You set out for the post office, only to realize once you get there that you left on your desk an important bill you needed to mail. Or you arrive at the grocery store without your shopping list, try to remember everything you wanted to buy, and return home to discover that you've forgotten several things.

Sound familiar? Like many tasks, errands are easier, more efficient, and less stressful with a bit of advance planning and some simple organization. Here are some easy ways to ensure that your next trip to the post office (or the grocery store, or the dry cleaner) gets the job done right.

Keep a running list
Unless you're very close to the places you normally go to run your errands, it's probably somewhat inefficient to make a separate trip for each task. Bundling several errands and doing them all in one fell swoop can help save time and frustration.

To keep tabs on the errands you need to take care of, create a list with the tasks broken down in a logical way, whether by type of errand (shopping, clothing care, etc.), by location (all errands that need to be done in one certain part of town, for example), or by length of time required (tasks that will take less than five minutes, between five and ten, and so on). Post this list in an accessible place, such as near the door, in the kitchen, or near your desk. When one section of the list fills up, schedule time to take care of those errands.

Create an errand supplies spot
In addition to keeping a list of the tasks you need to do, it's helpful to have a designated spot for the supplies each of those tasks requires. Your errand supplies spot might hold things like your grocery list, coupons, and bags for food shopping; deposit slips, checks, and a calculator for bank runs; and items to mail for trips to the post office.

The form your supplies spot will take depends, of course, on how many supplies you have, but one good option is a wall-mounted magazine rack or literature holder (often sold in office supply stores). These holders are divided into pockets, each of which could hold the things you need for each errand. Be sure to locate your supplies spot in a place that's easy to get to when you're heading out the door, and make it a habit to check it before leaving to do your errands.

Do an errands audit
One of the best ways to make errands more bearable is to get rid of the ones that aren't productive, could be assigned to someone else, or could be done in a simpler form (such as online or by phone). To do an errands audit, make a list of all the tasks you do, both planned and unplanned, over a two-week period. Also jot down some figures for how long each errand takes.

Once you're done with your list, take a good look at it. Are there duplicate errands (such as multiple trips to the grocery store) that could be eliminated by better planning? What errands could be handed off to a child, spouse, or partner to open up time in your schedule? (Things like dropping off mail, picking up dry cleaning, and buying grocery staples are good candidates for delegation to others.) Are there errands you could take care of online (such as bill paying) or over the phone? See how many errands you can remove from your list, and watch how the time saved adds up.

Do some smart multi-tasking
Though "multi-tasking" can sometimes be a code phrase for "trying to do too many things at the same time," it can be a useful practice if used sparingly and smartly. For example, if you know you're likely to face a long line at the post office, bring a magazine you've been intending to read, a birthday card you need to write, or a stack of mail to sort through. The next time you visit your grocery store, check to see whether it has a branch of your bank, a mailing facility, or a charity donation drop-off point; more and more stores are combining multiple conveniences under one roof, and visiting all of them while you do your shopping can help save you time and unneeded trips.

Running errands may never be anyone's favorite job, but with some simple advance planning and a bit of organizing, it can become a much less arduous task. And with the time you save, you can do something you truly enjoy, far from the post office, dry cleaner, or grocery store.