A couple weeks ago I shared with you what clutter can do to you emotions and mental health. Today I want you to take a look at how your clutter is affecting your bank account. You may be thinking but I don’t pay for a storage unit, so my stuff doesn’t cost me anything. Stay with me and you will see what I am talking about.
So often we go into clients homes and they are not using rooms or areas of their home because of clutter. Whether you have a large home or a small home if you are not using it due to clutter it is costing you money.
I love how Paul Walsh breaks down the cost of your clutter in your own home in his book Lighten Up: Love what you have, Have what you need, Be happier with less.
He says to figure out what your house cost per square foot. To do that:
Value of your home ÷ Square footage of your home = Value of each square foot
_______________ ÷_______________ = _______________
So, if you live in a $250,000 home and it’s 2,500 square feet, then each square foot is worth $100.
Now look at the areas of your home and calculate how many square feet of your home are not being used due to clutter or items you are not using. Take that number and multiply it by the value of each square foot.
Value of square footage × Square feet occupied by things you don’t use = Value of unusable space
_______________ x_______________ = _______________
That is the amount you are paying the mortgage company each month to store your things.
That is crazy right? So before you buy a bigger home to store your things. Take a look around and see how much of your home is occupied with things you are not using. You might find that your home is just right for your family, after a little decluttering and implementing better systems.