Whether you’re looking to sell your property quickly or it’s been on the market for a long time and you need inspiration for how to get it noticed, we’ve got some tips to help you de-clutter and get potential buyers excited.
Although the property still belongs to you at this stage, it is important to think about what a prospective buyer wants to see, or not, when they come to view your house. Making simple changes to layout and minimising clutter should be one of the first things to consider.
Recognise what is clutter and not
What people consider clutter or not can be quite subjective. Therefore, we’ve simplified it for you.
Should that stuff be in that space? If the answer is “no” then move it to where it belongs or consider whether it might be time to get rid of it altogether.
Look at each of your rooms and make sure that it is being used for its intended purpose i.e. that the dining room hasn’t become a study or the utility room just a dumping ground that you shut the door on and try to ignore. If you can’t make snap decisions then create a ‘keep’ pile and a ‘consideration’ pile and revisit it at the end of your sort through. If you genuinely don’t have space for everything then try to be ruthless. If you donate bits to charity then you’ll feel less conflicted.
Sort out spare rooms
We all have that room, or space, in our homes where things get put to be ‘tidied’ at some point in the future, but generally just get left or forgotten about. That ‘future’ is now. Buy some vacuum bags and seal away clothes, shoes, toys and other miscellaneous items to stack neatly in a corner or bottom of a cupboard. Pop up some temporary shelving units for books, dvds and trinkets. The aim with all of this is to show off the space to its full advantage. It will also make moving house easier for you when it comes to it so investing a bit of time and effort now will pay dividends in the long run.
Clear-out porches or entryways
It’s easy for porches and hallways to get cluttered. Coming in from work late and kicking off your shoes or overloading a coat rack can become all too common when you don’t need to worry about who is going to see it. When you’re trying to draw in a potential buyer, however, you need to consider first impressions and tidy away as much visual clutter as possible.
De-personalise
It’s normal to fill your property with personal mementos, including photos and artwork. These are the things that make a house a home. However, they will distract the eye of a potential buyer, either consciously or subconsciously, and prevent them from looking at what they should be looking at – the space, where the light is coming from, flow from room to room etc. Although you may not want to depersonalise entirely (because you still live there for now), it may be worth minimising the distraction slightly. The same can be said for the bathroom and bedrooms. Buyers don’t want to see your medicines, toothbrushes or makeup. Pop them in a drawer or cabinet when viewings are taking place.
Take it outside
If you really can’t part with certain things OR they’re large items that you’ll want in your onward property, but that are taking up too much space in this one, then consider your options. Do you have a waterproof and secure garage where you could store these items? Is it worth renting a storage unit until you move? Do you have a friend/relative who can store some things for you? This is one sure-fired way to enable viewers to really see the space on offer in the property without their eye getting distracted or them being unable to see beyond the clutter. This option should be seen as a last resort, when all other suggestions have been attempted, and shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to buy more things to fill your space.
If your house has been on the market for a while and you’re looking to sell it quickly then The Property Buying Company can help.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.
Comments 2
I’m not looking to sell my home, but I am looking to declutter this week, so this post comes at a good time!
Decluttering is my favourite thing!