Here are four financial benefits you'll reap almost immediately after dealing with the clutter.
1. Improved productivity
Since I'm a freelance writer, my paycheck depends on how much I get done. And I'll confess — I used to struggle to get any work done because I was constantly bombarded with a mental to-do list of all the areas of my home that needed to be cleaned and organized. There is something so draining about seeing a sink full of dishes and dirty counters and my productivity has suffered.
Strangely enough, getting rid of the majority of visual clutter in my house has made me a better cleaner and more productive writer. I bet many other professionals will reap similar benefits at their workplace, since clutter can weigh us down without us even us realizing it.
2. Save on late fees and replacing items
How many times have you had to pay more money just because you couldn't find a bill on time or because you lost something? A few months ago, my house was a disaster because we were in the middle of moving. In the process, I had to pay almost $12 to replace a children's library book, and I was charged a $10 late fee for the water bill because I misplaced the bill and missed the deadline.
These pesky fees can add up when clutter is in the way. Twenty-two dollars isn't life or death money, but I would have rather spent it on just about anything else.
3. Controlling the shopaholic
You would think that the more stuff you had, the less you would shop. I found the opposite to be true for me. Many times, I would buy more storage solution products to help me organize. Other times, I would use shopping as a "feel good" therapy when I felt too stressed out about keeping my house in order.
Now my home is pretty clutter-free and almost everything has a designated spot. Because of this, there really isn't any more room for more items unless I make the effort to find a spot for it or get rid of something. I ask myself, "What do I have to get rid of to get this item?" or "Will this clutter up my home and make it hard to keep clean?"
Making your shopping trips more of a conscious trip is really effective. It will be harder to put cute things or sale items in your cart if you cannot justify where to put them without adding to the clutter problem.
4. Make some quick money on your clutter
If you are serious about getting rid of your clutter, then I know it will be easy to fill a few bags full of items you can live without. When you have enough stuff, have a quick, Friday or Saturday garage sale. My secret for a successful garage sale is to sell everything at a great price (don't worry about how much you paid for it once upon a time!) and to limit the hours. It is a quick way to make $100-200 within a few hours, but even better, your house will automatically look cleaner.
I know it is hard to deal with clutter, especially when we have so much attachment to all of our stuff. And it's worst when we have to deal with other people's clutter.
This article was written by Ashley Eneriz from MoneyNing and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
