[brlewis]

I use the "sort first" optimization more than non-programmers in my household.

For example, my technique for putting away groceries is to take the contents out and set them next to the grocery bags, then sort them by where they're going (kitchen fridge, pantry closet, etc.). This is faster than repeatedly taking one or two items out of a bag and bringing them where they go.

[analog31]

Amusingly, my family has an additional habit: Our shopping list is organized according to the aisles of our preferred supermarket. It really speeds up shopping.

[brlewis]

Is it a paper or electronic shopping list? I've thought about that, but we're still using a pad of paper stuck to the fridge with a magnet, so it seems hard to implement. I generally do the shopping, and as I move to a new section of the store I run through the list placing dots left of items in that section. Then when I get each item I draw a vertical line through it. I find it easier to spot breaks in a vertical line than to spot missing check marks.

[analog31]

Paper. We print it out and cross off the stuff we don't need.