The Alarming Cost of Clutter (and what you can do about it)
I often see people putting off hiring a professional organizer because they feel it’s too expensive. If you can relate, you are not alone. But if you calculate the real costs of clutter in your home or office, you’ll discover that it costs more to remain disorganized – much more. Consider this…
Clutter costs you time:
- If your closet is overstuffed, you may be spending too much time looking for something to wear.
- If your kitchen cupboards are disorganized, making meals can take twice as long.
- If your paperwork is in little piles all over your office, writing your report will likely take much longer than it should.
Once you give away your time, you can never get it back. Spending your time upfront on getting organized will save you much more time in the long run.
Clutter costs you money:
- If you misplace bills, or don’t have a system to pay them on time, you’re throwing away money in late fees.
- If your space is overstuffed and you either have move to a bigger place or rent a storage unit for the overflow, you’re losing money.
- If you often re-purchase items because you can’t find the original ones, you’re wasting money.
Investing your money now on getting organized, will save you from all those extra fees for years to come.
Clutter costs you relationships:
- If you feel embarrassed to have people over, your social life may suffer.
- If you argue about clutter with the people you live with, it creates unnecessary tension and distance between you.
- If your disorganization is causing you to be late when meeting friends, or to miss important events, it could damage your friendship.
Don’t let the clutter drive a wedge between you and the people you care about. Take action now to mend and preserve your relationships.
Clutter costs you your health:
- If you’re often overtired, your clutter may be draining your energy.
- Disorganization causes stress, which can lead to all kinds of aches and pains.
- Too much stuff in the home makes it harder to keep it clean, so dust builds up and can cause health issues.
I can’t imagine what could be more important than our health. This is probably the highest price we could pay for clutter and disorganization.
Clutter costs you your career:
- Clutter and disorganization can lower your productivity and overall effectiveness, which may impact salary increases and promotions.
- If you run your own business, clutter can slow you down and affect your creativity, which may prevent you from putting profitable ideas into action.
- Clutter in your space can make it difficult to focus and cause you to be easily distracted, which can block you from achieving your goals.
Don’t let clutter get in the way of your success. By getting organized, you will be able to achieve more than you’ve ever imagined.
I know that’s a lot to take in. And I share this with you not to overwhelm you but to make it clear why I believe being organized is so important. Yes, it’s an investment, both in time and in money. But it’s one that will pay off in just about every area of your life – including time and money. So if you need to rationalize the cost, either to yourself or your family, I hope this helps. I welcome your feedback.
Thanks for this! I am going to pass this on to my other half. I am trying to declutter and he wants to keep everything! Even wants to go through the bags we have to check everything first. None of it is even his, but he still wants to look. I am currently working on things on my own, we hired a professional twice but it didn’t work out (one took our money for a second appointment and we never heard from her again and the other overcharged on her initial quote). Anyway, I am hoping to work through things soon. Have you got any advice for someone whose partners are reluctant to release clutter?
Twinmummy, I do have advice for someone whose partners are reluctant to release clutter. Check out this previous blog post: https://hellenbuttigieg.com/?p=1114
Don’t forget… just because decluttering is something *you* want, it doesn’t mean that your spouse wants it.
You want to declutter.
Your spouse might want to keep their stuff.
You forcing your spouse to try to declutter is just as disrespectful and wrong as them wanting you to be cluttered.
Unclutter your personal spaces… and leave their stuff alone. Otherwise, you’re likely to wind up with them being bitter at pressuring them into getting rid of things they want.
I agree ‘anotherhalf’ – it’s never a good idea to force anyone to get rid of their stuff. However, if you have to live or work together, it’s important to find common ground – a place that is comfortable for everyone. Have you read this post? https://hellenbuttigieg.com/how-to-organize-the-messy-people-in-your-life/
Great post, and something for all of us clutterbugs to print and hang—oh wait. No. Okay don’t print – but ACT on it. I’m going to print it though, in the meantime. And forward to a few people…
You are preaching to the converted! My problem, aside from limited income, is being assured that ANYONE could tackle this mess. My daughter says “just throw it all out.” Not that simple. I desperately need help. Could you use me as a teaching example with new organizers or is there any other way to reduce the cost? Now that I am retired, I thought I would finally have time to get organized but it is just not happening.
Thank you.
Gee, seeing the downside of clutter all on one page is quite overwhelming. Lately, I’ve experienced a lot of frustration not being able to find things (my husband and I both work from home offices, which compounds the clutter). This often leads to friction about who is responsible for the missing item.
