Shopping verses Organizing – Friend or Foe?

Thanks to Cindy Bernstein of Aim4Order for this episode of Tips from the Pros about organizing.

People who have organizing issues sometimes have shopping issues, too. The more one likes to shop, the more items accumulate in the home. Many shoppers have a hard time resisting a good deal and if it is a really good deal, they feel the urge to buy more than one item and often times many more. Some shoppers are always thinking of others when they see various items in the stores or online. For example, a relative who loves cats may appreciate the 75% off canvas bag with cats on the outside. Or, the cousin who gardens might like the 80% off book on garden design. It’s very difficult to say no to the voice in your head that wants to give to others and to yourself… after all, buying new things can be an enjoyable hobby.

And that’s why it’s important to have the “second thought” when the urge to buy hits. If you are prone to buying every book that you hear good things about, consider starting a list on your phone or use the wish list feature on Amazon to record the books you want but resist the urge to buy them the moment you hear about them. If you hear about a great movie, rather than buy it immediately, write the title on your wish list. If you see a wonderful sale of drastically reduced holiday decorations (yes, this means you), stop and think about how many decorations you may already have stashed away in bags and boxes from years past. Before you make the purchase, force yourself to go home and inventory what you have before making the impulse purchase.

These strategies can not only help you to save money, it will help you save time in organizing more clutter. You’ve often heard the saying “Less is more.” The less you have, you will end up having more space, more time and more peace. If you’ve ever cleared out a particularly cluttered drawer, closet or corner of a room, you can feel a definite difference when you return to the area… many report breathing easier and feeling a sense of exhilaration at having succeeded at getting rid of excess stuff.

Give yourself the gift of less. Practice saying “NO” to the lure of shopping… one day at a time.