How Clutter Chases Money Away

Home
>
Get Organized - Organization
>
How Clutter Chases Money Away

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can cause money to run away from you? I know, I know...it sounds like airy-fairy mumbo jumbo, but think about it for a moment...

Has your desk ever been so cluttered that you forgot to pay a bill and incurred a late fee?

Has your cluttered purse caused you to forget to enter in a debit card purchase and you then overdrew your account?

Have you ever injured yourself in your own home when you tripped over "stuff" cluttering up walkways?

Have you ever bought something that you already owned, simply because you couldn't find the item in question? Have you ever found overdue late library books or movie rentals under your messy car seats?

Are you getting my point here?

To save yourself time AND money, implement some of these tips:

*Every evening when you turn off the computer, spend just 2 minutes clearing off your desk or workspace. When it becomes a habit you will do it without thinking and it then takes seconds.

*Once a week (or more often depending on your habits!) take a minute to clear out your purse. Pick a day to do this and do it every week.

*Enter your purchases in your checkbook immediately before the receipt has a chance to disappear!

*Open your mail standing over a trash can. That way you can immediately toss the junk mail instead of laying it aside.

*Once a day (before bed is a great time) take just 2 minutes to walk through the house with a trash bag in your hand, and throw away paper trash, magazines, junky plastic toys that seem to multiply overnight, etc.

*Before you log off your computer at the end of a workday, take a moment to delete any favorite places or organize them into folders. Do the same with email. (Better yet, set up your email program to automatically file certain emails into folders as they download.) This will save you time when you need to find things later on.

*The day before you go grocery shopping, clean out your fridge. It's emptier now so this is easy to do, and you can grab all the leftover bits to make "Refrigerator Stew" instead of letting those items go to waste.

And my personal favorite:

*Never own more than one laundry basket. The more you own, the more you fill up with clean, unfolded laundry!

And just for fun, here's the airy-fairy stuff:

Having a cluttered home or office can make you feel tired and overwhelmed, because you have an emotional attachment to everything you own. It's as if a tiny string is connecting every possession to your subconscious mind.

Do you have kids?

Have you ever noticed how your child behaves when s/he has too many choices? How about when they've been given a ton of gifts? Do they not get irritable and frenzied? They can't decide "what to do" with so much stuff around that they pitch it all and play with the box...it's simple!

I organized my kid's room the other day (I go on a tear and do this periodically), putting all the toys into categories, organizing them into containers, throwing a lot away, puttting some things away for later, and lo and behold! They NEVER played in there before, and now they're in their room all the time playing peacefully.

It's the same with us!

A cluttered home means you will have less energy for your business or other work.

I hope these ideas help you save time and money.

Carrie Lauth publishes a free "no fluff" weekly newsletter for work at home Moms new to marketing on the Internet. Get your copy plus subscriber goodies at http://www.business-moms-expo.com/newslette r.html

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

UAW to renegotiate labor terms, suspend jobs bank (AP)

AP - The United Auto Workers said Wednesday it is willing to change its contracts with U.S. automakers and accept delayed payments of billions of dollars to a union-run health care trust to do its part to help the struggling companies secure $34 billion in government loans.

Bombs found in Mumbai train station a week later (AP)

AP - Police searching a mound of baggage abandoned amid the carnage of the attack on Mumbai's main train station found two bombs Wednesday nearly a week after they were left there by gunmen in a stunning new example of the botched security that has become a major issue in India since the three-day siege.

Palin files late disclosure for free 2007 trips (AP)

AP - Gov. Sarah Palin has added to her financial disclosure forms two free trips that she took nearly two years ago but failed to report. Palin, who was Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate, made the disclosures last month, but after Election Day when she and McCain lost to Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The trips were first revealed in a story by The Associated Press in October.

Conservatives form rival group to Episcopal Church (AP)

AP - Theological conservatives upset by liberal views of U.S. Episcopalians and Canadian Anglicans formed a rival North American province Wednesday, in a long-developing rift over the Bible that erupted when Episcopalians consecrated the first openly gay bishop.

