Perhaps this idea is not new to you; Did you know that the more organized you are, the more money you save?

Maybe the reason this thought came to us is because we spent new year's day organizing (cleaning up) our storage room. Some people refer to this type of room as their "junk" room.

The way we go about the organizing is to ask ourselves; Have we used this item within the past year? If the answer is "no" then it's time to dispose of or donate away this item that is taking up valuable space.

If the thought comes to us as we see an item; Didn't know we had this! Then we try to put it in a spot that will encourage its use, instead of purchasing it new the next time it is needed. This is where the "saving money" part comes in.

One of the best ways to organize is to be sure to put all similar items together. Sad to say, but our garden supplies are scattered everywhere it seems. Some are in this storage room, some are in the garage and some are in the shed. During gardening season, some are even setting by the outside door.

This situation is repeated with tools, hardware, and painting supplies. It seems that during cold weather the outdoor shed doesn't get used. And this shed is too cold for storing paint supplies. Seldom used hardware, tools and garden supplies are often stored there. But when these items are in heavy use, they tend to be put in the garage or the storage room because these locations are handy. That's how things get scattered. And that's how it becomes difficult at times to locate an item. Thus a trip to the store, more money spent; when the item is around here somewhere, but where, is the question.

So time spent organizing is not wasted. It actually can save you money. Just be sure to label when using boxes. Better yet, use some of the money you are saving to purchase clear plastic containers. Then it will be even easier to find that thing you need, when you need it.

But oh, if we could only practice what we are preaching!