You likely have never thought of your closet as a drain on the family finances.
Other rooms and areas of your home come quickly to mind when the subject is saving money – or losing it. Your refrigerator’s getting on in years and probably uses more electricity than a new one would? Replace it! Windows and doors are leaky, causing drafts and loss of the air you have paid to heat or cool? Seal around them, or get new ones installed. Wherever in your home you find a condition where your hard-earned dollars are being wasted, you do what you can to fix it, right?
Don’t neglect your closet. It is costing you in ways that are not as obvious.
It’s just a closet, you say. Yes, I stuff my clothes and shoes in there, to keep them off the bed, the chair, the floor, and everywhere else in the bedroom. At least all my things are put away. And I know all of it’s right where I put it – in my closet.
Yes, it’s all there, in the closet. But what a mess! And are you confident that you know what “it” all is, the various things you keep in your closet? Here are some of the ways your disorganized closet is making you pay:
Been there, bought that. Have you ever wondered how many duplicate, or nearly-the-same, items you would find if you could spread the contents of your closet out and see it all from a bird’s-eye view? Installing a closet organizer, or building a custom closet, allows you the next-best thing. With an organized closet, it will be easy to see what you have. This can prevent you from buying a shirt or a pair of slacks or shoes that you already own.
The clock is ticking. Your time is valuable. How much of it can you afford to waste standing in front of your closet trying to find something to wear? If you use your time to make your living, then time wasted in front of a messy closet can literally equate to lost dollars. Even if you are retired, the most efficient use of your time does not involve rummaging for a skirt or a belt. Your grandchildren await you. Or a round of golf. Or a nap.
Don’t worry, be organized. And happy. The aggravation and frustration that go along with a disorganized closet certainly do carry a cost. If your day begins badly because your favorite shirt is in that closet – you just know it is – but you have to settle for wearing something else, because you can’t lay your hands on that favorite shirt, it sets a tone for your day. For most of us, being organized and in control, not only of ourselves but of our things, just plain feels good. It makes us happy, and it makes us productive. An organized closet helps you with this.
Take a close, objective look at your closet and its contents. Chances are, it’s time for you to consider a closet makeover. Custom closets and closet organizers are not free, of course. But because the closet you have now is most likely leaking dollars, it’s only a matter of time until you gain a financial return on your investment in a closet upgrade. Not to mention, you’ll have a closet you can feel good about!