wave3.com-Louisville News, Weather & SportsMoney Back Monday: the hidden cost of clutter

Money Back Monday: the hidden cost of clutter

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) - Most of us don't like clutter...there's nothing peaceful about a big pile of stuff that needs to be sorted through.   But on this Money Back Monday did you know your clutter may be costing you money, too!

The National Association of Professional Organizers says clutter costs families hundreds if not thousands of dollars every year.

Here's how they figure it:

If you have so much stuff that it doesn't even fit in your garage or attic, and you need to rent a storage unit, you'll shelling out big bucks.  In fact, the average annual cost of storage units is $2000!

And according to the storage industry, 10% of American families rent storage units.  Some of that is people in the middle of moving, for example, but a lot of it is clutter!

Another hidden cost of clutter- buying doubles of things, because you can't find the original one.

And then there's the loss productivity associated with always having to search* for something.

Beyond that-if your clutter is near where you pay your bills-you could be on the hook for late fees.  Credit card companies will make $7 billion in late fees this year alone!

Clutter can even cost you your tax refund because it's under a pile of clutter.  The IRS says hundreds of millions of dollars in federal refunds expire every year because the taxpayers didn't claim the money within the three-year window.

You will never have time to get organized, unless you just decide to start.  Experts say tackle what bugs you most first.  And if you don't know where to begin, consider hiring someone to help.  There are professional organizers and junk-pickup folks who may be a bargain, compared to what your clutter is costing you.

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