how has decluttering affected your finances?

[leigh09]

When the subject comes up in conversations, one main reason I have heard from people about why they don't declutter or organize is money, more than the time and effort it takes to do so.

One thought is "things may come in handy". If they get rid of them, it might be needed at some point and money would be wasted having to buy the item(s) a second time.

The second thought is that money would be wasted buying organizing systems. These are expensive, a waste of money, but organizing "can't" be done without them. So therefore we can't get organized.

I have actually found the opposite, that going with less things has actually improved our money. The biggest difference is that we buy less things because me and dh both really feel that we are completely fine without so much stuff around us. The other difference is that we don't buy doubles - buying something a second time because we can't find what we need or know we have it somewhere in the house but haven't the time to look for it, so we buy it again.

I am wondering other people's experiences?

[zoebird]

similar.

i'm not one much for doubles--never did that, i would jsut borrow it from someone--but otherwise, i find it does keep me thrifty. first, i think about everything before it comes in, so that keeps me from purchasing, and second, i wonder if i can borrow it, buy it second hand, or some other such thing.

it is true that sometimes organization systems require some up front costs, but not always. i'm surprised, for example, how many little organizing things i can make or find for free at a thrift store, or just on the street. seriously, it's amazing how much i can find on freecycle!

anyway, yeah, i couldn't give you the actual dollars and cents, but it does save cash.

[Crayfish]

Decluttering isn't about expensive organizing systems, it's about getting rid of stuff. If you get rid of the stuff, you quite often won't need the systems.

And I'd bet that a lot of families could live in a cheaper smaller space, or get more enjoyment out of the space that they do have, by decluttering. And save money by cooking more in the decluttered kitchen instead of eating out and getting takeout. And enjoy their home more rather than spending money on outside entertainment. And by keeping the things that they do keep in prime condition, because they aren't always getting dinged in the clutter ocean. And so on.

I'd say that decluttering would almost always save money and make a family more able to deal with an unexpected economic hardship.

[Minky]

The only thing I really regret decluttering are my clothes. Taking advice to "love and dress the body you have," I donated almost all of my "skinny clothes." It was liberating for a while. However, now that I've lost weight, I'm wishing I still have them, and now can't afford new things.

On a positive note, when we had more clutter around the house, I was constantly buying new "organizers" for all of my junk. With the junk gone, I was able to donate some of the bulky, so-called "organizers" and not buy new ones.