Getting Organized = Saving Money

The topic of clutter is everywhere these days. A lot of the conversation focuses on the psychology behind why we clutter in the first place, and how to rid ourselves of it. For many of us, the sight of a cluttered and unorganized pantry or closet just makes us want to close the door and slink away and let it be a chore for another day. Perhaps we figure we have lived with it for years, why worry about it now? 

However, reality compels us to re-open that pantry door and face the challenge before us. Getting rid of clutter and becoming organized can help to alleviate stress and anxiety. That in itself should be reason enough to start filling up the donation bags. However, there is an even more compelling reason to want to tidy that closet: it will save you money!

In the Kitchen:

Lets get back into that cluttered kitchen. Does the very sight of it make you want to immediately go out for dinner? You’re not alone.  According to a survey done by Rubbermaid, 91% of the homeowners surveyed said that they were overwhelmed by clutter at least some of the time, with one third of these individuals saying that they don’t even know how or where to start. In fact, some were so discouraged by the clutter that it made them “want to run away from the room”.

When the clutter is in the kitchen, running away can lead right to a restaurant and the expense of eating out. As you can imagine, this adds up very quickly. As a matter of fact, the average American household spends approximately $3000 per year dining out. The numbers don’t improve when comparing a restaurant meal to eating a similar meal at home either. 

For instance, what costs you $15 at a restaurant can cost you approximately $5 to make at home. Makes you hungry for a home cooked meal, doesn’t it? If the kitchen is decluttered and organized it is easy and enjoyable to cook at home. Eating out then becomes a treat to be enjoyed occasionally, rather than a necessity due to a cluttered kitchen.

Decluttering and organizing that dreaded pantry can save you money as well. How many of us have bought groceries, only to come home and find we already had what we needed? Organizing the pantry will provide you with an inventory of what you own, thereby preventing you from re-purchasing products. Secondly, having to throw away expired items from the pantry adds up as well. By being organized you will be able to use up products long before they expire.

Speaking of expired products, remember those slimy cucumbers you threw away from the refrigerator crisper? You purchased them, you forgot about them, and then you threw them out once they were eventually found. Perhaps the crisper was full of other fruit and vegetables and the cucumbers were shoved in and ignored. Being organized in the kitchen includes the fridge. 

By knowing what you are purchasing, and by keeping the refrigerator organized and uncluttered, specific products will not be forgotten and wasted. You will save money at both ends of the grocery-train: you won’t be re-purchasing un-needed ingredients, and you won’t be tossing out expired food.

Decluttering and organizing the pantry will also free up some much-needed space. This will allow you to save money by buying in bulk, instead of paying full-price at the regular grocery store. For instance, it can be much cheaper to purchase a case of chicken stock cartons instead of purchasing individual ones, and an organized pantry will provide the space to store it.

In the Closet:

Just like those slimy cucumbers, our closets are full of items that we have purchased and have since forgotten about. This leads to re-purchasing product, which translates into spending money when it isn’t required. Tackling that bedroom closet can be a daunting task, but by decluttering and organizing your wardrobe, shoes, and accessories, you once again create an inventory of your possessions. 

You will save money by not buying replacement items that you couldn’t find or had forgotten about. Additionally, once you are aware of what you own, not only will you use what you have, but often times you have less desire to add more to it. Becoming organized can be life-changing in this respect; sometimes it can help you to see how little you actually need.

New-found space in the organized pantry allowed for bulk purchases and enabled you to save money. Similarly, new-found space in your closet allows you to save money by storing items that are purchased off-season. For instance, you can save money if you purchase Christmas gifts and decorations during the month of January rather than in November. Now you will have the closet space to store them.

In the Office:

No one enjoys paying bills, but having an organized home office might actually help you to save money. An unorganized invoice filing system can lead to missing a bill’s due-date, causing the addition of having to pay late-fee payments. Not only does this cost you extra money on a specific invoice, but it can result in a down-turn in your credit rating. This can translate into higher interest rates and more monthly money out of your wallet. In order to save money, you need to declutter and organize your financial and personal paper work.

Extras:

Although it may not happen often, the action of decluttering and organizing can sometimes not only result in saving money, but it can result in finding money. Gift cards and cash are received and tucked away, soon to be forgotten about in all of the excitement of Christmas morning. Perhaps just the dangling carrot of finding a Starbucks gift card is all that is required to complete the dreaded purse-clean-out.

Even though you don’t need the 5 pairs of Ugg boots anymore, that doesn’t mean your neighbour doesn’t. By decluttering and organizing, you are ready to turn this life-change into cash. A garage sale can be a great way to sell your unwanted items and make yourself some money in the process.

Decluttering and organizing in your kitchen, pantry, closet, and home office can save you money. Now what are you waiting for?

Go open those doors!