Caroline Sparks can't cram the desk drawer in her home office shut because it's stuffed with bills, receipts, coupons, unopened mail, health insurance forms, account statements and other important papers. "Every weekend I put off the job of organizing this drawer, so it keeps growing," says the Annapolis, MD, mother of two, who works in retail. "It's becoming a fire hazard," she jokes. But the price of this neglect is more than an unsightly work area. "Late fees alone can cost a mini fortune," says Jamie Novak, an organizing expert and author of Stop Throwing Money Away. Other financial casualties of clutter include misplaced rebate offers, coupons or other discount offers, extra trips to the store to buy things you already have but don't see and tax deductions you forfeit because you can't find the backup proof. "If you break through the barrier of your clutter, you can put yourself back in control of your finances," says Novak. Here, her tips for saving money, as well as precious time.

File your papers

A good place to start tackling the paper deluge is with the mail. "Don't just leave it on the table or tuck it away. There are treasures in there!" Novak says. Still, she adds, "you need to be ruthless when sorting through your mail. Let it go!" To cut down on the number of unwanted catalogues arriving at your home, log on to cataloguechoice.org; and limit credit card solicitations by logging on to optoutprescreen.com.

Novak advises sorting your mail into two piles: "bills" and "to read" items that include nonurgent things, such as professional journals. Then set aside a dedicated time every month to pay your bills. Novak's secret weapon: a 13-slot expandable accordion file folder ($8.50 at shoplet.com). Each month as you pay your bills, place the stubs and backup paperwork in the slot for that month. You'll have all your important papers in one place, with the last slot for your income tax returns. Also consider paying bills online, not only to reduce your own paper buildup but to save trees–and stamps.

Manage kids' clothing closets

To avoid buying children's clothes you really don't need, Novak recommends a shelving system rather than dresser drawers. That way you keep all clothes in plain sight. Place a bookcase in your child's closet to hold all the stored, folded clothes.

Then wedge a spring-loaded shower curtain bar between the bookcase and the wall to hang current clothes on. To organize your child's hair ties, socks and more, hang a clear plastic shoe holder on the back of the door.

Rearrange your kitchen

A kitchen can be a money pit if food spoils because it was buried in the back of the fridge. "Designate parking spaces for items in your fridge, so you always know where to look for sauces, bread and leftovers," Novak says. Group like items together in your pantry or cabinets. "This way you will see that you have seven jars of marinara but no pasta," Novak says. "Seeing what you have avoids a lot of waste."

Get Started Set a Timer

Give yourself a finite time frame, say 18 minutes on a timer, to help you take the plunge. "Getting started is the hardest part," says organizer Jamie Novak.

Take Two Minutes

If you can do something in two minutes or less, such as hang up your coat rather than throw it on the couch, do it. You'll stay on top of clutter buildup.

Make It Fun Remove the dread by playing your favorite music. Then dive into the junk drawer and put like items in plastic bags. "You'll see a snowball effect once you take that first step," says Novak.