Get Organized to Save Money

You want to have more money every month, right? You’d like to save more on your expenses, right? Why is it that, come month’s end, sometimes it is a bit of a scramble (or at least your balance sheet does not look as rosy as you’d like)?

Your barrier to financial success may be as simple as a lack of organization in your home.

Stamp out the Impulse

Research shows that impulse spending (the great destructor of budget-keeping) can greatly be reduced by eliminating the chaos that comes with a disorderly environment.

Take charge of your house and your finances at the same time.

Get your House in Order- Literally

There are opportunities to save and to cut spending in every nook and cranny of your home. However, if you are drowning in clutter and disorganization, you are not going to be able to clearly identify these opportunities.

Start by purging your belongings and de-cluttering your home- room, by room. Perhaps you will find some items that would be suitable for sale- and you can earn yourself some extra cash in the process.

Inventory Brings Clarity

Now that you’ve decided what you are getting rid of, organize the stuff you plan to keep.

Use bins and other containers, labelled and placed in the appropriate room in the house. This is a great opportunity to re-use and re-cycle things too. Use old mugs for, brushes, pencils and kids art/craft material. Bowls or small jars can be useful small odds and ends like hair elastics, small toiletries or keys near the front door.

Larger baskets serve as great containers for hats/mitts/sunglasses/sunscreen, depending on the season.  They are useful for just about everything- from toys to books to magazines to odds and ends.

Bring Your Closets in Season

Have you ever dug in the back of your kid’s closet, only to unearth brand new clothes that you bought , with price tags still intact (perhaps the next size up, or at a deep discount, buying off-season) and realize that that they are no longer usable. Either the season has changed, or the clothing in question no longer fits or is appropriate.

What seemed like great savings at the time turned itself into extra spending, simply by not being managed well when the items crossed your threshold.

Eliminate this particular spending debacle by organizing closets according to season, and by rotating clothing at the end of the season.  Keep a separate box for new or up-and-coming items- and keep it at the forefront (You can use the same trick for gifts-which tend to get bought in bulk but forgotten about when needed).

Commit to using what is on Hand

Now that you know where things are, before going out and buying more, check your inventory of what you already have. This includes toiletries, food items, clothing and more.

Are there opportunities to repurpose things? Can you use old shirts for cleaning? Could some of your old clothes or jewellery make for cool additions to the dress up box, eliminating a need a trip to the toy store?

Organizing Saves Money and Time

It’s not just a saying- time is money. And getting your space organized will get you both. Easy access to your belongings and having an accurate picture of what is required will let you plan your shopping better (to circulate around sales and savings) and to avoid duplicating items or tasks in your home.