No matter how you feel about cleaning up your home, the general messiness can be costly, if not emotionally, then financially. Whether you realize it or not, tidying up your space is an easy way to save money – daily.
Laura Lonie, CPA and financial coach says: “When your home appeals to you visually, it becomes a sanctuary for you to escape the chaotic world outside, helping you save money by not impulse buying to avoid facing your own clutter.”
While tackling every room in the house may seem daunting, you definitely can tackle this task on a daily basis by starting with a small corner when planning to clean up.
But how will these small tasks affect your business results? Read on to discover the exciting secrets we’ll unveil.
1. Make Better Shopping Choices
Many of us have been there, rummaging through our closets to find that shirt or dress we purchased not long ago but couldn’t find it anywhere. So naturally, the only choice is to buy a new outfit.
Lonie says: “You might own 5 identical black turtlenecks because every time you buy another one, you can’t find the last one you bought.”
Organizing can help you sort everything out so you can make better decisions when shopping and not end up with duplicates, which would only lead to clutter in your home.
Eileen Roth, a clutter expert, says: “When you have a designated spot for everything and put it in its proper place, you’ll find what you want when you need it.”
Tidying up can also show you your spending habits and help you stop impulsive buying.
“Where are you spending too much money?” – asks Guadalupe Sanchez, founder of the personal finance site Budgeting in Blue.
“Are you buying and not using those items?” –Guadalupe Sanchez advises people to ask themselves this question as well.
Sanchez says, after tidying up, shopping will become a fresh experience and you’ll have a clearer sense of what you’re buying.
She says you’ll want to ask yourself if you really need to use that item, how often you use it, and whether it keeps ending up in the back of your closet or not…
Sanchez adds: “Ultimately, this will help you save money because you’ll buy fewer unnecessary items than before.”
2. Make Money from Unwanted Items
You don’t have to throw away all unused items – decluttering to sell items can help you make quite a bit of money.
If you find gently used items (or even new ones), try selling them on social media platforms.
You can even earn money by selling furniture online. Or you can go the traditional route by having a yard sale, connecting with friends and family…
Sanchez says, depending on the number of items you have, you could earn a few hundred dollars. She says: “Posting items online and selling them for much less than what you paid is also a way you can do. Once again, you will realize that, you can save a lot of money just by not buying it.”
You can also donate any items you no longer use. Erica Seppala, a financial analyst, says: “Not only can you give them to those less fortunate, but you can also get tax breaks for your contributions – just make sure to get a receipt at the time of donation.”
3. Use What You Have or Repurpose Old Items
One of the benefits of organizing your belongings is finding things you completely forgot you bought but can still use. This way, you won’t have to go out and buy what you don’t need.
Rashelle Isip, a professional organizer based in New York City, says: “Shopping will no longer be guesswork. You’ll develop the habit of planning purchases when you genuinely need them.”
You never know what you’ll find when decluttering your space, you might even find cash or gift cards hidden in places you never thought to look.
Isip says: “You may have gift cards, coupons, discounts, cash, unused checks, or other items in your very own home that are still usable”.
Using what you have or repurposing old items is a great way to save money and keep your space clean.
Also, if you receive bills via mail, create a designated storage place for them, so they don’t get lost in the clutter, leading to late payments and penalties.
4. Save on Storage Fees
If you have storage items somewhere, plan to declutter that space regularly to see if you can get rid of anything. One of the biggest money-saving methods is getting rid of storage fees.
Seppala says: “If your clutter has taken over your storage capacity, and you have to rent a storage device, these monthly fees can add up quickly”.
She added the average cost of a monthly storage device could be under $100 up to several hundred dollars, depending on the size of the device.
Clear out spaces and then see if you can get rid of them entirely. Remember, it’s extremely necessary.
By Phụ nữ Việt Nam
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