Today, a friend of mine expressed her frustration with the layout of a home improvement store.  The layout of the store just didn't make sense, she said. I shared my "hack" with her, and figured I should probably share it with others who don't visit these stores often.

Now, I'm not sure how many other stores have systems like this, but I know for sure when I plan to go to Lowes or Home Depot-- and sometimes even when I go to the store spontaneously --my shopping is made easy by using one simple tool.

I visit their sites online.

On the site, I enter which store I am visiting and then do a search for the item I want.  When the item comes up, it also includes the location, by aisle and bay, where the item can be found!

In my experience, this saves me a lot of money because when I wander, I end up finding something else I "need" (but not really). It also saves me time because I don't have to walk around until I can FIND somebody who then only calls for someone in that department to come and assist me.  Neither do I have to press a button and wait.  The only wait time is the amount of time it takes for things to populate online!

So, if you find yourself needing to make a trip to a home improvement store, try this process, and see if it makes your shopping experience a little better.

More From 95.3 The Bear