Stay Organized and You’ll Save Time, Money And Stress!
Here are some things to think about that demonstrate why it is so important to get your house in order and keep it that way.
1. Save Time. The average person spends 55 minutes a day looking for something… And you thought cleaning 30 minutes a day was time consuming.
2. Save Money. When you don’t have piles of papers everywhere, you can pay your bills on time, thus avoiding late fees. Let’s see… 30 seconds to file a bill away compared to working 1-4 hours extra to pay for late fee on bill.
3. Save on Stress. We worry and stew daily over what we eat – organic, fat free, sugar free, “food” free (just joking) :) in order to protect our hearts and keep healthy but one of the main factors that leads to heart attack and many serious illnesses is stress. Those few seconds or minutes it takes to clean or put something away are insignificant compared to hours spent in the hospital or at the doctor’s office, not to mention money spent on bills.
Once again it is all about perspective and just something to think about the next time you start to dump something in that pile again.
-Jill
For easy tips to make organizing and cleaning easier, check out our How To Organize And Clean Your Home e-books.
Photo By: Earls37a
really a nice article regarding time, stress and money saving.
I am taking your advice to heart. lately I have been making a BIG effort to get rid of all the extra unwanted stuff around. I am pitching and pitching some more. You’re so right! When I see busy clutter around meI can tell my anxiety level goes right up. Sometimes I don’t know even where to start!
So right Barb. Not only don’t want to start but I don’t know where to start either. I have finally figured out just to start. I like to either start at like one side of the table or counter and work my way across or on one section of a room and work my way around but really if I get just a small section done it inspires me on.
Sounds like you have really been busy. I like the and pitching more part. :) That’s always a good thing. :) How are you this evening?
I have found that if I think to myself, that someone else could really use what I’m getting rid of, it makes it easer, for example, my very full scarf drawer. Have lots of pretty scarves but I really don’t wear them. some other lady can probably tie them much prettier than I can, I’m just not that good at it, so let someone else enjoy them. Then I don’t feel so badly about giving something up!
That article is so true !
At our house, we try to always keep the kitchen cleaned, the dishes have to be done before bedtime.
Whenever we don’t do it, it makes my boyfriend in a bad mood when he wakes up because he knows we will have to do the dishes before breakfast and than after.
I found out it’s better to do it even if we are tired and wake up to enjoy our day :)
You might be surprised at how much you can get done in 5 minutes. Just take 5 minutes everyday and start going through a pile of whatever you have laying around. You don’t have to finish sorting the entire pile right then and there. Just use 5 minutes a day and then stop. That way you won’t feel overwhelmed. You could even use the time during a commercial break while watching TV to sort. Just keep a small trash can near you while watching TV and when your TV show is over go empty that trash can. Seeing the empty trash can might also be another incentive to sort through another pile.
You are right Jaime it is amazing what you can get done in 5 minutes. For anyone that wants more info on this here is just 3 of our articles on this same subject.
Clean and Organize in 5 Minutes
5 Minutes to Get Organized
Things to do in the Kitchen in 5 MInutes
I have been trying to tackle one drawer or shelf a day and that way it doesn’t seem so very overwhelming to me. It took me a long time to accumulate all this junk so I know I won’t be able to make it all disappear in one day.
You are on your way Julie. If a person (or I) can get myself started then I’m half way there. : )
Thanks for the perspective. I am in the process of “overhauling” our apartment. We downsized from a 3-bedroom house to a 1-bedroom apartment about 3 months ago, and we’ve been “so busy” I’ve never made myself go through our home office boxes (which were not gone through prior to our move). This week, however, before my husband goes back to school (after 20 years, poor dear), I was DETERMINED. We have both been cleaning and tossing items to give him space to work. It inspired me to also go through our clothes (thanks for the “How Many Clothes Do We Need?” article btw). I set a timer and in 8 minutes, I have to get up from my break today and do the dishes. Phew!
Way to go Mrs. D. You have got your work cut out for you but sounds like you are bound and determined to get it done. I love the DETERMINED part. I always say if you have the right attitude you can get it accomplished so you are really on the right track. I do feel your pain. A had a huge home with 25 yrs.accumulation and had to downsize to a 1 room log cabin so I know what you are going through. Keep us posted on how it goes. If you run out of steam holler and we will try and get you up and running again. :)
Love the article. You never really know how valuable cleaning would be until you lose something and you end up buying another to replace it. The best thing to do is to consistently keep something in one or two spots- if it isn’t there, then it’s completely lost. I have been on a cleaning binge lately. I decided to go through boxes in the cellar- my mom sent stuff to me and I haven’t opened these boxes in years….Well, I’m glad I did. Alot of ceramic items that were chipped are there as well as a kerosene lamp. Really?? She USED to send me melted candles in July and toxic holiday candy from 1989. I am clearing out the garbage so I can open up this space and remodel it!! I am so relieved that I am cleaning this up. Now, I have to get it hauled away….
plain and simple: we have too much stuff.
Ie. in the old days, a pair of skis was a pair of skis, now it has become: touring, x country, down hill, snow shoes, boarding.
When is enough enough?
This goes for just about everything, everything becomes so specialized so we are told to go out and get the “right” thing for the “job”… and spend more money.
Storing stuff costs money: you spend more on rent for storing in storage, your garage, attic, basement, storage spaces,spare rooms and sheds fill up with CRAP. Eventually you forget what you have and buy, or you are told to buy the “newer and better”.
People are spending their time in the malls instead of pondering on more important things, have we been dummed down?
Are people working more in order to consume more and by the end of the day they are too exhausted to ask the priority questions of where their life and society/country is going?
This year I have made a point of selling off things that take up valuable space, simplify, paying attention to what causes me daily small frustrations and problem solve those.
I just love being frugal, I have more money to show for at the end of the month, I will have the money or time to be kind to myself as in consuming what |I really want, ie time off, no stress about bills, and less stuff.
I have four things I keep on the burner all the time: frugality, anti clutter, simplify, health. When these ducks are in order, then I can strive to higher goals or just be.