ReAnn Rothwell’s Money Saving Ideas, Tax & Organizing Tips

 Here are some more tips and ideas for dealing with and taking control of the clutter in your life:

Stop buying stuff

Stop buying stuff, stop bringing stuff into the house, and stop acquiring stuff.  Stop and think, do I really need this and have I got somewhere to keep this? Some people work on a one in, one out system, i.e. if you buy a new sweater, toy for the children etc. then one goes to charity or is given to a friend.

Junk Mail

Dump junk mail the moment you receive it. Deal with other mail at least once a week filing away what you need to keep in an indexed concertina file, card or plastic file wallets or even large brown envelopes. 

See:

 #1 Rule in Time Management 

Minimize paper clutter AND keep Impulse buys at bay!

2 Ways to Receive Less Junk Mail

Garbage Bag Rodeo

For ten minutes a day, everyone in your house should wander around the house with garbage bags. In one of them put stuff that is garbage; stuff that has trashed, soiled clothing, old magazines, stuff that can just go immediately into the garbage. In the other one put stuff you are happy to give to the Salvation Army or St Vincent’s. If you do that for 10 minutes a day, at the end of the week you will have 10 bags of stuff that is trash, and 10 bags of stuff going to good will.

Do you really need it?

You wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. Turn all the coat hangers back to front for the next six months. When you have worn an article, hang it up the correct way. Whatever is left still hanging back to front, ask yourself whether you really need it. Do the same for household appliances and gadgets by keeping them in a box. When you use them, put them back in the cupboard. Whatever is left in the box could be given or thrown away. Be ruthless. If you have not used an item in the last two years, you are not likely to need it again. Do you really want a clutter free, streamlined home or not?

Give and get for free

Use recycling websites such as freecycle.org or paperbackswap.com.

Look for organizations like The Open Hands Foundation in Cascade County MT, which will come and pick up your items and give you a tax deductible write off. (Contact them at 406-868-8382.)

Seek Professional Help

If the thought of organizing gives you an ulcer, a professional organizer might be in order. (Like me!!) A professional can identify problems and solutions you might be unaware of, gently guiding you toward more organized systems and spaces for your home.

Do not give up.

It will take time. Not all the clutter came into your home in one day and you will not get rid of it all in one day. Keep on sorting, dumping, tidying and labeling (!), cut back on bringing new clutter home and you have a battle that can be won. You will have more time, a neat home and less stress as a reward for your efforts.

See also:

Clutter and Control