How much should Organizing Cost?

How much do you think organizing should cost?  
I've seen many bloggers and vloggers go 'all out' and spend a ton of money on getting their homes in order.  While that might be fine for them, I don't have the expendable money to buy hundreds of dollars in organizer doo~dads even tho honestly I'd love to.  Sometimes it's dishearteing to watch those professional organizing videos because it leaves us with the impression that we have to have certain tools to be successful in organizing.  I disagree entirely.  I am not saying that I haven't spent any money on organizing but I am trying to be as frugal as possible. 
 I think that organizing can cost nothing or next to nothing.  
And I like a good challenge.  
The main purpose of being organized is to help us better manage life, our finances, and help identify potential savings opportunities.  Organizing should help us SAVE money, not SPEND it. Here are a few tips that cost nothing (or next to nothing) that will stretch your budget.  
Clutter~ get rid of it.  This is the biggest deterrent in having an organized home.  I can't stress how important it is to declutter!!!  It might take a year OR MORE to get your home entirely decluttered and after you are finished, it will be something that you have to work at on a daily basis.  Even 15 minutes a day working on clutter really works.  Clutter is equal to Chaos and getting rid of it really does so much for our well being!   I've been inspired by flylady to ask a few questions about clutter~    Do I love it?  Do I use it frequently enough to justify keeping it?   Have I used it in the past year?  Does it help me feel more peaceful?   I can't stress how much more I am at peace since the clutter is gone from my life.   It is completely liberating.  
Take a picture~  Another thing I do is take a picture of my rooms.  There are SO many things that I MISS when I look at my rooms because I am used to what I see in everyday life.  When I take a picture I see things through new eyes.  I recently took a picture of underneath my kitchen cupboard and wasn't aware of the water stain on the back of the wall.  Having that in a picture made it stand out and notice just how bad it looked.  Pull out your digital camera and take a picture of all the rooms in your home.  Even the garage, basement and wherever your 'stashing' area is.  A picture can really help us see things we wouldn't normally see and can even help give ideas for decorating.  
Reuse~  I've made my own homemade laundry detergent and could have bought a fancy schmancy container with a spigot on the end to easily pour it into a cup every time I do laundry.  Instead I chose to save that money and recycle the containers from the Dole Juice that we have purchased.  They are thick plastic and have lasted us over a year.  We've used them many times over for years.
Go Thrift Store Shopping~  There are some things that I do buy retail, but every time I go retail I am usually in sticker shock!  I have found wonderful things thrifting that are great in keeping me in my budget.  It takes determination, patience and sometimes just being in the right place at the right time.    Those gems are so worth it.  
Don't go Thrift Store Shopping~   I know, I know!  First I recommend going thrift store shopping and now I say don't go thrift store shopping.  In trying to be frugal and maintaining a clutter free home, I REALLY tend to be choosy in what I buy.  It's so easy to justify a purchase because it is a few dollars, but those little spends add up to a big dollar amount.  I feel quite a bit of accomplishment when I can walk out of a Thrift Store with nothing in my hands.  
So, there you have it!  In a nutshell I think organizing should cost as little as possible!

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The Country Cook

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating