When you have a list of items to memorize, set them to a familiar tune then practice singing it. Singing activates a different part of your brain than speaking, and often singing information helps you remember it more accurately.
Simple flash cards can help you memorize large amounts of information or complex concepts. The act of writing information down onto flash cards also helps to cement it into your memory. Flash cards are easy to carry with you making it simple to spend a few minutes each day reviewing a set of facts.
Many people remember the colors of the spectrum with the acronym ROYGBIV (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). An acronym is an excellent way to memorize a list of items. See if your grocery list or a list of names can be turned into an acronym.