Spring cleaning is not just good for keeping your house clean and organized, it can also help you save money. Since you’re going to have to do it anyway, you might as well put a bit of extra effort into it and enjoy the savings all year long.
1. Keep a notebook with you as you clean so that you can jot down areas in your home that could use a repair and use that to make your weekend to do lists for the coming months. Small, relatively inexpensive repairs now can save you from costly major repairs in the long run.
Look for areas that can be weatherproofed, too. Not only will you save money on your utility bills, but you’ll also be more comfortable.
You might find that it’s a good idea to keep the notebook handy so that you can write down all repairs that you notice as the year goes on. You could also use it to keep a running shopping list of household items you need so that you can match them with sales. It’s easy to forget what you need to do or buy, so write it down.
2. Pull out items that you no longer want or need so that you can donate them. Not only will this keep them out of the landfill and help other people and charities, but you can also take a deduction from your taxes if you itemize. Read this article for some tips for donating your things to charity.
3. Organize your belongings. Have you ever bought something only to find out later that you already owned one in perfectly good condition? Or tried to find something and gave up in frustration and bought a new one? If so, you’ll understand why it’s so important to periodically go through your things to see what you have and put them in order.
In fact, you might want to commit to doing this on a monthly or quarterly basis in your kitchen and any other places you store food, like that deep freezer in the basement. Make an inventory of what you have and give yourself a “pantry challenge” where you make as many meals possible out of what you already have and buy only the very basics at the store (milk, eggs, ect.)
Even shelf stable goods should be rotated on a regular basis. While that can of spaghetti rings that’s 6 months past it’s best buy date is likely edible, most people will feel a bit unnerved actually eating it. If you are keeping a stockpile for emergencies, you’ll want to “eat down” or donate the stock frequently and replace it with new.
Keeping your house tidy and well organized is not only good for your spirits and health, it’s also a good way to save money!
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