I know at our house we try to keep too much stuff (just in case), read too much stuff (it’s all so interesting) and save too many articles for other people. So many nice-to-haves. As Hellen has emphasized in her newsletter, we need to focus on priorities and pare back on the rest. This way we feel more productive and that we are accomplishing what’s truly important in our lives. We lean on experts in so many areas of our lives, so we don’t have to learn these things by trial and error — much slower, more expensive and less effective. So why not a professional organizer? I hope to bring Hellen on board soon. Life is too short!
Donna, I couldn’t have said it better myself! I look forward to hearing from you when you are ready.
Wise words Hellen! Also along with the late fees for bill payments, it can also take a toll on your credit rating – especially if you miss payments on your credit cards. The ripple effect can be everlasting.
Linda
I’ve been retired 2 Yrs. + & have made no headway clearing out office bedroom of union related material no longer needed; and assorted excess items in office & removing old documents from office that should be stored for a while yet; organizing my photos & those inherited from my mother. My eating table is always cluttered. Not getting minutes done timely re organizations I belong to; not getting at research>projects I want to get to. I sometimes think, that if I might be afraid of having nothing to do if I got it all done. But the lesson of life is that there is always something else around the corner that I can be challenged by.
I’ve always had a hard time to work in an organized manner, & it is not getting any better.
The cost for me–I’m not taking pride in my abode, not cleaning, despite having spent some considerable sums to get it how I wanted; I do not invite people over. Fortunately, most of my social life is 26km away. Years ago, I did hire a gal newly in business to help me organize. I’ve only cleared out once since.
I feel that your relationship with you children can be affected,too. Small children can get injured by toys or small pieces on the floor. I have a 20 month old who is constantly tripping and slipping on books that he carries around and drops. He’s at that age where I feel the need to constantly pick up after him. If there was less stuff, I’d spend more time with him and less time picking up.
Susan B.–describes exactly how it is. I used to say that to my grandmother; that was not nice. We still live here and need some comforts of our old life. I wish I lived near Susan–maybe we could work together, encourage each other. We can be patient with each other because we understand how it is.
I even have Helen’s book-bought it as soon as I knew it was available.
Wow. I had no idea that clutter was bad for my health! That should be a powerful motivator. As Helen points out, nothing is more important than ones health. One thing I find works for me is to start with one small piece – be it one box, tub, drawer. that way you don’t get overwhelmed and realize that you CAN make headway. You need that sense of accomplishment to keep going. After a week of one box a day you should definitely see a difference. And the more clutter you clear, the easier it is to see what the next steps to take are. Have faith in the process and you may surprise yourself with what you can do. Hope this helps.
Clutter is insidious, especially if that is the environment in which one is/was raised as I was. It wasn’t clutter, it was something precious to be treasured. One day…we might read it, use it, wear it, etc. One just gets used to stepping around things or tuning them out. However, I have tackled mine ruthlessly through my husband’s gentle advice. He said clearing clutter is like eating an elephant. Eating an elephant!? Yes, you eat it one bite at a time. In other words, start small when you tackle the problem – a drawer, a shelf, a cupboard, a room. This attitude worked well for me and as a result I reduced multiple bookshelves; old clothes gone – didn’t wear them anyway; emails in the inbox – gone. Sometimes it’s really nice to do the job with some great tunes to lift you up and keep you going or a friend, especially if they are not clutter-holics. They can keep you on track and then follow up with a reward – a board game, a movie or a cappuccino.
A very motivating thought is when we die, do we want other people to see our clutter/junk? Oh, horrors – that is motivation enough for me to stay on top of things.
I recently reorganized my email folders since I do keep a number of documents. I now have fewer folders and I have rearranged things so that all family members are nested under family. All friends are nested under friends. All banking, frequent flyer points and insurance are nested under finances, etc. Having made this “small” change took several hours up front, but it has more than paid off ever since – filing is a breeze! It feels so good!!
Moving is a perfect time to de-clutter. We had to really pare down our worldly possessions when we retired overseas last fall. What do you keep? The furniture? The cars? The 6 copies of a book? Old sewing patterns? No – it can all be replaced if truly needed. We kept mementos & artwork, a few electronics and kitchen items that we knew from research that we couldn’t replace easily. Now, we are carefully monitoring what we buy and what comes through the door. A pensioners’ income is also a bit of a gate-keeper and I mean that in a really good way. In the country in which we have retired, we see people subsist on so little — it helps us realize that “things” in abundance become clutter out of control. We now focus more than ever on relationships and experiences – the sights, smells, food and history around us.
