How to Declutter Your Home To Save Money

A cluttered home isn’t only stressful, but it can also cost you money. You may never have considered this, but it’s true. Not only does food go to waste, but your bills can often be forgotten because you can’t find them. Let’s take a closer look at how to declutter your home to save money.

Organize pantry, refrigerator, and freezer

We’ve all done it. You’ve cleaned out the fridge or pantry only to find several items that are duplicates and others that have spoiled because you could not find them. When your kitchen is cluttered, you’ll find that food goes to waste. It gets pushed to the back of the pantry or fridge and goes bad because it gets forgotten. Take the time to declutter your kitchen of everything that doesn’t belong and organize everything that’s left by date.

Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need

When closets are jam-packed and your house is just a mess, you’ll often buy things you already have because you can’t find them. If everything you need is constantly getting lost in your home, you’re wasting money on items you don’t need to buy. Purge your closets, and donate everything you haven’t used in more than a year. You’re likely to find lots of items you’ve been missing and will be able to get rid of lots of stuff that you don’t.

Save Extra Laundry and Dry Cleaning

If your closet is packed full, or you have clothing tossed other places. you’ll find that your clothing is always wrinkled. This may lead to having your clothing dry cleaned more often or needing to be washed more often. This can cost a lot of money. Take the time to go through your closet and get rid of anything you no longer wear. This allows the rest of your clothing to hang without getting wrinkled.

Get Tax Deductions for Your Donations

Did you know you can get a form to turn in with your taxes to get a deduction when you donate items to certain thrift stores or charities? If you have large items you want to get rid of, this is a great way to do it. We donate old DVD’s and books to our library, clothing to our non-profit thrift store and have even donated an old car that didn’t run. (See my tips on donating a vehicle). Since tax rules do change and vary, keep your receipts and ask your tax advisor what is eligible.

Unsubscribe From Services You No Longer Need

Decluttering isn’t just for items around the house. Go through your budget and declutter any bills you no longer need. For example, if you know that you’re not watching TV as much as you used to, cancel your service. We recently realized the kids were no longer using some game accounts since we purchased a new game system. We canceled those and were able to save $25 a month.

Declutter Your Finances Too

Last, but not least, when you take steps to declutter your home, you’re able to get organized. This means that you’ll be less likely to pay your bills late, which means no more late fees. Late fees can cost a lot of money and damage your credit. Set up a system, or even consider paying bills through automatic withdrawal and paperless billing. It means less clutter and everything gets paid on time.

If you needed another reason to declutter your home, being able to save money should be a great reason. What are you waiting for? Talk to your family about how to declutter your home and get started today.

What are your tips on how to declutter your home?