As a professional home organizer I’m often asked what I do. My usual reply is, I eliminate stress and save money for busy professionals by de-cluttering and organizing their living spaces. I know, it sounds like an elevator speech and it is, but it’s also specifically what I do.

When I’m asked how being organized will save money, then I provide some real life scenarios. Since time is money, and time is what it takes to locate something that is misplaced, you save time by being able to locate that item when you need it, which actually saves you money. How many times have you been late to work because you couldn’t remember where you left your car keys? If that happens a lot, you could put your job in jeopardy and possibly find yourself unemployed, which could cost you your primary income source.

Another area of organization that could save you money is by not buying duplicate items. If you have closets, a kitchen panty or drawers that are packed full of stuff, and you don’t really know what’s in them, you could end up buying items you already have. This also goes back to the statement made previously in this post that time is money. When you make a shopping list you could spend a lot of time looking through your unorganized storage areas.

Expired food and healthcare items can be costly to replace, so you need to know when those dates are, so these items can be used up before they expire so you’re not wasting anything. If the labels are not visible or they are behind other items, you won’t know they are ready to expire.

Late fees and returned check fees for bills not paid on time, or overdrawn bank accounts can add up quickly and be very costly. Being organized means being aware of due dates, and having processes in place for bill paying, and that can save a significant amount of money over a period of time.

Proper maintenance on your vehicle that you depend on to get where you need to go, when you need to get there, can also save you money. That weird sound under the hood that you’ve been hearing for awhile could leave you stranded on the road at an inopportune moment. Running out of gas can be costly, even if you have road assistance, in terms of time. Understanding maintenance schedules and being aware of gas levels is important to keep your vehicle operating at peak performance and to avoid being stranded on the road.

So, the next time you think about how you can save some money, think about the things that are costing you money and I’ll bet it’s because you need to get organized!