clients to look in their closets and make a list of what needs to be added to their existing wardrobe." This will help cut down on returns. --Valerie Frankel