How Decluttering Can Save Money
Finances are my favorite topic. I’ll admit I am not a numbers whiz, but I do love to save money!
I know a lot of people wonder “how is being organized going to save money?”
Well my friend, organizing your home helps save money in these simples ways:
Decluttering Helps you Find Things
Let’s face it, when you are able to find things you need, you no longer need to repurchase these items. When you have everything organized in a way that allows you to actually SEE what you have, it makes finding items much easier. This keeps from the frustration of not being able to find it (maybe even stops the spat with the spouse that starts with “ Where did you put my XYZ?”) and saves you time. Actually being able to find things also means you aren’t going out and spending money on something you already have, but just can’t locate. Simplifying= declutter= save money.
Simplifying Will Save Money
Not only do you not feel you need to buy new items, eventually you feel that need to buy more stuff out of boredom, stress, or pure habit. It’s like you’ve finally decluttered, created systems, and organized and it feels so refreshing and calming, that you no longer want to spend money to add more than you need. Simplifying in itself will save you money AND frustration.
I absolutely enjoy watching my clients feel accomplished and realizing by investing in the process of organizing their space actually ends up saving them money. Huge ROI!
Selling Items You Don’t Need
This is a gray area for me. Of course, it’s nice to make a little extra money when getting rid of things, but the balance is “is the money worth the effort and stress.”
If you have larger items (ie. furniture, baby gear or exercise equipment) that will make you a larger chunk of change, then yes those types of items are worth selling. BUT if you have smaller items (clothes, shoes, kitchen gadgets) that you want to get rid of that might only get you a few dollars- if they even sell, then you really have to decide if the money is worth the stress.
I find that usually when we hold onto things to sell them, they end up back in the closet and adding to the clutter in our garage. You know, that pile that has been sitting here for months so you can get out of the house. If this seems likely, I say just donate.
Or maybe you even give yourself a time limit. For example, if your items don’t sell within a week, then they go to the donate pile (but don’t let them sit in the garage). But the main goal here is to get rid of things in the easiest way possible and make a few bucks if it is worth the effort.
If you do have larger items to sell, you can do so pretty quickly with the help of the good old internet, but I feel like you need to know what you are doing- know how to post it and how to price it. You can post almost any item on Facebook marketplace or your local yard sale Facebook group. If you aren’t in one just search for your town name and then yard sale - I’m sure you will find a few. Another great option if you have high-end items is Poshmark or Mercari.
People often think of home organization as something you have to put dollars into, but I like to see it as a way to save a few Benjamins!
If you are looking for a great place to start when it comes to decluttering and organizing, just start with a little organization power hour. Pick one small space and clean out and organize.
What room will you start with today?
