There are many benefits to getting organized, such as a clearer mind and a more functional living space. But one perk that often goes unmentioned is saving money. It may not happen right away, but if you continue to pare down to just the things you use and love you’ll start to see a difference in your bank account. Here are four ways decluttering can help you save some cash. 1. Stop making duplicate purchases – When your storage spaces are not overstocked, you’ll be able to easily see what you have so you don’t purchase duplicate items. This is especially important when dealing with things that have an expiration date. I remember working with a client to organize some shelving in her basement that was used as pantry overflow; at least half of the items we found there were long expired! Stop wasting money on duplicates and letting food go to waste by clearing the clutter from your storage areas. 2. Be a careful shopper – Part of the process of decluttering is accepting the amount of storage space your home contains and resolving to not overload those areas. When you have a good sense of how much stuff you can keep, you’ll be much less tempted to continue buying more and more. Try living by the one-in, one-out rule: for every item you bring home, get rid of one similar item. This not only helps to keep your space less messy, it makes you more selective when you are out shopping. 3. Sell the things you’re not using – It can be difficult to decide to part with valuable items, but knowing you might get a little money back for them can help ease the pain. Do some online research first to see if others are buying similar things and at what cost, and if it’s worth your time try selling your stuff. There are lots of options to do so, the following blog post breaks them down: On the Blog: Where to Sell Your Stuff 4. Free money! – I was working with some folks last week and we were sifting through boxes they had been storing for a couple years. We came across a pile of old greeting cards and hidden within them were a number of unused gift cards! This is a common occurrence when you begin decluttering: you will unearth cash or gift certificates that you had completely forgotten about. What better motivation is there for getting organized than the possibility of finding free money?
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Make it fab!
Carrie