6 Tips for Decluttering Your Home Before Moving
When you put your home on the market, you accept that certain factors may affect the sale that are simply out of your control. But, there is one factor you can control: The cleanliness of your home.
Before showing your home to potential buyers, you need to make sure it’s one they’ll want to live in — a home that is clean, well-organized, and has plenty of storage space. Not only will this improve your home’s chances of selling, but it will also reduce the number of belongings you’ll have to move into your new home. It’s a win-win!
Curious about how to effectively declutter your home to sell? Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. See your home from a buyer’s perspective
As you begin the decluttering process, it is important to see your home through a potential buyer’s eyes. When you look at your home, you see a collection of memories and items that remind you of your time living there. Potential buyers, however, will be distracted by the clutter and won’t be able to focus on the main selling points of your home.
A common reason people decide to look for a new house is for more space. When your home is messy, they might assume you don’t have enough storage. You must do what you can to show buyers just how much space your home has to offer — and this begins with decluttering it!
2. Take it one room at a time
Rather than trying to clean your entire house in one day, limit your decluttering projects to one room at a time. This will help you stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the intimidating task of decluttering your entire house.
Areas of your home that likely need more of your attention include:
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Pantry: Go through spices, donate extra canned goods, and toss any expired food.
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Kitchen cabinets and drawers: There’s no need to keep every coffee mug you’ve acquired over the years or the small kitchen appliances you rarely use. And don’t forget about decluttering your junk drawer!
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Bedroom closets: Toss any piece of clothing that is old, torn, outdated, or too small. Be honest with yourself and get rid of anything you haven’t worn recently or simply don’t like anymore.
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Garage, basement, and attic: It is no secret that these areas of your home tend to accumulate clutter. Whether it be old tools, paint cans, or sports equipment — purge it all.
Cluttered rooms will vary from home to home, but we’re willing to bet you already have a few in mind. So, what are you waiting for?
3. Don’t let guilt affect your decisions
A common factor that prevents people from successfully decluttering their homes is guilt. Perhaps a friend brought you home a tacky souvenir from their vacation last summer. Or maybe a family member gifted you that clothing item you know you’ll never wear, but feel obligated to keep. While these items certainly have memories and emotions tied to them, you shouldn’t feel responsible for keeping everything.
As soon as you let go of the guilt you have towards getting rid of items, the decluttering process becomes much easier. Plus, you’ll be creating room for new memories!
4. Organize and label your belongings
One of the best ways to declutter your home is to sort your belongings into different groups. Decide whether you want to keep, donate, recycle, sell, or throw away an item — and proceed accordingly.
If you’re even the slightest bit hesitant about keeping an item, put it in a different pile. With so many online marketplaces and donation sites, it should be easy to find someone else who will appreciate the items you no longer need.
When deciding whether or not to keep an item, ask yourself the following questions:
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How often do I use this? Do I have a plan to use it again?
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If I were shopping right now, would I buy this?
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Will this item have a place in my new house?
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Am I holding onto this for a sentimental reason?
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Do I have multiples of this?
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Am I saving this “just in case”?
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Am I holding onto this broken item to potentially fix it one day?
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Is this worth the time and money I would spend cleaning or storing it?
5. Don’t do it alone
Decluttering your home is no easy task, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Below are a few tips to get your family excited about decluttering.
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Lead by example: Show them that getting rid of things doesn’t have to be difficult and that there are many benefits to doing so.
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Make it fun: Put some music on and have fun together while you get to work. If your family is competitive, try turning it into a game to see who can declutter an area the fastest.
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Offer to show them how: Decluttering your home can be overwhelming, and perhaps your family just doesn’t know where to start. Make it simple and give clear instructions!
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Offer an incentive to declutter: Incentives work! Reward your family with a pizza and movie night for helping clean the house.
6. Put away personal belongings
You’re already decluttering your home, so why not stage it at the same time? When buyers go to open houses or showings, they want to picture a potential home as their own — not someone else’s. At The Redbud Group, we provide a free staging consultation and professional photography to portray your home in its best light.
As you declutter your home, you might find some items that you just can’t get rid of — and that’s okay! To avoid leaving your home cluttered with boxes or other items, we recommend putting them in storage while it’s being shown. It is also crucial to remove any personal belongings, such as family photos, mementos, or decorations before showing your home.
Related: Is Your House Ready to Show?
Selling Your Home With The Redbud Group
As experienced real estate agents, we know how important the cleanliness of your home is during the selling process. We’ve seen the difference decluttering and staging can make in the length of time your house stays on the market and the price you receive for it.
They say you only get one chance to make a first impression — and we’ll make sure your home’s impression is a good one. Contact a Redbud Group REALTORS® to learn more about how we can help you through the entire selling process.
