6 Reasons Why Mess Is Costing You Money

2. You waste money replacing lost items

While the opportunity cost of losing an item is one thing, the replacement cost is a whole added expense. Whether it’s a new drink bottle or your engagement ring, replacing lost items adds up and can get expensive. Let's face it, it’s wasted money!

In short - if you’re untidy, you’ll lose things more easily and end up wasting more time and money as a result.



3. You have to pay more for storage space

“The things you own end up owning you”. This line from Fight Club basically sums up the theme of clutter and cost. The more stuff we have, the more space we need, and the more it costs us. And with real estate often the single most expensive thing in a family budget, it’s crazy how much we waste on space for excess stuff. 

Often we feel like a bigger home, more cupboards or an extra storage unit is the answer. Yet 95% of the time we just need less. Believe me, I see it all the time, the messiest families spend thousands of dollars trying to manage it.

Read  10 Easy Ways to Start Becoming a Minimalist.

5. You will miss opportunities

Modern science tells us that clutter causes stress. People who live in messier homes are more prone to stress and more susceptible to inadequate sleep, depression and poor mental health. Stress is taxing on our health, and when we are unwell we don’t perform at our best.

Sure some stress is temporary and the outcome results in benefits, like finishing a university paper, or presenting your work in front of an audience. But stress induced by living in clutter has no positives. The money spent on therapy, days off work or missed opportunities induced by clutter is a waste in its purest form.

6. You’ll probably spend more on holidays

A messy home probably doesn’t make the idea of a staycation appealing. In fact the more cluttered a home, the more likely it is you’ll want to escape!



Now I’m not suggesting that tidy people don’t ever feel the need to go on holiday, I’m just noting that the messier your home, the higher the likelihood you’ll want to whip out the credit card and take the next available flight. When a bedroom is sprawled with clutter, the desire to splurge on an expensive hotel room for a romantic night away is high! A little less mess in our lives could mean a lower credit card debt.