Are you disorganized? Have you considered investing in assistance from a financial organizer / daily money manager or another type of professional organizer? When weighing the cost of professional services, be sure to put into the equation the cost of NOT getting the help you need.
Being disorganized costs you BIG.
Surprise! Being disorganized carries a big price tag, in both time and money. (Thanks to my fellow professional organizers for contributing to these lists):
- Lost valuables, important paperwork misplaced, cash gone forever
- Finance charges, late fees and interest, and negative impact on your credit score
- Missed tax deductions because you can’t find necessary receipts and other back-up paperwork
- Interest and penalties due to missed tax deadlines
- Misplaced or “stale” checks, missing gift cards or store credits
- Duplicate purchases (including the cost, time, and energy spent purchasing things over again)
- Unread magazines or other unused subscriptions
- Items ruined due to improper storage
- Purchases you can’t return (or get free replacement or refund for) because you can’t find the receipt
- Time lost searching for: keys, mail, receipts, lists, appointment cards, invitations, coupons, phone, and more
- Less peace of mind: the emotional cost of aggravation, stress, and distraction caused by clutter
Being disorganized also comes with opportunity costs.
- Missed social opportunities because of embarrassment over a messy house
- Less time to spend on what is really important and enjoyable to you
One parting suggestion: Complete this sentence, “If I were better organized, I could spend more time or money on ______________ [fill in the blank].”
Ready to invest in reducing, organizing, finding homes for, and learning how to live comfortably with your paperwork and other possessions? A professional organizer can do the job for you or set up a system and get you launched. How much could you save by investing in getting organized?
Top Photo Credit ID 72473543 © Jason Kolenda | Dreamstime.com