How Organization Helps Us Survive (and Even Thrive) in a Down Economy

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How Organization Helps Us Survive (and Even Thrive) in a Down Economy

25 January 2010 4 Comments

The benefits of organization go way beyond having a neater house. Organization is an investment in your family. And, if done right, it can end up saving you money in the long run, too.

Organized finances give you the ability to assess budget/spending and cut surplus costs and expenses.
With so many people out of work and struggling, charities need your excess stuff to help these families in their time of need. And you can benefit, too, by taking a tax deduction for all your worthwhile donations.
Organizing creates a mental shift from the “abundance mentality” (which can be draining to the pocketbook) to simplicity (which is much easier to achieve than you may think).
Organization saves you money by not needing to buy things you already have but cannot find.
Organizing your to-do list and chores allows you to combine trips and save on gas.
Learning to better prioritize, which is what organizing is all about, gives you a better idea of what really is important to you, and helps you define where to cut costs and where to invest.

So how has being organized, or disorganized affected your household budget and expenses? I’d love to hear your input. Leave me a comment below . .

Simply yours,

Debbie

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4 Comments »

Joan said:

Oh my goodness, I can’t tell you how much money we’ve saved through organization.

1. We can find the bills. There was money in the account to pay them before, but because I misplaced them, they were late and we were paying penalties.

2. We get so much more in tax deductions because my paperwork is organized and I can find receipts, etc. (Not to mention, all the stuff we donated counts!)

3. We don’t buy things because we lost the original.

4. We don’t buy things just to have “things” – because that clutters up the house!

I could go on and on, but those are the big ones.
Joan´s last blog ..ABCs of York County: D winner, and vote for the best E

# 25 January 2010 at 9:22 am

Cindi H said:

Being disorganized has really effected my household for the worse! After suffering an auto accident in 2003 and a stroke in 2008, and my health being awful since the accident, I have been unable to keep things organized like I did before the wreck and my illnesses. Since then, my credit score has suffered because I didn’t keep things organized, things had to be bought again even though I already had that particular thing, and the things just kept piling up. My house used to be clean, things were so neat, papers were filed, and so on. I wish, with all my heart, that my home could be that way again, but with my health the way it is, my hubby and family spend so much time taking care of me and the basics of the house, there isn’t time for the extras. I wish I had a magic wand so that I could get my house organized and clean and neat, the way it used to be before my health became so bad. Disorganization really can mess up a lot of things. I know because I am there! Wish I weren’t, but don’t have a choice. My health will not allow me to do more than I am doing and my family does all they can do. It just isn’t enough.

# 29 January 2010 at 9:29 pm

Debbie Jordan Kravitz (author) said:

Cindi- I’m so sorry you’ve been struggling so much as a result of your health issues. While organizing your whole house is not a realistic priority right now, maybe taking on something small that can have a big impact is an easier goal to work towards. It may also help to deal with your feelings of being overwhelmed if you are able to have a few small victories.

You mentioned your finances and related paperwork have cost you money. Maybe you can start there. If you have a small file cabinet or portable file box, empty the contents into a box and label it “papers.” Get a few folders (re-using old ones is fine. Just turn them inside out to have a clean tab to label) and place them in the box. Don’t worry yet about the past paperwork, but start from this day forward to file the new things as they come in. Be sure to only keep what is absoultely necessary, and immediately recycle/shred/pitch what is not.

Once you get this new system started for the papers as they come in daily, gradually go back and work the old papers from the box or other piles into the system. Just 10-15 minutes every other day can make a huge difference to your existing papers.

I posted a few weeks back about “Conquering Overwhelm.” If your interested in some more tips, check it out at

http://virtuallyorganized.com/2009/12/conquering-overwhelm/

Good luck, and please keep me posted on your progress.

All the best, Debbie

# 30 January 2010 at 9:53 am

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# 31 January 2010 at 1:23 pm