14 Ways to Unclutter Your Home Before You Sell
When you’re ready to sell your home, one of the most important things you can do is to unclutter it. Uncluttering your home can help make it look more attractive to potential buyers and help it sell faster. Here are 14 tips to help you unclutter your home so it will sell fast.
1. Don’t wait until the last minute
When it comes to uncluttering your home, timing is everything. Trying to do it all at the last minute will only make the process more difficult and time-consuming.
If you want to sell your home fast, then it’s important to start early and be proactive. Begin by taking a look around your house and identifying areas that need some extra attention.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break the job into smaller tasks and tackle them one at a time. Start as soon as possible to get your house in order and give yourself enough time to make your home show-ready so that you can sell it faster.
Start with one room at a time
When you’re trying to sell your home fast, the last thing you want to do is create a huge, overwhelming task of cleaning out every room in your house.
The best way to approach it is to break it down into smaller, manageable tasks. Start by focusing on one room at a time, and then move onto the next room. This will help keep you organized and focused and also help you stay motivated as you work your way through each room.
Start with the room that needs the most work, and then move onto the easier ones.
Focus on the areas that will make the biggest impact first. Clean up any mess or clutter and make sure that all surfaces are dust-free.
You should also make sure that all furniture is moved out of the way so potential buyers can walk around without any obstacles in their way.
Remove any personal items like family photos, religious items, and souvenirs so potential buyers can envision themselves living in the home.
By taking this approach and starting with one room at a time, you’ll be able to sell your home faster and more efficiently.
3. Don’t try to do it all yourself
When it comes to decluttering your home, it can be overwhelming. But don’t try to do it all yourself – it can be too much for one person to handle.
Ask for help from friends and family, or consider hiring a professional organizer to help you make the most of your time and get the job done faster.
It may even help you sell your home faster! Professional organizers have experience with streamlining a home and will know the best way to maximize space and minimize clutter.
They can also give you ideas on how to store your items so that you don’t have to worry about where to put them after the big clean-out.
4. Get rid of anything you don’t use
When trying to sell your home fast, it’s important to get rid of anything you don’t use. This can be difficult as we are often emotionally attached to things that may no longer serve a purpose. If it serves no purpose to you, why bring it to your new home?
Start by making three piles: keep, donate, and throw away. Don’t forget about closets, drawers, and storage spaces. Ask yourself if you have used something in the last year or two. If not, it’s time to let it go.
For things you still want to keep but don’t need for your home sale, consider putting them into storage. Selling your home faster means having fewer items and a more streamlined look, so use this opportunity to make sure you’re only keeping what’s truly necessary.
5. Put things in storage if you’re not sure
If you’re not sure if you should keep something or get rid of it, it’s best to put it in storage. Doing this will give you the chance to think about it more and decide at a later date.
When putting things in storage, be sure to label them clearly and make a list of what you’ve stored so you don’t forget.
Additionally, take a few pictures of each item that you store, this way you
can easily reference what items are stored away.
You may even want to consider taking pictures of how things were organized before you put them away so that you can restore your belongings back to their original order when you decide to take them out.
Another good idea is to organize your items in storage containers by category. For example, put all the books together in one box, all the dishes together in another box, and so on. This will make it much easier to find what you’re looking for when you go to retrieve the items.
Finally, be sure to store your items somewhere safe and secure. If possible, choose a storage facility with climate control so that your items won’t be damaged by extreme temperatures or humidity.
By taking the time to put items in storage instead of immediately discarding them, you can ensure that you’re making the best decisions for your home and giving yourself the time to decide if an item is worth keeping or not.
6. Have a garage sale
Having a garage sale is an easy way to unclutter your home before you sell. It’s a great way to get rid of any unwanted items and make a little extra cash in the process.
Start by organizing the items that you want to sell, pricing them accordingly, and setting them up in an area of your home or yard.
Once you have everything set up, advertise your sale on local websites, in the newspaper, and even on social media.
On the day of the sale, make sure to greet customers with a smile and be prepared to haggle.
After the sale is over, donate anything you didn’t sell and then you can move on to the next step in the uncluttering process!
7. Donate anything you don’t sell
Donating the items you don’t sell is a great way to give back to your community. Plus, it will help you get rid of any clutter and make your home look more appealing to potential buyers.
To get started, sort through your stuff and determine which items are in good condition and could be donated to charity.
Then, call your local charities to see what items they accept, and schedule a pickup or drop off. You can also search for donation centers in your area that take gently used clothing, furniture, appliances, and more.
Donating your unwanted items can help someone in need while also lightening your load as you prepare to move.
8. Clean out your closets
When you’re getting ready to sell your home, it’s important to make sure that your closets are clean and tidy. This will give potential buyers the impression that your home is well cared for and organized.
Start by going through each item in your closet, one by one. If you haven’t worn it in the last year, or it no longer fits you, consider donating or selling it.
