Why Declutter? To save Time, Money and Stress

Tuesday, October 11, 2016


Hello! It's me! Your favorite Christmas countdown! Just kidding. I wanted to give you an update on my plans not to be surprised by the holidays.

To be honest with you, I have more time to dedicate to my home this year than last year when I was working outside of the home. Either way, all of us have the same amount of time (24 hours in a day) and the challenge is to use it wisely. Let's talk strategy. 

I work very well with lists. I have a mental list of what I need to accomplish within 75 days. The goal is not be stressed by last minute prep so that I can enjoy the season with my family. Every day I work on one or two items on my list. I still use my faithful 45-minute solution (read about it here) and so far I've organized my closet and the kids' toys using this method. My kitchen is next on the list.
Christmas 2014.
Let's proceed with the big why. Why should you get organized within the next 75 days? Simply because organization saves Time, Money and Stress.

Time - yesterday I spent some time doing the "Big Listenbee Closet Overhaul" which included the kids' toys and my closet. The results? When Christmas comes, we will not be overwhelmed with extra toys. Because I completed this project, there's actually room for more (yes, I've been donating toys and clothes all year). The time I spent working in my closet saves me time because I know exactly what I have and what I need. I also had help from a Fashion Designer (see Sophia Adodo) who helped me rethink my fashion options. I still have a few sessions with her but the first one was really productive.

Money - We have a tendency to buy things we already have because we don't know where they are. Because I'm organized, I don't have to spend money on stuff I already have. The problem with clutter is that it hides the things you actually like. It may seem like it's a lot of work to declutter but living clutter-free saves you a lot of money.

Stress - I know the holiday season brings out extra stress anyway so clutter will not be a source of extra stress this year. Being prepared with organized spaces allows me to feel more at peace. One of my upcoming organization projects includes putting all my holiday recipes in one place. I also plan on finding my address book and having it ready to go so I can mail our Christmas letter. Being stressed is no fun so if I can prevent it, I will! A good exercise is to identify your greatest source of stress during the holiday and make an effort to prevent that this year. If it's people related, come back to the blog because I have a few posts about it.

I hope you are inspired to get a list of projects together that will make your life easier come Christmas week. If you feel overwhelmed, reach out for help. I am sure that if you reach out to a friend, they will come to your rescue and make those 45-minute sessions feel like 10 minutes. It's important to let pride go and accept the help that's available to you. I have actually paid people to help me declutter and it was a very smart choice.

Have a blessed and productive day friends!