When it’s time to sell your home, a solid decluttering of your spaces can be almost nerve-racking but refreshing. The longer a home is owned and loved, the more “treasures” you find stored in odd places. Taking the time for decluttering is a must before listing and showing your home to potential buyers.
When decluttering your home, you are eliminating anything you may have forgotten existed, as well as you store away anything that people may not see themselves having in their new home. Decluttering sets the stage for potential buyers and eases the packing and moving process for you. Follow along for some tips and tricks to decluttering your home to sell.
Decluttering. What does it mean?
Decluttering eliminates any potential “no’s” in the buyer’s eyes. Deferrals to a potential buyer include paint colour, home décor and, of course, personal items lingering around the house. To sell your home, creating an image for the buyer and how they would look in your home is vital. Your taste might not be the same as a buyer, therefor creating a neutral look is ideal when selling. Decluttering can help create a neutral look by storing or throwing away any items that can make large spaces seem smaller and anything that makes the home too personal such as family photos.
Decluttering by Room
When decluttering, working in one room at a time is more efficient than tackling the entire house. Begin with the rooms that have the most clutter and work your way to the empty spaces. Some of that clutter in one room might complement another room. Prepare a box or a couple of bags with each room and aim to eliminate one per area. Set up specific drop-off dates for donations and sell anything you don’t want to donate. Start with rooms such as the office and laundry room and slowly make your way to the more personalized spaces such as bedrooms.
Decluttering Horizontal Surfaces
Spaces consisting of countertops, tables and shelves take up valuable floor space. Even though they have a large surface, clutter sitting on a counter or table can have the illusion of a chaotic home. A busy counter not only makes the surface look messy, but it also leaves an impression that the room is indeed smaller. Enlarge the space by taking as much clutter off the surfaces and leave only a couple of decorative accents.
Decluttering Pet Supplies.
Not everyone is a pet lover. When decluttering, try to store away pet supplies. Pets take up a lot more space than we think. A hairy dog bed or litter box isn’t always the buyer’s ideal home. Store away pet supplies and clean up as many traces of animals as you can. No need to hide the fish in the sink, they can stay in their bowl.
Create Good Storage
Try to create beneficial storage spaces that complement the home. It is easy to hide clutter in a bin or a drawer. Everyone accumulates small forgotten items. For a potential buyer to see all the available storage space, create areas in the house that have organized clutter. Places such as the garage or laundry room are great for shelves with labelled bins. If your home has a couple of empty closets, build a few shelving units to store your items appropriately. People like to see a positive organization in the house while maintaining an ample open space. Labelled bins and shelves do just this.
Decluttering Seasonal Items
It may be fall but try and stay away from any seasonal décor laying around your home. Any summer pool towels in your closet? Store them away. Any pumpkins in your front yard, hide them during showings. Christmas décor, keep it in a bin until you find your new home. Once again, some people do not celebrate all the same holidays. Let them imagine their family dinners around the tree or Hanukkah themselves.
Decluttering the Yard
Your exterior is just as important as the interior in terms of decluttering. A yard with many untrimmed trees and lawn ornaments might not be everyone’s image of a perfect home. Get rid of any trees and shrubs that are engulfing your yard. Trim up the others and pull any weeds intruding gardens. Put your garden decorations away. Clear away all but a couple of lawn chairs and a patio table. A messy yard might leave the impression that there is lots of outside work or that the upkeep is too complex. Keep your lawn clean, trimmed, and spacious. Let the buyers imagine what they can do with the outdoor space.
Lastly, DE-PERSONALIZE
Unfortunately, when a buyer is looking at your house to purchase, they do not imagine you and your memories in the home. Instead, they are trying to envision their lives in your house. Family photos, your grandma’s favourite china or the fridge with your children’s drawings makes it hard for a buyer to imagine their new life in your home. Gently put away any personal items and keepsakes until the house is sold and you move into a new one.
Create a space that makes it easy for the buyer to imagine buying and living in your house. Neutral colours, décor and items make it super easy for the buyer to develop their image of the home and see themselves in it. Store anything you want to keep in tidied areas or a storage locker and open your home to potential buyers. Decluttering is beneficial when selling your home and a great way to say goodbye to anything you don’t hold value to anymore.