When it comes to making time to get organized, let’s face it, it can be hard to get motivated. As much as we crave order, there always seem to be much more valuable uses of our time. Digging through piles, closets and shelves filled with old stuff you haven’t looked at (or used) in years takes time, energy and focus.
Certainly, getting organized frees up time, space and energy for what’s most important to you. Letting go of the obsolete can reduce stress and make your days operate much more smoothly. And an organized space is a source of energy and calm.
But to inspire you to get the job done, I’d like to fortify your resolve by making a case for the financial rewards. As a professional organizer, who’s witnessed big payoffs with thousands of clients, I can assure you, there’s gold in them thar hills.
Here’s what you stand to gain:
ACTUAL MONEY
Believe it or not, money (or a money equivalent) emerges during every organizing project I’ve worked on in the past twenty years. Digging through handbags, briefcases, jacket pockets, and drawers could undoubtedly surprise you with some unexpected bonuses: unused gift certificates, forgotten bank or investment accounts, undeposited checks (one recent client found $2,000) and actual cash you tucked away. Not to mention the dollars you could get for that Vintage Prada bag you were about to discard... Why not go on Ebay or over to the consignment shop with the best finds?
LOST TREASURES
You’ll undoubtedly unearth practical and sentimental items you forgot you owned; from the expensive (jewelry you assumed you’d lost forever) to business cards (each one an opportunity) collected and summarily banished to the bottom of the free conference tote bag. One recent client had been through a painful divorce. When she finally worked up the nerve to sort through two final boxes of paperwork from her marriage, she found financial information she’d been trying to locate for months.
SQUARE FOOTAGE
Sorting through old piles will help you reclaim space – whether it’s a corner of your bedroom or an entire room that’s become the household’s depository for “junk.” Real estate is worth big money – hundreds of dollars per square foot. And that’s not even considering what you might do with the extra space. A new home office? Workout room? Guest bedroom? Just imagine the possibilities.
As we head into spring cleaning season, or any other time the impulse strikes you, take advantage of the longer days and more relaxed pace to finally get to some of those old neglected piles. Pick a room, a corner, or a closet that you’ve been neglecting for years, and devote a portion of a weekend to de-cluttering it. The time you invest may deliver you incredible rewards— in terms of freedom, space, and money. Talk about a return on investment!