Kathi Burns, CPO®, is a Certified Professional Organizer in San Diego. Kathi’s expert advice has been featured in national media outlets including Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes and Gardens, Entrepreneur Magazine, and more. As the author of 2 books, Kathi has also developed several online courses to help clients get better organized and energized in all areas of their home, life, and business.
Find what’s holding your business back

Kathi Burns, CPO®, is a Certified Professional Organizer in San Diego. Kathi’s expert advice has been featured in national media outlets including Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes and Gardens, Entrepreneur Magazine, and more. 

As the author of 2 books, Kathi has also developed several online courses to help clients get better organized and energized in all areas of their home, life, and business.
Find what’s holding your business back

Kathi Burns, CPO®, is a Certified Professional Organizer in San Diego. Kathi’s expert advice has been featured in national media outlets including Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes and Gardens, Entrepreneur Magazine, and more. 

As the author of 2 books, Kathi has also developed several online courses to help clients get better organized and energized in all areas of their home, life, and business.
Find what’s holding your business back

Hundred dollar bills among green leaves, titled Why Clutter Costs You Cash

TL;DR

Disorganization is a slow leak that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars a year: you rebuy things you cannot find, let food expire, pay late fees on bills lost in the pile, and misplace cash, checks and gift cards. 90% of the clients Kathi has organized found money. Systems that change the habits are a very high return on the time invested.

Are you tired of losing money every week because of your disorganized habits?

You are not alone! Did you know that according to a study by Forbes, being disorganized is like having a slow leak that can cost up to hundreds or thousands of dollars every year?

Having your space, papers and desk in disorder costs you both time and money, which are inextricably intertwined.

Plus, the cost of illness from the stress of being disorganized can compound any financial loss.

Being disorganized is the worst way to start the day, and has ramifications down the line beyond spending time looking for your keys.

Where does the money actually leak out?

If you’re so disorganized that you can’t find your stuff, you’ll end up buying duplicates and triplicates of the same item, whether it’s kitchen tools, clothing, sports gear … the list is endless. Anything you can’t find, you’ll pay to replace.

When it comes to food, if you don’t understand what you already have and what you actually need, you’ll end up buying too much of the same thing (which will eventually expire) or taking additional trips to the market if you’ve forgotten something.

When credit card bills, parking tickets, library books and other things you owe get lost in the great void of your desk or kitchen table, you’ll end up paying more in late fees and reconnections—and receiving absolutely nothing of value for the additional money you’ve shelled out.

You can also literally leave money on the table if you’ve misplaced cash, checks or gift cards. 90% of the clients I have organized have found money in one form or another. Even the ones who say to me “you will never find money here” – we do!

Is getting organized worth the time?

Creating systems to protect your money by changing your habits is anything but a waste of time. This is a very high return on investment … it’s going to free energy and that’s a whole other thing. You’re going to feel not weighed down but energized by your habits.

And you’ll pour that energy into very productive activities, both professionally and personally. Everybody benefits. Every part of your life benefits. So invest the time, especially right now when you have the time and are possibly mandated to stay at home.

Think about how many thousands of dollars a year that’s going to save you in giving you access to what you use and love, preventing you from buying things that you already own, prevent you from buying things that you’re never ever going to use, and controlling the impulse shopping.

Millions of dollars of gift certificates go unclaimed each year because people do not know where they placed them. How many do you have sitting around your house?

I have been a professional organizer for almost two decades and during that time have organized over a thousand homes and companies. Many of my clients have home-based offices, while others are large corporations such as HP and Intuit.

What I have discovered is that no matter how large or small your home is, your clutter could be sabotaging your finances.

How do you stop the leak?

If you would like to learn how to stop being disorganized, have those hundreds if not thousands of stolen dollars back in your life, and the feeling of overwhelm removed, then I have created a solution for you.

This solution is my Financial Organizing Masterclass. This class was designed to help you in the comfort of your own home and is delivered in two parts. Because it is online, it also allows you to stop and take action with any of the tactics I recommend. After you have taken action and are ready to continue, you can keep going and continue making progress.

Remember, clutter happens and money disappears when there aren’t effective systems in place. Create a new approach to conserving and handling your finances and implement systems to stop the money that is slowly leaking out of your life.

Start with the papers: Organizing Your Paper Piles Will Save You Time and Money and Easy Ways To Prepare Your Tax Return Faster. If the leak is in your business rather than your home, Organizing Business Finances and the Business Logjam Session are the next steps.

Keep reading

Or browse all of Kathi’s business organization guides

Frequently asked questions

How much money does clutter cost?

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According to a study by Forbes, being disorganized is like having a slow leak that can cost up to hundreds or thousands of dollars every year. Having your space, papers and desk in disorder costs both time and money, and the stress of disorganization can add the cost of illness on top.

What are the most common ways clutter wastes money?

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Buying duplicates and triplicates of things you cannot find, from kitchen tools to sports gear; overbuying food that expires or making extra trips to the market; and paying late fees and reconnection charges when bills, parking tickets and library books get lost on the desk or kitchen table.

Do people really find money when they get organized?

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Yes. 90% of the clients Kathi has organized have found money in one form or another, even the ones who insisted there was no money to find. Misplaced cash, checks and gift cards turn up, and millions of dollars of gift certificates go unclaimed each year because people cannot remember where they put them.

Is getting organized worth the time it takes?

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Creating systems to protect your money by changing your habits is a very high return on investment. It frees energy, so you feel energized rather than weighed down, and that energy goes into productive activities at work and at home. Every part of your life benefits.

How do I stop money leaking out of my life?

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Put effective systems in place, because clutter happens and money disappears when there are none. Kathi’s Financial Organizing Masterclass teaches the approach in two parts at home, and starting with your paper piles and bills is the fastest first step for most people.

Originally published on Organized and Energized on July 1, 2020. Moved to addSpace and updated 2026-11-07.

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