Decluttering to Save Money: How a Clutter-Free Home Cuts Costs
In this post: Learn the surprising ways decluttering puts money back in your wallet and how you can save money by getting rid of clutter.
Imagine you come home from the grocery store, and as you are putting away the new ketchup bottle you just bought, you notice there are two other half empty bottles of ketchup in the fridge that you couldn’t see when you were making your shopping list. Sound familiar?
If it feels like you are throwing money away, you might be, thanks to clutter. From duplicate purchases to wasted storage costs, the stuff piling up at home is costing you money. The good news is decluttering can reverse this money leak and even put cash back in your pocket.
The Cost of Duplicate Clutter
Like the example above, duplicates get bought when you have so much clutter that you can’t find what you need or you can’t remember that you already have something. According to lostings.com, lost items cost Americans over $2.7 billion each year!
Buying duplicates gets expensive, especially when you are buying things with expiration dates like food, medicine, or cosmetics. If you can’t use all of the product before it expires, you are literally throwing out money.
I have definitely been guilty of buying more of a cosmetic item than I can use before it expires and having to throw the extra away. I thought I was being smart by stocking up on a great price, but then it ended up being wasted.
Decluttering and having a place for your things makes it easier to find what you need when you need it, preventing lost items and duplicate purchases.
And that’s just the beginning. The cost of clutter goes beyond duplicates, it also sneaks into our habits and storage solutions.
The “I Might Need It” Money Trap
Holding onto things you might need someday could also be costing you money. For one thing, if you are holding onto things that you don’t use on a regular basis, you have to store them.
Our homes have a finite amount of space, so if you are going to have to pay for more storage for all of your “just in case” items, that can be a huge expense that might not be necessary.
In our city, it feels like there are storage units on the corner of every major intersection. There is demand for this storage space, and people are paying hundreds of dollars every month for this space.
There are also people that buy bigger houses to store their stuff. Could you avoid the expense of a larger house by decluttering?
Are you holding onto items you might need so you might save money in the future, but having to pay hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to store it? Let that sink in a bit.
Time is Money (And Clutter Steals Both)
Think about your typical week. How many times do you spend precious minutes searching for important papers, lost permission slips, or bills that got buried under piles?
Those scattered minutes add up fast. A survey by Shaneco.com found people spend almost 17 hours a year searching for lost items. And it’s not just time you’re losing. Those missed bill payments are racking up late fees, and lost receipts mean missed tax deductions. And when you come home to the stress of a messy kitchen, it can lead to expensive takeout orders for food when you don’t feel like cooking in the mess.
When you add it all up, the hidden costs of clutter can easily reach hundreds of dollars per month – money that could be going toward your family’s vacation fund or emergency savings. The good news is this is one money leak that’s completely within your control to fix by getting rid of clutter.
Related Post: The Worst Mistakes People Make When Getting Rid of Clutter
Maintenance Expenses
The more things you own, the more you have to maintain, and that can get expensive.
That fancy espresso machine you use twice a year? It needs a descaling solution. The rest of the kitchen packed with gadgets? Every blender, air fryer, and mixer requires cleaning, upkeep, and sometimes replacement parts.
That overflowing closet? It means more laundry, dry cleaning costs, and worn-out shoes needing polish or repairs.
Small electronics like extra chargers, headphones, and old tablets may seem harmless, but they require storage, battery replacements, and eventually, proper disposal.
By decluttering things you don’t use and love, you’re not just freeing up space—you’re cutting down on the time and money spent maintaining things you rarely use.
Finding Money in the Clutter
Decluttering has a few practical ways of putting money back in your wallet. Maybe you will actually find money while decluttering. Check those pants pockets you haven’t worn in five years, maybe you’ll find a $20 bill that you forgot about.
You can also sell items you don’t need to make some money. Whether you have a garage sale, use Facebook marketplace, or use ebay to sell your items online, your old clutter can pay you back.
You can also save money by using what you have. Work through your stockpiles before you buy new items, and you might be surprised by how much money you save.
Mindset Shifts
As you declutter, you will realize what is really important to you and your mindset about your stuff will change. You might learn you don’t need as much as you thought you did, and learn to be more mindful about what you purchase.
This mindset shift will change your habits and impact your finances in the long run.
Give Yourself Grace
You may be thinking, all of these financial benefits sound great, but you’ve tried decluttering before and it didn’t stick. Decluttering is HARD. Give yourself grace, and take tiny steps to making progress. Then celebrate the progress you make, and reap the benefit of the money you save while also enjoying having less clutter.
If you aren’t sure where to start decluttering, sign up for the FREE Ditch the Mess! Starter Kit to help you begin. You will get a decluttering checklist, along with three training videos delivered to your inbox.
There are many benefits to decluttering your home, but saving money is often overlooked. Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of tons of stuff, it’s about the life you want to live.
Read More About Decluttering:
- Where to Start Decluttering When You Are Overwhelmed
- How to Declutter Without Feeling Guilty
- Kick Declutter and Anxiety Out of Your Life
- How to Find Motivation to Declutter
