4 Ways Decluttering Can Save You Money
There has been an upsurge in the number of people interested in decluttering their homes. And, for good reason – decluttering can have a lot of benefits, including saving you money.
It’s no surprise that saving money is one of the advantages. And who doesn’t want that?
If you’re looking for ways to keep more of your hard-earned money in your pocket, decluttering can help you with that.
I’m going to share four ways that decluttering can save you money. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Decluttering helps you keep track of your finances
If your home is in a mess, there’s a possibility your finances are not up to par. I mean, how quickly can you locate bills or other paperwork? Perhaps you have paper piles and no manageable system. Your paper clutter could be bill payments, credit card statements, or unfiled documents. Or even insurance policies, or renewal documents. Regardless, more money than necessary, could be leaving your pockets.
Decluttering can save you money in this area. As you declutter your papers and develop an effective filing system, you become more aware of what you have, what you owe and how best to allocate your money.
You can opt for an accordion filing system, a filing cabinet, or go the electronic route. There are several options. At the end of the day, your system must work for you and allow you to retrieve your paperwork effortlessly.
Whichever method you choose, make sure to label everything clearly and put everything in its rightful place.
Not only will this save you time and energy in the long run, but as just mentioned can also help you save money by avoiding late fees and penalties associated with misplaced bills and other documents.
By taking some time to set up a functional filing system in your home, you’ll be able to find what you need in no time which helps to keep your life organized.
2. Decluttering encourages you to use what you have
As you know, decluttering involves so much more than just getting rid of stuff. When you declutter your home, you’re not just freeing up space. You’re also taking stock of what you have and how you can use it.
This process can be helpful when it comes to saving money. Instead of buying duplicates of items you already own, decluttering can help you to see what you have and find new ways to use it.
For instance, take a look at your closet. You may realize that you have more than a few clothing items that can be mixed and matched to create new outfits. This presents an opportunity to save money on clothes.
Also, perhaps you have an abundance of toiletries that you’ve shoved to the back of the cupboard because you’ve been investing in the latest new and shiny products. As long as these items haven’t expired, you can save money by using them rather than spending on the latest fad.
3. Decluttering inspires you to shop with intention
Along with using what you have, here’s another way decluttering can save you money. Being intentional when shopping, prevents you from buying things you don’t need.
In a cluttered home, it’s easy to lose track of what you already have and buy duplicate or even multiple items.
How frequently have you gone shopping and bought things simply because they are on sale, not because you intend to use them?
Unfortunately, these items disappear into drawers or closets and either expire or are forgotten.
Decluttering makes it easier to see what you have and what you need. This helps you avoid needless purchases.
So, now shopping looks different.
You are intentional about your purchases, knowing what is already in your home. And therefore, you spend less money.
Furthermore, during your decluttering, you could find gift cards that were not visible due to clutter; and perhaps even find money and other hidden treasures.
4. Decluttering can cause you to get rid of your storage unit
Storage unit rentals are on the rise. In fact, in the past 10 years, this industry has shown an approximate growth rate of 7.7% each year.
Now, storage units were initially used as holding places for our things when we were in-between life circumstances, such as moving or going through a divorce. And while this is still the case, there’s the added layer of housing our extra stuff, even though homes are now almost twice the size.
Perhaps you’re part of the 38% of Americans with a storage unit crammed with stuff you don’t need.
Decluttering and getting rid of your storage unit will save you a lot of money in the long run. As previously outlined, there’s a strong likelihood that your storage unit is full of things you don’t need. And while it may seem like a good idea to keep these things “just in case,” you need to ask yourself if you’re ever going to use them.
So why not get rid of them and save some money?
If your storage unit is only serving the purpose of housing your extra stuff, go through it, declutter it and decide whether or not you’ll continue to rent it.
Protect yourself and your health by wearing gloves and a dust mask when decluttering your unit, as it’s no surprise that storage units can be dusty and house rodents.
Start by taking an inventory of what you have in your storage unit. This will help you determine what to keep and what to discard.
Then make sure you equip yourself with some supplies. First, you’ll need some large garbage bags for all the things you’re throwing away. Second, if you’re donating any of your belongings, you’ll need some boxes or bags to transport them in. Third, if you’re planning to keep anything, be sure that you’ve identified a home for these items in your living space and have containers to carry them in. And, once you bring them home, place them where they belong.
Certainly, it will require some effort to declutter your storage unit, but it’s worth it in the long run.
Storage unit rental fees can be costly, depending on the size of the unit and how long you’ve been renting it.
The bottom line is decluttering your storage unit and getting rid of its contents could mean one less expense for you.
Recap
At the end of the day, decluttering can save you money in more ways than you may realize. By organizing your finances, using what you have, shopping with intention, and ditching the storage unit rental fees, you can free up some extra cash to put towards other priorities.
Are you ready to start decluttering? You can do so with the help of our Declutter Workbook. It contains step-by-step guidance, a reusable template, and a checklist to keep you on track.
You may be surprised how much money you can save by decluttering your home.
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