It’s no secret that removing clutter from your home makes for a more pleasant, healthier environment. Less mess makes for easier living and better entertaining, too. What may not be quite so obvious is the fact that eliminating disorder from your home may have financial advantages. Is an untidy living space having a negative impact on your bank account? Let’s examine some of the economic reasons for cleaning up around the old place.
Having Less Means Learning To Need Less
We tend to think we need more belongings than we really do, to live comfortably. TV shows, commercials and even our friends are constantly showing us new things we can’t live without. Taking the time to sort through the items you’ve accumulated can be a real wake up call. Once you start to give up a few unnecessary things, you’ll realize how little importance they had to begin with. The change in mindset that comes with this realization can ease the pressure we put on our finances by wanting more.
Wealth Requires Health
Clutter promotes poor air quality and the growth of things like mold that can affect your health. Allergens, germs and vermin all love disarray and all can wreak havoc on your body. Poor health affects your work and, in turn, your financial wellbeing. A general cleanup and reorganization can help get you back to your healthy, productive self.
Organization Is Beneficial – And Contagious
Once you’ve cleared out unneeded items and get your home organized, you’ll find yourself living more efficiently. Things get easier to find, everyday tasks take less time and life just runs more smoothly. That promotes a good attitude that will soon carry over into your work. What’s more, it’s likely to encourage you to reorganize your finances. Once you realize the benefits of getting organized, it’s hard to live any other way.
Do A Home Inventory While You Declutter
While you’re deciding what’s worth keeping and what’s not, take a detailed inventory of what you keep. This not only helps you estimate the value of your belongings, but can be of great value in case of loss, theft or disaster. An accurate home inventory can make a huge difference when dealing with insurance companies. Many companies require home inventories in order to cover anything within your home on a claim.
Make Some Money
After you’ve rummaged, have a sale. Many of the items you decide you no longer need may be of value to someone else. When you’ve decided which things you can live without, have yourself a rummage sale. Drop the profits into your savings account. There’s nothing quite like watching your saving grow to bring about peace of mind.
Eliminate Storage Fees
If you’re really successful in removing the clutter, you may find new storage space in your home. This can translate into less cost for storage space you need elsewhere. In fact, going through any outside storage facility you’re renting may turn up more items you don’t need. By the time you’re done, you may find you no longer need to pay for storage.
Eliminate The Need To Buy Duplicates
A thorough run through of every space in your house will probably turn up some items you know you had, but can no longer find. If those lost items are important, you’ve saved yourself the expense of buying replacements for them. That’s more money in the bank.
Increase Heating And Cooling Efficiency
Heating and cooling systems depend on air flow to regulate the temperature of your house. Filling the spaces on your house with too much stuff breaks up and restricts air flow. You may actually discover that air ducts are partially or completely blocked. All this makes your heater and air conditioner work harder and increases fuel consumption. Opening up space can make a noticeable difference in your bills.
Downsize
You may be able to downsize. Once you’ve eliminated the mess, you may find you actually have more living space than you need. Instead of finding more stuff to fill the empty space, why not consider moving to something more affordable and efficient? Maybe this is a good time for a fresh start to go with your new attitude.
Increase Your Home’s Potential Value
If you’re considering selling your home, there’s absolutely no better time to get rid of the disorder. Showing an untidy house gives a very bad impression. Potential buyers will wonder how well the house was cared for if they’re wandering through a maze of your belongings. Clean up the mess to improve your chances of getting the best price.
(Photo courtesy of ninasaurusrex)
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