ChickSpeak

In this consumer-driven society, it can be very difficult to manage all the stuff in life. These suggestions will help you clear clutter, buy less, and learn how to look at advertisements.

1. Clear clutter. Give away the things you aren’t using anymore and recycle the old papers cluttering your life.
2. Clean out your wallet or purse. Get rid of that extra stuff you are carrying around and not using. Better yet, see if you can get by with a smaller version of what you are currently using.
3. Track expenses. Follow your spending habits for one or two months and see exactly where your money goes. Decide where you can cut back and where you are spending too freely.
4. Change buying habits. Learn to buy less and only buy what you need. Impulse buying fills your life with more stuff and drains your bank account.
5. Delay non-essential purchases. Give yourself an amount, whether it is $20 or $200, and any purchase over that amount must go on a waiting list for 30 days. After that time, if you still feel like you need the item, then buy it.
6. Stop receiving junk mail. Read this article for plenty of tips on reducing the junk coming in to your life.
7. Get rid of big stuff. If you are renting a storage unit for all your extra stuff or have big items like furniture or old appliances sitting around, think about whether you really need it all. Get rid of what you don’t need.
8. Clear out clothes. Look through your closets and think about what is hanging there. If you haven’t worn something in at least a year, then get it out of your closet and donate it to someone who can be using it.
9. Consider going no-car. It would be a big change, but see if you could live without a car. Reducing the cost of the car payment, fuel, insurance, and maintenance would reduce your stress and help your wallet and the environment.
10. Manage your papers. From mail to flyers to your children’s school work, paper can begin to pile up easily. Find a system to manage your paperwork so it doesn’t take over your life.
11. Organize your stuff. Having a set spot for your things reduces the amount of time you spend looking for items and keeps your home clean. Imagine never having to look for your keys again because they are always hanging in the same place.
12. Become immune to ads. Lots of people earn good money to create advertisements that make you want to buy stuff. Learn to look at advertisements for what they are and you will be less likely to buy unnecessary items.
13. Buy for the long term. If you have a choice between one item that costs less and will not last long and another item that costs a bit more but will last considerably longer, go for the second option. You will save money and time spent shopping, plus you will have less unusable stuff cluttering your house.

For Alisa’s full article, click here.