No doubt about it, with inflation on the rise we are all looking for ways to save money these days. Did you ever realize that getting organized actually saves you money? Here’s a few ways:

1) In the Kitchen: The number one thing my clients don’t think of is how much exptra money is spent here. Getting your pantry and refrigerator organized saves you so much money because you can plan your meals around what you already have. Food waste is so unnecessary. Knowing what you have means fewer ½ cartons of yogurt and dried out slices of cheese that eventually get tossed. And don’t even start me on the fruits and vegetables that go to waste. Stale bags of chips and yet one more ½ bag of pasta that you forgot you had..it all adds up. Knowing what you have also means less impulse spending in the grocery store too. And then there’s the Costco run….I once had a client who, when we were helping her family pack to move, discovered TWELVE 32 oz. jars of capers…holy moly that’s a LOT of capers….

2) Household goods: Now, maybe your bathroom doesn't look like this, but you get the idea. Duplicate bottles of shampoo, hair products, cleaning products—how many times have you purchased these things and then got home to realize you already had them? There’s a difference between stockpiling and not knowing that you actually had 12 tubes of toothpaste already. This goes for the men in the family too—getting your tools organized and garage supplies means fewer trips to that big Orange Box store because you can’t find your _______ (fill in the blank). In our house my husband had an affinity for dry wall screws….I found 6 large boxes of them in various places in the garage because he would just grab another box of 200 when he couldn’t find 1…Seriously And the funny part is our house doesn’t have drywall, it’s all lathe and plaster.

3) Bills: Getting your paperwork in order and setting up a system for bill paying means no more late fees. And by staying on top of them often times companies offer discounts if you pay on time, or offer a special coupon that you can use. Those really add up!

4) Must-haves. Getting organized helps you realize that what you thought you needed sometimes works out to be, well, NOT something you needed after all. I can’t tell you how many times I have had a client working with me and we find some nebulous little item that they bought and now have absolutely no idea what it is or why they need it. This is especially prevalent in cosmetics, office products, and even kitchen products. Getting organized can help you take a look at your priorities a little better. It helps you pay more attention to your spending habits.

5) Time and Gas Money: here in CA gas is about $6.00+ per gallon. Combining your trips or even eliminating them because you don’t need to make that last minute run to Target can really make a dent in what you are spending for gas. And your time is valuable. How much do you earn an hour at your job? Saving yourself time is like putting money in your pocket.

6) Storage fees: Need I say more? I tell my clients that storage units are a place where stuff goes to die. Unless it’s a temporary solution to a temporary problem (like you are moving), DON’T USE THEM. Get rid of stuff!

Ka-Ching!!! All these things add up! Getting organized not only saves your sanity it saves your wallet!