diff --git a/src/tests.rs b/src/tests.rs
index c9fefa0..3d46f37 100644
--- a/src/tests.rs
+++ b/src/tests.rs
@@ -188,32 +188,24 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_list_items() {
         with_temp_env(|data_dir| {
-            // Set the data directory for this test
+            // Create test items with the common environment setup
+            create_test_items(data_dir, |input, tag| {
+                // Set the data directory for this test
+                let env = format!("KEEP_DIR={} cargo run --", data_dir.display());
+
+                // Create a command that pipes input to keep with the specified environment
+                let cmd = format!("echo {} | {} {}", input, env, tag);
+                let output = run_sh(cmd.as_str());
+                assert!(
+                    output.status.success(),
+                    "Command failed: {}  RC={}",
+                    cmd,
+                    output.status
+                );
+            });
+
             let env = format!("KEEP_DIR={} cargo run --", data_dir.display());
 
-            // Save an item with some content
-            let input_a = "test content A";
-            let input_b = "test content B";
-
-            // Create a command that pipes input to keep with the specified environment
-            let cmd = format!("echo {} A | {} tag tag_a", input_a, env);
-            let output = run_sh(cmd.as_str());
-            assert!(
-                output.status.success(),
-                "Command failed: {}  RC={}",
-                cmd,
-                output.status
-            );
-
-            let cmd = format!("echo {} | {} tag tag_b", input_b, env);
-            let output = run_sh(cmd.as_str());
-            assert!(
-                output.status.success(),
-                "Command failed: {}  RC={}",
-                cmd,
-                output.status
-            );
-
             let cmd = format!("{} --list", env);
             let output = run_sh(cmd.as_str());
             assert!(
@@ -227,7 +219,7 @@ mod tests {
             let output = run_sh(cmd.as_str());
             assert!(
                 output.status.success(),
-                "Command failed with status: {}  RC={}",
+                "Command failed: {}  RC={}",
                 cmd,
                 output.status
             );
@@ -236,7 +228,7 @@ mod tests {
             let output = run_sh(cmd.as_str());
             assert!(
                 output.status.success(),
-                "Command failed with status: {}  RC={}",
+                "Command failed: {}  RC={}",
                 cmd,
                 output.status
             );