A decluttering expert explains how to sort out your finances while spring cleaning your home
Freshening up your home this spring? It could also be a great opportunity to spruce up your financial situation at the same time.
Giving the home a spring clean is something that many people will be rolling up their sleeves to tackle right now, but for some, it could also be a great opportunity to give their finances a boost.
Decluttering might just mean you find a subscription agreement that you forgot to cancel, or perhaps a bank statement that needs some attention.
Maybe you’ll also unearth a few items that you no longer use and could make some cash from.
According to new research from Vanquis Bank, 18 to 34-year-olds are around twice as likely as over-55s to be planning to get their finances in order this spring, with 43% of the younger age group expecting to do this compared with 21% of the older age group.
Two-thirds (67%) of younger adults also plan to have a physical declutter, compared with 58% of over-55s, according to the OnePoll survey carried out in February.
Vanquis Bank has teamed up with professional home organiser Lucy Mansey aka @organisedbylucy to inspire people to organise their finances at the same time as their homes. Mansey says: “Cleaning your home and sorting your finances can go hand-in-hand and it’s great to see younger people leading the way based on this research.”
While many of us like to put off rummaging through drawers and cupboards, Mansey says that many decluttering jobs only take minutes – “and you can get a real sense of satisfaction once they are complete”.
Many decluttering jobs only take minutes
Here, Mansey explains how spring cleaning and money management can be the perfect pairing:
1. Tidy your drawer to feel in control.
“Many of us have a drawer where we put letters from banks and other financial documents,” says Mansey.
“This can make us feel overwhelmed and taking some time to sort through these and keeping what we still need, while shredding paperwork which is no longer useful to us, can help us feel more in control.”
2. Look through old contracts and consider switching.
With many household bill hikes taking place in April, now could be the perfect time to switch.
“Spring cleaning can give us time to pause for thought and consider the physical items we have around the home and their purpose,” says Mansey.
“Take this principle to review the contracts you currently have, such as your phone, broadband and utility plans.”
Tidying drawers may help you to pinpoint what you still need and what you can get rid of
3. Declutter your digital life.
“When we think of decluttering around the home, we tend to think of sorting out and organising cupboards,” says Mansey.
“But use this time to also consider decluttering your digital life too. This could include checking your subscriptions and cancelling those that are no longer used, reviewing any direct debits, and muting any social media accounts which might be leading you to spend impulsively.”
4. Organise kitchen cupboards to keep food shop costs down.
Mansey suggests re-organising your store cupboard to see what dry ingredients you have. This can help to avoid doubling up.
Selling on unwanted clothes can be a good way to raise cash
5. Sell unwanted clothes on.
Mansey has a top tip for recognising when you no longer need an item of clothing.
Firstly, she suggests ensuring that wardrobe hangers are facing in the same direction.
“Then, with an item you’re questioning whether to keep, hang them the opposite way round,” she says.
“After a set period, you will see whether you’ve worn this item or not and if not, it can be sold on.”
The Press Association
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