Harnessing the spirit of spring cleaning – and the popular “spark joy” mindset – can actually save you money.
Clutter has all kinds of negative effects, like lower cognitive functioning, feeling stressed, and making poorer diet choices. Clutter costs you more than just money, but your financial health can definitely be impacted, too.
If you need more motivation to get decluttering, here are some ways you can clean up and save money along the way:
Sort through Your Important Financial Documents
The most obvious way that decluttering can save you money is by getting your financial documents in order.
If you’ve got bills in every corner of your house and you can never find the documents you need, that is likely to cost time and money in the long run.
You could miss deadlines, lose checks, or misplace important documents that could cut your tax bill down.
When you take the time to sort all of your financial documents, it also gives you a much clearer picture of your current money situation. Maybe you’ll see where you’re spending too much or which investments you haven’t been keeping tabs on.
If you’re feeling really motivated, compile the information digitally or set up an efficient filing system so you’ll feel prepared when you need it. This financial spring cleaning blog post goes into even more detail about cleaning up your money life.
Find Areas of Excess
When you start to declutter your home, it becomes obvious quickly where your problem areas lie. Some people hoard clothes and shoes, others can’t let go of sentimental items, and some people hang onto just about everything that ends up in their house.
All of that clutter isn’t just taking up space in your environment. It’s also very telling of where you might be spending too much money, or spending unintentionally.
Cleaning up your space can make you realize that you have enough white t-shirts, dog toys and coffee mugs, and you don’t really need more.
Don’t forget digital clutter, especially if you’re the type to invest in programs, digital subscriptions that sound interesting or one month free trials that have expired, and are now costing you money.
Pay Attention to what You’re Adding to Your Life
One of the biggest benefits about decluttering is that it makes you so much more mindful about what you continue to consume.
When you’ve decided to keep only the things that serve a purpose or truly make you happy, you’re less inclined to spend money on unnecessary things.
That goes beyond just stuff, too. If you’re cleaning up everywhere else, you might be motivated to get more intentional about your money decisions. Maybe you’ll rethink some investments you were considering, or decide you don’t really need that bigger home right now.
The key is to be intentional with your stuff and your money. Decisions that are made with your long-term goals in mind will help you choose what will best serve you.
About Your Richest Life
At Your Richest Life, Katie Brewer, CFP®, believes you too should have access to financial resources and fee-only financial planning. For more information on the services offered, contact Katie today.