Clutter does create a negative ripple effect as someone else mentioned in an earlier post and it disturbs one’s equilibrium. It’s a lifelong challenge to keep it under control, but the rewards for clearing that clutter out and staying on top of it, truly cause positive ripple effects throughout every facet of our lives, including ones we hadn’t even considered.
Barb, I know your insights will inspire others to de-clutter, as you say, ‘one bite at a time’. It’s great advice. I’m curious, where are you living?
I’m building a new house and my new motto is going to be Keep things SIMPLE ….. Small
Inventory
Means
Positively
Less
Effort
Wow ! As is usually the case, there are so many of us in the same boat, despite differences in life circumstances.
Illness, lack of income & lack of support really do make it more challenging to do it on your own.
But, there is always Hope & encouragement from websites & blogs such as Hellen’s, & from others who share their stories & experiences.
Let’s all keep going, one step at a time, one day at a time.
Thanks to all.
I know first hand that clutter is a bad force. My mom grew up with 14 brothers and sisters and only had very little so now she over compensates…. Like leaving old food in the fridge saying “its still good” but knowing that shes never going to eat it to keep it in the stock pile or having 10 of everthing and it does create friction growing up. And I try to be different and keep organized but when my clothes are everywhere it makes me late for work.
I also want to say I work for a finance company and see the 100’s and 1000’s dollars down the drain in late charges people spend just for being late by 10days every month and its not worth it!
Understanding all the postive reasons for being clutter free is one thing but being able to follow through even once everything has a place is another story. I have come to believe that some people (not all) are not able to follow through on putting things in place. Gradually things get left with the thinking that I will do it later.
I see how my husband is not able to follow through, even though he has the best of intentions. It must be wiring in the brain. He was born with disorganized genes. I have a dear friend who has the same condition, with the best of intentions. He has on the payroll a personal organizer. He has good intentions but is not able to follow through. We need to develop a pill for this
REgards
Marianne
When we left Burnaby, BC, we were enroute to Cuenca, Ecuador with a week in Mazatlan to decompress (much needed and appreciated!). while there we received an email from our lawyers in Ecuador to say that immigration policies had changed…again. We no longer qualified with out returning to Canada. We had always liked MX, but never found the right spot until we decided to check out Queretaro, MX. We absolutely love it here, and yes, we are safe — we really feel that we have hit the retirement lottery!!!!
If anyone wants to know more, I’d be happy to answer questions.
Like Barb, I was brought up in a house where everything was to be kept and treasured. My Mom’s motto was “Throw it away today and
you’ll need it tomorrow”.
I have just finished sorting out the stuff in my huge basement. It has taken me 3 years to get it done but now am really proud of myself. Some days, I could only work at it for 15 mins before giving up. Other days, I could work a couple of hours. It was very hard for me to get rid of certain items but I was very grateful for the hints given by Hellen on her TV program and in her emails. I now have pictures of some sentimental objects, have donated some to family and friends and have a pile ready for a garage sale this spring. What hasn’t been sold will be donated to charity and my husband can proceed with his plan for a den in the basement.
Eileen, what a wonderful success story – I’m proud of you too! You have overcome your past programming, despite how challenging that can be. You took baby steps and kept at it. This is great inspiration for so many who feel overwhelmed and are ready to give up. There’s always hope, and you are proof of that. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I hope your husband enjoys his den and that you also reward yourself in some way for this amazing feat!
Thanks to you, Hellen. I’m sure I would never have succeeded without you. And yes, I will also reward myself. I will be spending a few days in New York City with my daughter and a couple of friends shopping, sightseeing and seeing Wicked.
Hi Hellen & everone! I have a question (or two) for you, speaking of costs. I am wondering how much you would estimate it would cost to assist someone with as much clutter as you did on your TV show, neat. I mean, without the camera crew obviously but, for a team of people to come and clean out & organize two “stuffed” rooms just like on the show. Ballpark?
I always used to laugh because talking about your show, I’d hear co-workers saying “Oh come on, that must be fake, nobody has rooms like that!” – I replied that I’m not the only person I know who has rooms like that and it’s very real. I think they were gobsmacked (and probably disgusted)!
Also, I wonder if you have people who specialize in working with people with ADD and/or chronic disorganization? Please advise.
Thanks!
Hi Beth. Yes, the clutter on the show was very real. I would be happy to go over our fees and payment options. It’s probably more affordable than you think. And yes, we have organizers that work with people with ADD and CD. Please send me a personal email and we’ll go from there.