Clutter is expensive. And not just when we convert money into stuff.

When our house is cluttered, we buy duplicates of things we have but can’t find. We lose bills, tolls, tickets, and tax papers. Food expires in our pantry and spoils in our fridge. We buy more bins or hangers or vacuum bags or any of the other “solutions” peddled on infomercials.

Americans can’t afford for our homes to be disorganized, and decluttering has a great return on investment. In getting our house together, we can:

eliminate the need for renting a storage unit and pocket that $120 a month, $1440 each year.
find household chores manageable without hiring a housekeeper for $100 twice a month, $2400 each year.
sell some items to start an emergency fund.
discover gift cards we can use for upcoming expenses.
unearth stashes of cash and coins and deposit them in our high-yield savings account.
create a system for paying bills to avoid late fees and penalties.
realize we can live happily in a smaller house with a modest mortgage rather than “upgrade” to more square footage, higher mortgage payments, higher utility bills, higher taxes….

It’s ironic and counterintuitive, but the excess of stuff we accumulate to ward off scarcity is actually an obstacle to feeling like we have everything we need.

When we have only the essentials, and every item has a home, we feel abundantly wealthy.