Do you know that when you declutter you might find money?
DECLUTTER AND FIND MONEY
It is estimated that the average UK household has at least £50 lying around in loose change. In the first of a series of short articles on decluttering and saving money, we talk about the likelihood of finding money when you declutter – especially when you tackle paperwork and abandoned piles of post.
You would be amazed at the amount of cash we come across when we help our clients declutter. Here are three recent examples:
- Nearly £100 worth of coins down the back of the sofa, scattered on the floor and in saucers and pots scattered round a client’s living room
- £350 in a little wallet tucked in the pocket of a suitcase
- More than £500 in envelopes and plastic bags mixed in with unopened post and junk mail on the table and floor of a client’s dining room.
Here are some tips to help you avoid ‘losing’ money in this way:
SMALL CHANGE
Avoid the temptation to fling small bits of change into random pots and saucers around your house.
In our experience, there are two good ways of making the most of small change.
Keep the coins in your purse and spend them. Many shopkeepers will be delighted to get exact money, especially for small purchases, but shopkeepers can refuse your payment if you don’t follow these simple rules:
- You can only pay for 20p worth of goods with pennies or tuppences
- You can only pay for £5 worth of goods with 5ps or 10ps
- You can only pay for £10 worth of goods with 20ps or 50ps
- £1 and £2 coins can be used for any amount
Designate one special jar for all your loose change, but make sure you empty it regularly and either bank or spend the proceeds.
Some banks and supermarkets have machines which sort loose change for you and replace the coins with notes or store vouchers. Look on line to find out if there is one near you.
If you plan to take your loose change into your local bank, it is a good idea to get some coin bags from the bank first and sort the coins into designated types and amounts before taking it in – the cashier will thank you for your foresight in getting properly organised and it will avoid a queue building up behind you!
CHECK YOUR HOLIDAY BAGS
When you come back from a holiday, check all the pockets of your luggage to make sure you haven’t left your stash of emergency money hidden away.
If you have significant amounts of foreign currency left and you know you will be visiting that country again, put the cash away with your passport ready for your next trip. If you are unlikely to be returning to the same destination, ask your bank to convert the money back into sterling or have it credited to your account.
We think these simple routines will stop you from losing money round the house. Happy decluttering!
CONTACT US TODAY FOR A CHAT
If you need help with sorting and decluttering tasks, why not consider bringing in professional help? We think you’ll be amazed at the difference we can make. Get in touch today.
Carefully Sorted is proud to be a member of APDO The Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers.
Originally published by Carefully Sorted on LinkedIn on November 17th 2017
