04 Jan 2016
It is not always as straightforward as that though and some people find themselves on the market for long periods of time. There are a number of things that are out of your control when selling your home, such as market conditions, location, price bracket and so on. But one thing that can improve your chances of selling is the appearance of your house. The look and feel of your home, inside and out, can really make the difference when it comes to selling. Decluttering your house is one of the biggest ways to do this that people often forget.
Why Do I Need to Declutter?
This is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to make your home more attractive to potential buyers. One of the biggest reasons people give for moving house is a lack of space in their current home, so if they come to your house and see that you are running out of space, they are instantly going to be put off. Decluttering your home will also help you to maximise the space you have so that buyers can really visualise the value they are getting. Buyers want to see the conditions of the walls, floor and living space, so making sure everything is clean and tidy can really help them see this.
Where to Start
To get started with decluttering your home, you should look at the areas that need the most attention. These are generally areas such as the living room or the bedrooms, which are the more ‘lived-in’ areas of the home. Although these are often more personal areas, and we don’t want to lose that personal touch while we are still living there, they can often be filled with clutter that is not helpful to selling your home. Another thing that you should make sure of is that everything in your home is accessible. There shouldn't be anything blocking the way of cupboards or other spaces in your home. Something else you should try to avoid is putting everything away in cupboards. If people are being inquisitive they will look through cupboards in places like your living room, so avoid filling up cupboards where you can because this also gives the impression of a lack of space.
What Clutter Do I Have in my Home?
Clutter can be anything that doesn’t have a home or is out of place in the area it is currently situated. This can be a whole range of items so it is hard to know what you should keep and what you should get rid of. There are two different types of clutter that may affect a sale or give people the wrong impression.
1) Genuine Clutter
This refers to any items that are out of place or items that are genuinely rubbish. This can be loose papers, old magazines or things of a similar nature. It can also mean items that have been left out in the wrong place, such as shoes left lying around the house. Any genuine clutter refers to items that you don’t actually need anymore and can be either thrown away or at least returned to their rightful place.
2) Items that are not Fit for Purpose
Any items that you want to keep, but don’t have a suitable place or purpose in your current home should be moved out of the way while you are trying to sell your home. There are a number of different items that would come under this category. If you are using a room for its incorrect purpose, then this needs to be changed and any offending items removed. This could be if you are using a dining room as your study and various other situations. If items are too large or small for a room they can make the space look odd. There are too many personal effects, such as photo frames, that are cluttering your spaces or surfaces.
With any items that are not fit for purpose, the best solution would be to store them out of sight until your house has been sold. A common problem with this is that the main reason you might be moving is because you also need more space. If you really have nowhere to store your items, then it might be worth considering self-storage options until your house has been sold. These are often great value and offer flexible time limits and the storage space to meet your needs.
