This Foldable Shopping Cart Has Made Running My Weekly Errands So Much Easier

And you can get it on Amazon.

The overwhelming urge to carry and unpack all my groceries in a single trip is one I’ll never get over. At the sacrifice of my own comfort (and shoulder joints), I will make one—and only one!— journey from the car to the fridge every time, no matter how heavy the load. It’s most likely rooted in childhood attempts to help my mom unpack the groceries as fast as possible, and it’s a time-saving skill that I pride myself on because of how satisfying it is to get a rather tedious task done as quickly as possible. Never mind if both forearms are uncomfortably weighed down by bags of bulky produce, Mrs.Meyer’s lavender laundry detergent, and a gallon of oat milk in the process!

But when I moved to New York City, I thought this would have to change. Like the creature of habit I am, I continued to stock up on tried-and-true Trader Joe’s essentials without considering the new modes of transit I had to deal with: the subway and my own two feet. And while I usually started out strong when leaving the store, my arms often felt like they were going to rip out of their sockets when I was only halfway home, or I’d fight against bags that had begun to tear before I even got on the train. So, as any problem-solving adult who refuses to part with her weekly supply of heavy Greek yogurt containers should do, I resolved to buy a foldable shopping cart to simplify my errands.

I had some reservations about going full-on “granny” mode when I first started looking at cart options, but the fun and colorful patterns of the Trolley Dolly are anything but frumpy. Because it’s available in more than two dozen styles, shopping for the commuting essential became surprisingly fun; I chose the houndstooth one and hoped it would arrive in time for my weekend farmer’s market haul.

What I love most about the Trolley Dolly, besides that it keeps my grocery trips from turning into weightlifting sessions, is its foldable and lightweight design that makes it easy to hide in the corner of my kitchen once it’s unpacked. And since the bag is waterproof, it can brave any inclement weather on the commute home, plus it’s machine-washable if something spills inside.

Based on its 4.3-star rating on Amazon, I’m not the only one who’s benefitted from the Dbest Products Trolley Dolley Foldable Cart. From traveling teachers toting around classroom supplies to parents lugging their kids’ musical instruments, shoppers have found their own ways to make use of the convenient (and cute) shopping cart.

“This trolley is so lightweight I thought it would break on the grocery run, but alas! It holds everything pictured below and a 36 pack of water on the bottom,” wrote one reviewer. “I have to go uphill, downhill, and across broken sidewalks and over curbs and this never once tipped or dumped anything out. It easily holds a solid load of laundry and the side pouches are the perfect size for a half container of liquid soap, dryer sheets in the front, and the other side pouch for fabric softener. I use the inside zipper pouch to hold my quarters for the laundry mat too. It makes life incredibly less hassle-filled. Strongly recommend.”

Head to Amazon to buy the Trolley Dolly Foldable Shopping Cart, including the larger version for more space. While I’m still a proud card-carrying member of the one-trip-only shopping club, it’s become a much more comfortable trek with this multitasking cart in tow.

To buy: $40; amazon.com.