Decluttering Saves You BIG $$

 

One of the most surprising things that has happened since I began to really declutter my home is how much money I have saved in the process.  I’ve even made a little bit too when I sold some of my things, but mostly I notice that I’m not buying or spending as much money on stuff as I once used to.

 

The biggest and most obvious reason I’m not spending money on stuff is because I am really focusing on not filling my home back up with crap I don’t need.  I’m also not buying more stuff because in the decluttering process you find things you bought and planned to use, for instance a dryer vent cover I replaced on the exterior of my house this past summer.  It had become buried in the garage.  Or extra paint brushes because you discover you already have some.

 

As I decluttered, cleaned and reorganized my home I took inventory of what I was keeping and now I’m able to use up those things before I go out and buy something else.  I found I had plenty of most of the items I need and use and sometimes more than enough so I shared what I had too much of, like bags of pasta, canned green beans and bars of soap.  Now I can manage my inventory so much better.

 

Once all was said and done I was able to really see what I have and realize just how much of each item I actually use and now I can work on using those items and replacing them as I go rather than stockpiling.  I’m now in the phase of life where I no longer need to stockpile and have moved into more of a use and replace stage.  That is a good place to be, but I have to remind myself that this is where I am at when I see a good sale at the grocery store.  “I don’t need a case of tuna, I only need a couple of cans.”

 

I no longer feel a sense of urgency to replace items I am running low on right away.  I can estimate how many scoops of laundry detergent or count my dishwasher tabs and figure out how long that item will actually last and then put it on a future shopping list in my dayplanner for replacement.  Doing this also allows me time to wait for a good sale so I can save even more money on that purchase.

 

Having a use it up mentality allows me to look at things a bit more differently.  I can look at a pile of scraps after a sewing project and see more projects that are made into gifts.  After making a quilted table matte for my dining room table I used the leftover pieces to make padded candle mattes to place a jar candle on.  Food scraps get turned into delicious broths for soups and to go into recipes.  Leftovers get eaten so nothing goes to waste.  I have pantry challenges to use up items I may have overstocked or have been hanging around for a while.  All of these things save me money in the long run.

 

I was never one that cared much for shopping.  I don’t shop for entertainment or out of boredom.  If I wear the same shirt three times in one week I really don’t care so obviously I’m no fashionista.  Having a small wardrobe that contains only items I actually wear is much more satisfying and manageable.  I can easily find something appropriate to wear on any given day and this is perfect.

 

I will mend any clothing item that may need it and if something becomes too worn then I just replace that one item rather than go buy a bunch of stuff I don’t end up wearing.  I keep just enough tops, pants, socks, pajamas, undies and bras on hand that if one item is too worn I have another one I can wear while I seek out a replacement piece, preferably on sale or clearance.  I’m never in a rush to buy a piece of clothing and that saves me money.

 

By keeping a smaller inventory of clothing and linens I spend a lot less time in the laundry room.  On average I do a load of laundry about every six days.  I keep one set of flannel sheets for winter and one set of cotton sheets for summer.  I wash my sheets and put them right back on the bed fresh out of the dryer so I only have to fold my sheets when I switch them out seasonally.  I count that as a win!  I have three bath towels to get me through the week and that is plenty.  I use my towels twice and I usually wear my pants and tops twice before laundering.  Less laundry saves me money on detergent and utilities.

 

In the past year as I’ve been decluttering my home again I find that my shopping lists are getting smaller and I’m easily able to manage what I have.  I’ve let go of a lot of the things I’d squirreled away in the closets and cupboards and it has really lightened my load.  It has lightened my mind as well.  I have a lot less anxiety about what is behind that door and now I find I actually enjoy opening a cabinet or a closet and seeing what I have.  It has freed me up so much and the unexpected bonus is what it has done to my wallet as well.