Starting the process of decluttering before listing your home has a number of benefits. A clean, clutter-free home shows better, feels larger, and helps buyers visualize themselves in the space. Furthermore, having less clutter makes moving easier and cheaper. Decluttering before you move also helps prepare you mentally and emotionally for your upcoming move. We have put together some tips for how to declutter before listing your home.
Here is a step-by-step process for How to Declutter Before Listing Your Home:
1) Start Early:
Even if you are just thinking about listing your home, it’s time to start decluttering. Having less clutter and more space is beneficial whether you decide to move or not, so what’s the harm in getting a head start? Starting the decluttering process as soon as possible will also lessen the pressure when it comes time to list your home and help you feel less overwhelmed. Starting early will also help you devise a game plan, so you can execute on getting rid of unwanted items more efficiently.
2) Take it Room by Room
Speaking of game plans, start by taking one room or area at a time. Areas like garages, basements, attics, closets, and drawers seem to accumulate the most clutter. Let’s take a closer look at how to organize and declutter these spaces specifically.
Garages, Attics, Basements: These areas tend to be safe havens for things that
are broken, discarded, and unnecessary. First, throw out anything that is broken or a part of an unfinished project. This might include spare parts, paint cans, or old furniture that you meant to refinish two years ago. Pay special attention to household hazardous waste like old cleaning supplies, paint cans, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, batteries etc. You may need to find a local Tox Drop to dispose of these hazardous materials. For more information on Household Hazardous Waste click here.
Drawers and Cupboards: This is where we tackle the dreaded junk drawer! Buyers will open all of your cupboards and drawers, so they definitely need to be in order. Luckily, there are so many different containers you can buy on Amazon and other retailers to help you tame your clutter. First, throw out anything that is clearly broken, expired, or trash. Next, organize any loose pieces (batteries, hardware, write utensils) etc. into individual containers to keep them together. There are also several products like risers and pull out organizers available to help you maximize cabinet space. Finally, go through your cabinets and make a pile to recycle or donate any cups or dining ware that you don’t need. Do you need to keep 20 plastic souvenir cups for the memories? Probably not.
Closets: Closet space is a huge selling feature for buyers. Your goal is to make closets look as big and organized as possible. Start by sorting clothes into piles: keep, donate, and trash. Keep anything that you wear regularly. Donate anything that is ill-fitting or you haven’t worn in years. Trash anything that is damaged.
Don’t wait to donate! Bags or clothes and shoes sitting in your garage, on your floors, or in your car is going to cause stress. Donate to a local shelter or organization as soon as you complete your sorting. You will feel SO much better.
3) Find Help
Enlist the help of family and friends to help you declutter. Turn on some music, light a candle, and order some good food to make the process more enjoyable. You can even hire a professional organizer or junk removal company to help do the decluttering for you to save you time. Any investments you make into decluttering and maximizing your space will yield a return when you get higher offers on your home.
4) Remember that Getting Rid of Items Doesn’t Erase the Memories
It can be difficult to let go of sentimental items that have memories attached to them. However, just because you get rid of an item, doesn’t mean the memory goes with it. It’s totally normal to keep some items that have sentimental value. However, you may want to donate items that you don’t have deep emotional attachments to.
5) Consider Having Your Home Staged:
Finally, if you really want your home to look picture-perfect, you may consider having it staged by a professional. A home staging professional will know how to arrange your furniture, decorate, and maximize your layout to get you more and better offers on your home. According to HomeAdvisor, staged homes spend 33%-50% less time on the market and sell for 20% higher.
We hope we’ve provided you with some helpful tips for How to Declutter Before Listing Your Home. Hopefully, these pointers will help you sell your home quickly and eliminate some of the stress associated with moving.
Did you declutter before listing your home? If so, feel free to comment and share what helped you most.
This article was written by guest author Fire Dawgs Junk Removal.