You can also store out of season items in bins or boxes and neatly label them so that potential buyers can easily see what type of space is available in the closets.
Once you’ve gone through all your clothes, shoes, and other items, organize them into sections.
Again, separate out all the seasonal items, hang up clothes that need to be hung, and fold any other items so they look neat and organized.
You should also consider adding additional shelving or organizing solutions such as hangers or bins if needed. When you’re finished, you’ll have closets that will impress potential buyers.
9. Organize your pantry and cabinets
Cleaning and organizing your pantry and cabinets is an important step in getting your home ready to sell fast.
Start by throwing out expired food items, then sort the rest by type.
Take everything out of the pantry or cabinet and wipe it down with a mild cleaner.
When you put the food items back, group them together.
Place heavier items on the lower shelves and smaller items on the upper shelves. You can also purchase small wire racks to add additional space. These racks are often very inexpensive and do the job quite nicely.
Additionally, label any containers that you have with the food item inside so that you know what is in each one.
Finally, remove any items that you are not planning to take with you when you move.
10. Get rid of old newspapers and magazines.
Old newspapers and magazines can quickly clutter your home and take up a lot of space.
It is important to get rid of them before you start to list your home.
Start by sorting through each magazine or newspaper and determine which ones you want to keep and which ones you don’t need.
If there are articles that you want to keep, consider scanning them and saving them as digital files.
For the newspapers and magazines that you don’t want to keep, you can recycle them or donate them to a library or senior center.
11. Do a deep clean
Before you list your home for sale, it’s important to make sure you do a deep clean. This includes dusting, wiping down surfaces, vacuuming and mopping the floors.
This is a very, very important step as it will give potential buyers the impression that the home is well-maintained and free from dirt and germs.
Additionally, this will ensure that your home looks its best when potential buyers come to view it.
Start by making sure all the surfaces are free from dust and grime. Then move onto carpets, upholstery, tile and hardwood flooring.
Finally, don’t forget about windows and curtains. Aa good cleaning can make a world of difference to how fast your home sells and for how much.
A deep clean will also help to keep your house fresher for longer once it goes on the market.
12. Declutter your surfaces
When it comes to selling your home, first impressions are everything. It is important to make sure that your home looks clean and clutter-free before potential buyers start looking around.
One of the easiest ways to get your home ready for sale is to declutter your surfaces.
Surfaces such as tables, counters, mantels, and shelves can easily become cluttered with various items.
Start by removing any items that don’t need to be on display, such as magazines, books, and other knickknacks.
If there are items that you would like to keep, consider putting them in storage until after you move.
Once you’ve cleared away the clutter, make sure to wipe down your surfaces with a damp cloth or dusting spray. This will give your home a polished look that will make it more attractive to potential buyers.
13. Organize your drawers
When it comes to organizing your drawers, it’s important to take it one step at a time.
Start by taking out all the contents and sorting them into piles of what you need to keep, what you can donate, and what can be thrown away.
Look at each item individually and decide if it still serves a purpose or if it’s just taking up space.
If you have a lot of items that are taking up room in your drawers, try using drawer organizers or containers to help keep things organized and tidy.
Once you have sorted out the items you want to keep, take a moment to group similar items together.
For example, all your office supplies can go in one drawer and all your utensils in another. This will help make finding things much easier when you need th
em.
If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can even label the drawers so that you know exactly where everything goes. This will save you time and frustration when you’re looking for something specific.
Organizing your drawers is an important part of uncluttering your home before you sell. It may take some time, but the end result will be worth it!
14. Remove personal items
When you’re preparing your home for sale, it’s important to remove any personal items that could turn off potential buyers. What makes a room personal to you, may turn off the potential buyer.
This includes family photos, religious artifacts, collections, and other items that are particular to you. The goal is to create a blank canvas that potential buyers can envision as their own.
Start by taking down photos and anything else that could be seen as overly personal.
If you have any collections, bookshelves full of knickknacks, or any other dé
cor items that may be distracting to buyers, put them away in storage until you’ve sold your home.
You should also remove any furniture that you absolutely don’t need. This will make your home look more spacious and open, which will appeal to buyers.
It’s also important to address any religious symbols or artifacts that may be visible in your home.
You want to make sure that potential buyers don’t feel uncomfortable when touring yo
ur home and won’t be distracted by religious items.
If you have any flags, plaques, sports team memorabilia, political or other items that could be considered controversial, store them away before the house is shown.
Removing personal items from your home can help it sell faster and for more money.
By making sure that potential buyers can envision themselves living in the space, you increase the chances of a successful sale.
Remember, your goal is to sell your home as smoothly as possible. That is your only goal. By following these steps, you will vastly improve your chances of selling your home quickly and for the most money.
>>> If you have any real estate questions, or need help buying or selling a home, contact me and I will personally help you or advise you to one of the many wonderful professionals in my network across the country.
I look forward to hearing from you, Karyn Murphy