Yelling.
Screaming.
Fighting.
Crying.
Cussing.
Self-loathing thoughts.
Blame.
If you’re struggling with organization, some of that sounds pretty dang familiar, doesn’t it? For some people, I’m describing just a regular Tuesday night.
See, most of the time, people who struggle with disorganization are acutely aware of how that disorganization directly effects the environment in which and the people with whom they live.
They realize they fight with their spouse because the laundry is never done. They scream at their kids because their rooms look like they’ve been burglarized. They dump their purse in the middle of the garage because they can’t find their stupid keys and everyone is about to be late for the fourth time this week.
The thing is, there’s a more subtle, more silent effect of living in constant chaos.
And it’s a financial one.
Now I know that a lot of people believe that lack of money is what’s keeping them from GETTING organized. What they don’t realize, however, is just how much their disorganization is costing them in real dollars and cents.
Now I’m not talking about perceived value or any crap like that. I’m talking about actual money that comes out of your pocket ONLY because you’re not organized.
And it happens in four main ways.
I wanna pause here for a second.
I’m not trying to make you feel bad about yourself.
If your house looks like a bomb went off in it- Well, that’s my idea of a fun project.
And being disorganized doesn’t say one thing about you or your family’s character other than the fact that your stuff is “chaotically arranged”. Heck, here’s an entire blog post about just that subject!
My whole goal in pointing this out is to make you aware of something that you otherwise may never have thought about because you’re just trying to make it through the day. Sometimes life just gets crazy and messy and we just get mired down in it and need a different perspective.
Okay, now let’s talk details about how disorganization is robbing you blind. Literally.
Four Main Ways Disorganization is Costing You Money
Problem 1: You purchase items you already have.
(Did anybody raise their hand?!)
“I’m pretty sure I just bought that EXACT dress because I didn’t remember I already had it.” I heard that from a client TODAY.
Sometimes it’s just Scotch tape. One client and I found about 13 rolls of it at her house a few years ago. Her quote? “I just kept buying it because I could never find it!”
Spanx.
Phone chargers.
Boxes of tampons.
Oh, the boxes of tampons. The many, MANY boxes of tampons that were unearthed at a client’s home. I’m pretty sure we were close to double digits.
Regardless of the specifics- cookie sheets, black sweaters, flat head screwdrivers- at just about every home in which I work, duplicate items are standard. Many times we laugh. I mean, seriously, when the number of plain white t-shirts starts to get into the teens, what else are you gonna do?
But so many times, the client closes her eyes in disgust, shakes her head and murmurs, “I can’t believe the amount of money I wasted…ON STUFF I ALREADY HAD!”
Problem 2: You eat out constantly.
Maybe your kitchen is a mess and it’s just “easier” to order pizza.
Or you haven’t had time to grocery shop and Uber Eats delivers any restaurant in your area.
Or your schedule is so crazy there’s no time in the evening for anything but a drive-thru. Heck, getting out at Subway is even a stretch.
Any of these- ALL OF THESE- are a direct result of some level of disorganization be it in your space or your time.
And that disorganization is costing you a ton.
Problem 3: You accrue late fees because your bills aren’t paid on time.
For some bills the late fee $5.00. For others, it’s $35.00.
Regardless of the amount, it’s costing you money. EXTRA money.
Money that you pay just because you couldn’t find the bill to know the due date.
Or because you lost your debit card and haven’t put the replacement’s info into your automatic bill pay yet.
Do you realize that for that $35.00 you could have gotten cute storage bins to corral tech stuff, office supplies, that pile of magazines your husband won’t get rid of, and your kids’ school papers you want to save!
Problem 4: You go to the movies/out to eat/shopping because you don’t like your home.
Avoiding your home because it feels gross?
Spending an hour or two in TJ Maxx after work? -where we all know you can’t walk out of there without at least one purchase-instead of relaxing on your couch because you haven’t seen your couch in months since it’s buried underneath mounds of crap.
Hitting the movies a few nights a week instead of cooking to Netflix because there’s not room on your countertops for food prep, much less your laptop. Your wifi doesn’t work anyway because you haven’t paid the bill yet. You’re sure it’s somewhere on your couch though.
Your home, instead of being your safe haven, is your worst nightmare.
We don't want that, do we?
We want your house to be a safe haven. The place you want to be when the world feels out of control.
Let's look at some solutions.
Solution 1: Decide you can do this
No, really. I'm serious.
The first step to getting organized is realizing you really can do it. Being organized isn't about having a magazine perfect home. It's about getting a little bit of control and saving some money.
Solution 2: Pick a Place to Start
Rome wasn't built in a day, and your house won't be organized in a day either.
Picking a manageable space is tough. I get it. That's why I wrote this post. Go read it. You'll feel better, I promise!
Solution 3: Get Started
You have no idea where to start, right?
I've got you covered. And, I'm not going to overwhelm you with impossible tasks. You can do this. I've got an entire post with a super simple yet genius solution.Here's the post.
You're strong and capable. You're just overwhelmed. Let's change that one step at a time.
Imagine walking into your house and it being the sanctuary you crave. That can be your reality. Now let's do it!