Cruise passengers describe 'cheeky' pirate attack (AP)

AP - Ordered to get inside and stay down, Oregon tourist Clyde Thornburg heard the pirates' rifle shots hit the side of the luxury cruise liner "Pop! Pop! Pop!" then felt the ship speed up to escape.

Police arrest aunt in Calif. shackled teen case (AP)

AP - The aunt and one-time guardian of an emaciated and shackled 17-year-old has been arrested, as police tried to determine how she knew the couple accused of holding the teen against his will for nearly a year. Caren Ramirez was arrested Tuesday in Berkeley, a day after the boy walked into a gym and begged managers to hide him. He was covered in soot, had a chain on his foot and was wearing only boxer briefs.

Study illuminates star explosion from 16th century (AP)

AP - More than 400 years after Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe challenged established wisdom about the heavens by analyzing a strange new light in the sky, scientists say they've finally nailed down just what he saw.

Bond denied for suspect in Hudson family killings (AP)

AP - A prosecutor alleged Wednesday that Jennifer Hudson's brother-in-law killed three family members because he was angry his estranged wife the singer's sister was dating another man.

The one that didn't get away yields long-lost ring (AP)

AP - The one that didn't get away held an unlikely surprise for a Texas man. The blue-stoned class ring of Joe Richardson, engraved with his name, turned up inside an 8-pound bass 21 years after he lost it while fishing on Lake Sam Rayburn.

Red Sox give AL MVP Pedroia a 6-year, $40.5M deal (AP)

AP - Dustin Pedroia has a Rookie of the Year award, an MVP, a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger and, of course, a World Series ring. And now he's got the big-bucks contract befitting one of the most decorated young players in baseball. The Red Sox second baseman, who earned $457,000 last season while winning the AL Most Valuable Player award, agreed Wednesday to a $40.5 million, six-year contract that could keep in Boston through at least 2014.

Obama names Richardson as Commerce Secretary (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama said on Wednesday struggling automakers have put forward a "more serious" restructuring proposal to Congress but withheld judgment on the plans until hearings are held.

Recession fears deepen, rate cuts on horizon (Reuters)

Reuters - Record declines in the vast U.S. and European service sectors and more grim U.S. employment news on Wednesday sparked fear of an economic "free fall," setting up another round of aggressive interest rate cuts.

Rice pushes Pakistan, seeks to curb India response (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pressed Pakistan to cooperate fully in the probe into the Mumbai attacks but she also warned India against any action that could stoke regional conflict.

All options on table as Congress reviews autos bailout (Reuters)

Reuters - All options were on the table on Wednesday as congressional committees scrutinized auto company restructuring proposals and an urgent appeal for $34 billion in aid ahead of make-or-break hearings.

Senate Democrats will pack plenty of muscle (Reuters)

Reuters - Senate Democrats will be able to do plenty over the next two years -- despite falling just short of their goal of winning a majority big enough to end Republican procedural roadblocks.

Paulson said weighing bailout's next $350 billion (Reuters)

Reuters - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is weighing whether to ask Congress for the remaining $350 billion of the financial bailout fund, with White House aides approaching President-elect Barack Obama's transition team about the idea, an Obama aide said on Wednesday.

Ex-WorldCom chief Ebbers seeks clemency from Bush (Reuters)

Reuters - Imprisoned former WorldCom Inc chief Bernard Ebbers has joined the list of high-profile corporate defendants petitioning for clemency in the final days of President George W. Bush's term in office.

U.S.-led coalition in Iraq dwindles as allies leave (Reuters)

Reuters - A string of departures by the U.S. military's allies in Iraq is turning into an exodus as violence subsides and the end of a U.N. mandate permitting their deployment to the country approaches.

India warns all options open with Pakistan after Mumbai attacks (AFP)

AFP - India on Wednesday warned that all options were open in dealing with Pakistan after last week's attacks on Mumbai, as the United States pressured Islamabad to show urgent cooperation with the probe.

Some 100 countries sign ban on cluster bombs (AFP)

AFP - Some 100 nations put their names Wednesday to a landmark treaty banning cluster bombs, amid calls for major arms producers such as China, Russia and the United States to join them.

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Get Organized - Organization Get Organized - Organization