If you are getting ready to sell your home, it would be wise to realistically assess the state of your home & invest some time in decluttering & presentation.
Today’s buyers have high expectations – they focus on space & light, so don’t distract potential buyers from the great features of your home with unnecessary “stuff”.
Open for inspections = lots of visitors to your home, so give them space to move
Consider … decluttering helps potential buyers visualise where they will put all their stuff
Most of us accumulate possessions – stuff we love, gifts, stuff that seemed like a good idea at the time, stuff we have never used. For those of us who are more senior, we have had a lifetime to do this, & many have done it very well!
Where to start?
- Do an objective walk through your home. See what potential buyers see. If you can’t be objective, ask a friend or seek professional advice.
- Remember you are not selling your stuff, you are selling your home, possibly the largest asset you have, so be objective & realistic. You may have a gorgeous piece of furniture, but if it makes the room look small, it needs to be moved or removed.
Bedroom sorted pre-sale – bed repositioned, wardrobes removed, window sparkling
- The way you live in your home may not be the best way to present it for sale, e.g. often the TV dictates the placement of furniture in a room – some rearrangement or removal of furniture would better show off the space.
- Declutter everywhere including your storage areas. Serious buyers will look everywhere, opening your cupboards & storage areas. If your home looks easy to organise, they will love it. (If you don’t have enough storage, don’t highlight that fact by having crammed cupboards.)
- Sort your stuff – (1) what you no longer need that you can either sell, donate or toss & (2) what you are keeping that you need to continue living in your home, what you will use to style & present your home, & stuff that can be packed away.
- Don’t forget to declutter your walls – too many photos or paintings can distract the eye, ensure you position art correctly, remove any sad or depressing art.
- Don’t over-declutter – decluttering is not removing everything, use what you have to show your home off to best advantage.
- Once you have your home decluttered for sale, it will make the cleaning process easier – you can now make your home “sparkle” & smell great
Allsorters often get called in to help clear properties for settlement. I am often amazed at how the home was presented for sale & how much stuff is everywhere, crammed into corners & cupboards.
Wise sellers declutter & sort as much as possible pre-sale – it needs to be done pre-settlement, so isn’t it better to do it pre-sale & get the added benefit?
Happy sorting & selling … from Mary, the allsorter