Team work: Rachel Bilson and her little sister Hattie tote a big blue basket during budget shopping spree

By Linda Massarella

PUBLISHED: 03:52 GMT, 10 July 2012 | UPDATED: 03:53 GMT, 10 July 2012

The former OC star has been spotted out dozens of times buying home goods and paint with longtime boyfriend Hayden Christensen, but today, Rachel Bilson towed little sister, Hattie, along for the ride.

The cute pair went shopping at a local Los Angeles discount store, where the dark-haired sisters walked through the aisles inspecting the goods.

Dressed in a relaxed pair of white shorts and a beige T-shirt, Bilson quickly found an item she wanted to have: a big wired laundry basket with a soft blue covering.

Home accessory shopping: Rachel Bilson picked up a basket in Los Angeles today while shopping with kid sister, Hattie

About 3' high, Rachel needed help maneuvering the item through the aisle, but little sister Hattie, wearing long jean shorts and a tie-dyed pink T-shirt, was happy to help.

Once they paid for the item, they continued to tow the basket all the way down the street to their car.

Light but awkward: The basket wasn't heavy, but it was large and hard to carry

The 30-year-old actress looked positively motherly as she led Hattie, who appears to be about 15-years-old, through the store and on the street. Several times, Rachel held the girl's hand.

Hattie is Rachel's half-sister. They share the same father but have different mothers.

Filming of the second season of Hart of Dixie, in which Rachel stars as the lead Dr. Zoe Hart, starts shortly and this may be the last few days Rachel has to shop.

Sometimes it takes two: Rachel and Hattie lugged the big blue basket down the street

And Rachel seems to be on a shopping tear. On Saturday, she and Hayden went to a hardware store and emerged with bags of goodies.

Last month, the pair were at Home Depot looking at paint samples.

The couple started dating after meeting on the set of Jumper in 2007. They quickly became engaged, but called it off and broke up. They got back together in 2010.

Whiling away the hours: Rachel and Hayden were seen shopping for home goods on Saturday, and last month