When we are budgeting, part of what we do is start to organise our lives. This is only natural for our finances – and very important – if we want to understand money and be better at managing money. A budget organises the expenses and income of a household, sets targets and strives to help people reach their goals. And it lowers overall stress in the lives of everyone involved.
And lowering stress can also be done through organising the household in general. While for most people it starts with the budget, it can also start with better organised schedules, getting rid of clutter, and general cleansing of the whole home. And if it doesn’t start there, perhaps the budget concept is useful to keeping the whole household organised and can be applied there. Getting the home organised leads to a higher level of happiness and ease in the household. Organising also leads to less clutter, a cleaner and healthier home, and can be a source of pride! Imagine how you would feel with visitors in the house who really notice that the place is in good shape and always presentable.
Like a budget, we can start by trimming the excess by decluttering. From there it is easier to manage what does belong in the house and what doesn’t, finding a place for everything and keeping it categorised where it belongs at all times. This means dishes in the kitchen or dining room, not on the coffee table or in someone’s bedroom. And from there the categories can be trimmed as needed. Does one really need 25 pairs of shoes? Can things be rotated by season?
And once the current categories are organised, then keeping track of “income” can be better managed as well. What objects is the hosue gaining, and are they necessary? This can tie directly into the budget exercise and bringing the two of them together can really help keep a house organised and clutter free! Don’t get anything more than what is truly necessary for a house. Not every wall need have a picture. And knick-knacks really don’t serve a purpose.
Find places for necessary papers and objects (and not all papers are necessary). Put things away right after they’ve been used. Never handle anything more than is necessary. And if something hasn’t been used in a year, it probably can be donated, given away, or trashed. Organising and sticking to the organisation “budget” can help lead to a happier, easier life. And organising a house can also (surprisingly) mean less cleaning is needed overall. Hmmmm… for me that’s motivation enough to keep it organised!
For a few tips on home organisation, I found a good article called “The twenty-seven most important rules for keeping your house in order.”
