 10 Ways Getting Organized Saves You Money
1 | Prevents Duplicate Purchases
How many times have you run to the store to grab something only to discover you had one at home all along? When your house is organized, you know exactly what you already have. This can really help in preventing the purchase of multiples of the same item.
For example, I recently ran out and bought some new makeup. Come to find out, I already had a new one of the same exact thing stashed away at home. But since our bathroom closet isn’t very organized, I’d completely forgotten I’d already purchased it. Not only did I spend unnecessary money out of this month’s budget, but I spent time going to the store to buy it a second time.
2 | Prevents Waste
This is most true when it comes to foods that spoil. If you aren’t organized, it’s all too easy to forget about the foods hidden in the back of the fridge until they have expired.
We’re very guilty of this one when it comes to leftovers. They get shoved in the fridge, but if we don’t label the containers and make it a point to eat them within the next couple days, they get pushed to the back and we find them covered with mold a month later. Please tell me I’m not the only one! To help prevent this, I created laminated leftover labels (click here for the free printable!) that we use to track the expiration dates of our leftovers.
3 | Prevents Wasted Time
Time is money! Being unorganized leads to frantic searches for things and wasteful trips to the store because you can’t locate the item at home.
We just switched health insurance providers and I neglected to put our new insurance card in its appropriate spot when it came in the mail. I spent a good 40 minutes searching the house for that card yesterday because I needed it for my doctor appointment. I could have easily saved myself that time if I’d put it in my wallet as soon as it arrived in the mail.
4 | Prevents Missed Deadlines
This is a big money saver! You should not be wasting your money on late fees and penalties because of missed deadlines. Those little things add up! Get organized by putting reminders on your calendar or in your planner, or create a bill tracker so you can keep up with the deadlines for all of your bills and credit cards. If you rent a movie or other item, set a reminder or put a post-it by your car keys so you remember to return it when you leave the next morning.
5 | Helps You Use What You Have
A huge way to save money is to simply use up what you already have. But if you’re unorganized, you don’t even know what you have to use! Rather than spending money shopping for new things, take the time to organize the house and you’ll probably discover plenty of items you forgot you had!
I do this frequently with craft supplies. I love shopping for new supplies, but I honestly already have plenty! Rather than pick up all new supplies for a project, I challenge myself to dig through my craft room stash and scrounge up things I already have that I can use. This saves me a lot of money at Michaels and Hobby Lobby, that’s for sure!
6 | Helps You Turn Clutter Into Cash
Another one of the waysgetting organized saves you money is by selling or donating belongings you no longer need or use. You’ll make a little cash (or earn a tax deduction for donations) and you’ll free up space in your house so it’s easier to organize things.
I love selling the things we no longer use on our local Facebook swap groups, and I’ll post larger items on Craigslist as well. For smaller items, I don’t spend my time trying to sell them. Instead, I drop them off at the local thrift store and they give me a receipt I can use as a deduction on our taxes.
7 | Helps You Find ACTUAL Money
This is a good one! Getting organized can find you ACTUAL money! Clear off your dressers, organize your purse, clean out the car and vacuum under the couch and you’ll probably discover some loose change in the process. Yet another great example of how getting organized saves you money!
I keep a bowl on our entry shelf for loose change. This is also where we drop our car keys when we get home, so it’s super convenient to dump any change. I also put a little bowl on top of David’s dresser since he often has loose change in his pockets. Every once in a while, we pour all of that change into a plastic baggie and cash it in at the bank.
8 | Helps Make Room To Buy In Bulk
Buying household supplies and some foods in bulk can have huge cost savings. But if you aren’t organized, you probably won’t have room to store all of those items. Take some time to organize your pantry, cupboards and closets so you have a place to put extra items that you buy in bulk.
9 | Helps You Get Good Deals
By keeping a running wish list of items you want or need, you can be on the lookout for them going on sale. If you’re patient, you may also find a good deal on a used version of that item on sites like eBay and Facebook. If you think ahead, you’ll be able to make smart purchases rather than buying everything at top dollar last minute. Being organized is also helpful for keeping track of coupons and gift cards that can save you money.
I created a checklist of baby needs early on in my pregnancy so I had months to shop for them. This helped me save a lot of money! I knew exactly what we needed to add to our gift registry, I had a list of items to ask friends and family if we could borrow and I was able to slowly accumulate things from garage sales and secondhand stores. Now that my due date is closing in, I’ve started watching eBay and stores for good deals on the few items we still need to purchase.
10 | Helps You To Plan Ahead
My final idea on ways getting organized saves you money is that it helps you plan ahead. This is a big one for gift-giving. If you are prepared, you can shop sales for gifts and avoid the hefty price of overnight shipping. Planning ahead can also save you money on things like meals – if you have a meal plan and all the ingredients in place, you will be much less likely to make an unplanned stop at the drive-through.
Do you have examples of how getting organized saves you money? I’d love to hear your tips and experiences in the comments!
Happy organizing!
