It all started with eyeliner.
I noticed that I was going through eyeliners at an amazing rate. This is particularly funny since I very rarely wear makeup.
I also buy my eyeliners in packs of 2, so it seemed excessive that I was going through so many eyeliners.
But so it was.
Every time I opened my makeup case, there was just that one almost finished eyeliner, even though I could have sworn that I had JUST bought more eyeliners.
However, my cognitive energy was what it is (aka I can’t remember if I ate breakfast, let alone if I completed my shopping list); I assumed that I had just never bought more eyeliner pens and had just meant to purchase them.
So I went and bought new ones. This repeated itself a few times.
Then, one day, I decided to clean out my closet. Lo and behold, in a basket on my shelf, I found numerous eyeliners.
Most were still in their packaging.
I HAD bought them, but since I just threw them willy-nilly into my closet, I could never find them when I needed them.
If my house weren’t so cluttered, then I would have had a designated spot for “stock-ups,” and I would have known where to check before going shopping.
It also means that if my house weren’t so full of junk, I would have noticed stacks of eyeliner in my closet sooner.
All this is to say: being messy and disorganized costs you money. Sometimes a lot of money. So being organized is directly related to personal finance. The first way to get organized? Get rid of clutter.
Declutter Challenge
Have you ever had to buy something new because you just can’t find the old one?
Have you ever bought something in advance but then couldn’t find it when you needed it?
Have you ever bought snacks in bulk, but then they expired before you had a chance to use them?
Have you ever been so overwhelmed at the state of your house that you couldn’t do something fun?
If you answered yes to any of these, then you should start the Declutter Challenge! The premise is simple: for the next 30 days, you get rid of 30 bags of junk. One bag a day. Throw it out. Donate it. Just get rid of it!
During the next 30 days, clean out your cupboards, closets, and drawers. Fill one bag a day to throw out, donate or sell.
Day 1 – Kitchen Cupboard
Day 2 – Kitchen Pantry
Day 3 – Kitchen Drawers
Day 4 – Under Kitchen Sink
Day 5 – Junk Drawer
Day 6 – Cleaning Supplies
Day 7 – Fridge & Freezer
Day 8 – Linen Closet
Day 9 – Bedroom Closets
Day 10 – Nightstands and Drawers
Day 11 – Shoes
Day 12 – Bathroom 1
Day 13 – Bathroom 2
Day 14 – Medicine Cabinet
Day 15 – Makeup
Day 16 – Under the Beds
Day 17 – Toy Box
Day 18 – Desk Drawers
Day 19 – TV Cabinets
Day 20 – Laundry Room
Day 21 – Old Magazines & Newspapers
Day 22 – Paperwork
Day 23 – Art & Craft Supplies
Day 24 – Holiday Decorations
Day 25 – DVDs and CDs
Day 26 – Car
Day 27 – Garage Shelves and Storage
Day 28 – Boardgames
Day 29 – Purse
Day 30 – Electronics
