Well, Christmas is finished for another year. You may be thinking of taking down all your decorations but dreading the mess that your storage area becomes. Or what about next Christmas when you can’t find the specific decorations you’re looking for?
Look no further, I’ve got you covered with this handy Christmas Decoration Storage Inventory printable! Simply print out a page or two (depending on how many boxes you have) and get to work filling the paper out as you put away decorations. Label the boxes with the corresponding number that you have marked on the papers. For example, on the paper, box #1 includes all the Christmas lights. Be sure to label the actual box with #1 too!
We all know that being organized means we stress less, feel happier and can think more clearly. But I'm a big believer of the fact that being organized can also really save you money!
Here are four smart organizing systems that I think you should implement in your life, that will in turn, save you money!
A Simple Menu Planning System
If you're wanting to eliminate the expensive Drive Thru routine, having a simple menu plan in place is key.
There's no need for an elaborate plan. Simply jot down a week's worth of meals based on what you have in the pantry/fridge/freezer in a notebook or on the calendar.
Make sure to take a look at your busy days so you can have a slow cooker meal or extra easy meal planned for those days.
Having a menu plan in place will also save you time and money at the grocery store. Say goodbye to wandering the aisles aimlessly and buying unnecessary items for a meal you "might" make.
A Coupon Organization System
If you're a coupon user, you'll definitely want to make sure you have a system in place for using your coupons effectively. Nothing is quite as disappointing as realizing you found several expired coupons for products you would have bought because you use those products regularly.
Set aside a few minutes each week to cut and sort your coupons into your chosen system. (accordion file folder, binder...etc.). Check out this post for a thorough look at some great coupon organizing systems.
A Regular Decluttering System
I find that having regular decluttering sessions helps me to save money and regain some sanity.
I usually find some long lost items that I thought I'd have to spend money on to replace.
In between my decluttering sessions, I like to have a donation box going at all times. Every time I come across an item that either annoys me or I haven't used in a long time, it goes straight into the box.
Make sure you have an effective money management system in place. That means you have a paper filing system for bills and important documents and a budget system/spreadsheet that works for you.
Missing a bill payment can easily be avoided if you have an organized system in place. If you're trying to repay debt or saving for something, a budget systemis essential to tracking your progress and gives you healthy money boundaries that will ensure your success.
Keeping up with these systems does not have to be hard. Set aside a few minutes a day or a chunk of time once a week for maintaining these systems. What's really hard, is letting your systems fall by the wayside, then having to figure out a way to regain control, which can end up costing you a lot more time and money in the long run.
Do you have any of these smart organizing systems in place in your home? How do you keep your finances and home organized?
Last year I compiled a series of posts featuring creative ways to use ordinary objects for organizing. The objects featured, are ones that I'm sure you've got on hand already! The ideas I've rounded up are quite brilliant, so I thought I'd bring attention to the posts again to help get your creative organizing ideas rolling!
As I've been going though our house this month, I've come up with three good reasons decluttering and organizing will actually save you money. Yep, I think getting rid of the stuff that you paid hard earned money for will, in turn, save you money! Here are my reasons:
1. You'll know exactly what you have on hand
How many times have you come home from the grocery store to discover an item you purchased is already in your pantry? I've done this numerous times because things usually get pushed to the back never to be seen again. (or to be discovered once I've already bought a duplicate item!)
Take for example the cans of tomato soup we have. I stocked up a while ago during a good sale knowing they'd last until the next sale. Well what do you know, another sale came along sooner then I thought so I bought another flat forgetting how many I had in the first place. If I have been diligent in organizing my pantry, I would have known this and saved myself $5.00. That $5.00 that could have gone towards something that we actually needed that week.
2. You'll be astonished at how much money you've wasted
This one gets me every time! As I have been going through the closets and cabinets I've been finding so many small objects and project pieces that I know I'll never get around to using. When I put aside everything I no longer want to keep, I can't help but think about how much money I've spent on those items. It's pretty gross actually. That fact alone, keeps me from buying unnecessary stuff, therefore, keeping more money in my pocket. (Although, I'm still learning!)
3. You'll find unfinished projects
Every once in a while I get an urge to do something creative. When I take the opportunity to do a declutter, I usually discover a few unfinished projects.
Just yesterday, as I was going through my fabric stash, I found two unfinished projects. A purse, which only needs to have the handles sewn on, and material for a sweatshirt I've cut out for my husband. I now have two projects to finish to satisfy my creative urge without spending any more money!
Bonus: You'll save time in the long run and lose the guilt
Let's be honest, all that stuff can weigh a person down. Not only do you feel guilty about not using an item, but it can take you five times as long to get something finished! Like getting dressed for example. When you have to sort through all the clothes you don't like and the clothes you do like just to get a decent outfit put together, you're probably already running behind in your day.
By minimizing what doesn’t work for you in your home enables you to maximize the potential of what actually does! So say goodbye to the things that are weighing you down and breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe put your feet up for a few minutes too, since you've most likely got some new found time!
There you have it, my top three (4) reasons why decluttering your home will save you money! Sure, it can feel an awful lot like you're just throwing money out the window, but it will probably get you to stop spending unnecessarily. Or at least thinking twice about a possible purchase!
Remember, in the long run, decluttering and organizing now, will save you time and money in the future.
You don't need expensive, fancy bins to get organized. All you need is a little creativity! Transform old jars, shoe boxes, cereal boxes and more into instant storage. Frugal organizing is just smart organizing.
As I'm going through my house this month, my goal is to use things I already own, to store the items I need to store. After all, I'm trying to declutter the house, so I don't want any new containers! In my mind, using what I have already is what makes my living more simple and frugal.
Here are some frugal and creative organizing ideas to help inspire you to be frugal and creative with your organizing projects:
Use mason jars or pasta sauce jars for pantry items.
Buy a couple packs of Magnetic Bulldog Clips and clip all of your winter hats and gloves to your magnetic back door. Now there is no last minute looking for these items!
Keep a bag or a box somewhere in your house and anytime you find something you're not sure if you need to keep or not, throw it into the bag/box. When the bag/box gets full it goes to a second hand store!
Scan your children's artwork, then save each year to folder on your computer of that year.
Empty shoe boxes can hold a lot of different items.
Use empty soda pop boxes to hold canned goods.
Empty and clean tin cans make great pen and pencil holders.
Cereal boxes make great magazine holders once they're empty
Use empty egg cartons for Christmas ornament storage or jewelry storage
