Start your year by getting Organized
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Getting organized is my thing, I love doing it, except for taxes I hate doing taxes fortunately I got my files so organized that its pretty painless. The New Year is a big motivator to getting organized. As I see it who wants to start a new year in a cluster f_ _k. Unburden yourself of your paper pile, your clutter, your stuff. You’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel about your life. With this in mind we’ll start with our spending habits which create the clutter.
One of my resolutions for each year is to spend less and reduce clutter. I want to reduce the amount of new items I bring into my home and if I do bring something in something has to go out, one in one out. Donating is a good thing but one can feel wasteful when your constantly cleaning out and sorting through stuff, much of which you didn’t need in the first place. Which brings me to spending habits. Shopping can tend to be unfocused, a lot like mindless snacking. I have a friend who thinks she’s frugal but when you see her shop its a cart full of weird little items like random office supplies, a candle or two, shoes that wouldn’t last 3 wearings, an impractical scarf, toys for the kids, a hand towel….it never fails. I say lets all plan to develop mindful spending habits.
According to The Clutter Diet, we all have areas of weakness when it comes to spending. It could be collectibles, shoes, magazines, gourmet food, beauty products, and so on. So lets control our clutter cravings by walking through your home and making a list of areas where you do too much impulse buying, which in turn leads to clutter. Writing it down and seeing the list makes you feel more accountable.
Follow the time rule. According to MSN Money one of the most effective ways to control impulse buying is to make yourself wait before buying something. So before putting it in your shopping cart think about it for a day or two. I like this approach because it calls for some reflection before buying and chance to cool down from the adrenaline rush of getting a new thing.
Shop with a list. This seems like a no brainer, I’m a list person and have lists for everything. Write it down. A mental list doesn’t work as their easy to add to. If it isn’t on the list, don’t get it.
Reward yourself. Some of us buy things as a pick-me-up. Or purchase a book on a whim when you have countless books sitting around that haven’t been read yet (which my husband is guilty of and thinks its OK cuz it came from give away pile at a yard sale). And don’t you find yourself routinely tossing little things for your kids into the shopping cart, with the thought, ‘ oh it’s only $5 or ‘it’s on sale’. These things can happen too frequently, which = clutter and mindless consumerism. If you get away from this behavior you can save here and there and can reward yourself with a nice pair of shoes that will last you many seasons rather than the cheap 3 wearings that will get donated or wind up in a landfill.
Think before you buy. Ask yourself: Who can I borrow this from or share this with? What do I already have that is like this item? Where will I store this item? When will I have time to use it and maintain it? Why do I need this item?