Supermarket Checklist: Market Madness or Productive Produce Time?

I'm the shopper in the family. I used to troll the aisles looking for something new and exciting to try out (for example, years ago they made "Croonchy Stars" the Muppet cereal featuring The Swedish Chef...still not sure why they didn't catch on). These days, with two kids and a business to run, I've traded my explorer hat for the ruthless clipboard of an efficiency expert.

So, one day, I walked up and down all the aisles at my local supermarket and jotted down the items I regularly buy and their aisle. This took me about an hour. I went home and in a basic spreadsheet, grouped the items by aisle or section and created a simple checklist (on right). Now, I won't go into the agony I suffered when my supermarket decided to renovate and move almost everything to a new aisle three weeks after I finished this project. I still haven't forgiven them, so let's just move on, shall we?

The checklists live near our fridge, and, hopefully, when we run out of something, it's too easy not to quickly mark the item off as needed. Plus, when I do go out for a shop, I quickly review the list and it prompts me to check if certain kitchen staples are running low (yes, I have eggs, but do I have enough?).

So, here's the rub. When friends come over and see my checklist, their response, isn't "oh, that's cool" or "that's a good time-saver". Instead there's usually some sort of semi-funny line about OCD, having too much free time or that I'm insane.

I don't get it. My list makes it easy for me to tackle the shopping task. I don't wander down aisles that I don't need to. Better, I don't have to back-track when I realize I needed something and forgot that I'd already been in that aisle. It's also remedied (for the most part) people failing to let me know when we run out of something that I don't eat.

So, how much organization is too much? Is there a point at which the pursuit of ruthless efficiency in your everyday life is in itself inefficient? Or, are these little systems the artful way of finessing your day to gain those minutes you desire with your kids, cooking, reading or napping?