Jessica Williams, Clutter Doctor
May 21, 2019

Many people are embarrassed and frustrated by their lack of organization. But did you know that being disorganized can actually cost you money? Here are 10 ways that you may be sabotaging your ability to hold on to your hard-earned cash:

1. Lost Receipts.  Not being able to return a purchase because you can’t find the receipt means money down the drain.

2. Uncashed Checks.  Rebates, tax returns, gifts and other uncashed checks that are buried in your clutter expire and often cannot be reclaimed.

3. Late fees on bills and credit cards.  Bills lost in stacks of paperwork don’t get paid on time, resulting in extra fees and may negatively affect your credit score.

4.  Multiple purchases.  A client and I once uncovered 8 calculators in her home. She could never find one when she needed it, so she kept buying more. Sound familiar?

5. Storage space rental.  Letting go of items you don’t actually love or need and creating order in your home will free up the money you are currently spending on self-storage units.

6. Tax-time headaches.   Missing the documentation necessary to file your taxes can result in being unable to legally claim all the deductions you are entitled to, or even result in penalties if you file your return late.

7. Grocery bills.  Failing to plan out meals and keep food staples on hand results in too many impulsive trips to the grocery store or eating out more often than your budget can really handle.

8. More clutter = less income.   A disorganized work environment means you are wasting time searching for items when you could be focusing on productive activity that helps you make money instead.

9. Missed appointment charges.   If you misplace your medical appointment reminder and don’t show up at the doctor’s office, you can rack up expensive “no-show” fees.

10. Mental health.  The anxiety of being disorganized can take an emotional toll on you and those who care about you. Your mental health is priceless!

In short, being disorganized means lost time. And, we all know that time equals money. Think you can’t afford to hire a professional organizer? I would argue that you can’t afford not to!

Originally posted on the Clutter Doctor blog.