With the success of EBay and the increasing cost of running a household, everyone should see dollar signs when they look at things in their home! Unorganized homes cost money! When was the last time you REALLY got your home cleaned out and organized?
How does that unorganized home cost you money? When you can’t find something, you tend to buy a new one. If you can’t find tax paperwork when the IRS calls you for an audit THAT will cost you money! When you lose bills in piles of paperwork and get hit with that late charge THAT just cost you money! Running around trying to find things you KNOW you have but can’t find costs you time and energy and that usually costs money. Knowing where your home owner’s insurance policy is when that hurricane is bearing down on you is a critical thing!
Being organized allows you to know what you do NOT need and if that’s the case get rid of it. If you have things you want to get rid of consider donating them to charitable organizations (remember to get a receipt for the donations if you can itemize). Recently, I donated old glasses to an organization that collects them for the needy. I donated stuffed animals to the state police (no receipt here but it was a good cause!) for children in accidents or children pulled out of abusive homes. I sent several nice suits to a local organization that helps dress women for interviews (frequently these women are on state aid and coming out of education programs and can’t afford nice interview clothes). When you REALLY start to look around you, there are plenty of great programs and people who are desperate for those things that you do NOT need!
Now, you might prefer to get cash for those extras you have. EBay is huge these days! Although I’ve never done this and can’t offer any advice or help, a quick inquiry in a search engine will pull up lots of free help.
Another get-cash option is holding a tag-sale. You can do this with several other families in a well seen location or maybe haul what you have to a flea market. I, personally, take my stuff to our local flea market because there is serious traffic there and I can do very well.
How do you get organized? Trust me, don’t do it all in one day. Stay focused on ONE thing at a time. Don’t start the garage at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Pick jobs that fit the time frame. If you have an hour, maybe clean out a few drawers, a kitchen counter that collects paperwork, or a few cookbooks you KNOW you haven’t used in five years! Keep boxes for the stuff you find. Mark one for the garbage, one for donations and one for “not sure” stuff. Feed boxes well! Make sure to file paperwork accordingly and keep important paperwork together and in properly marked envelopes or file organizer. Put the “not sure” box aside for 6 months. If you haven’t used it or needed it in that time frame, consider moving it to the garbage box or donation box.
Do you have kids who don’t want to part with any unused toys? Consider getting them into the clean out by showing them how their unused toys could make a child in a homeless shelter or an abused woman’s shelter, very happy. I know our church sends small toys to Haiti through Haiti Project (read, all those Happy Meal toys!). Less in the landfills and a smile on a child’s face, somewhere! Show them how their donated toys can raise money for the Salvation Army or other relief organizations that were there when Katrina hit. You might end up cleaning out a lot of stuff by showing them that it really is better to give than receive.
Bottom line, look around your home and decide what you need, what you want and then what you should get rid of. Make the most of what you get rid of either by donating it or selling it. Then look around and give yourself a pat on your back for cleaning out and organizing your life and your home and count the cash (from your sale or tax refund) and those good feelings you get by giving to some great causes.
Tammy Paquin is a work from home mom of 3 and the publisher of Frugal Families, online support and resources for your family, finances, budget and frugality.
