Now that the snow is finally melting, many homeowners are starting, or at least thinking about starting, their spring cleaning. If you’re considering selling your home, even if not soon, it’s a good idea to jump on the spring clean bandwagon now so you’re ready later – after all, you’ll have a ton of other things on your mind and to-do list when you put your house on the market and you won’t want to deal with decluttering then.
Why decluttering your home matters
A cluttered home = a cluttered mind. How often do you stress about the time and effort it will take to organize or clean? Think of this from a potential buyer’s point of view. When viewing your home, you want them to visualize themselves living their best life in your space. It’s impossible to do this surrounded by clutter – especially somebody else’s clutter. If they do decide to write an offer to purchase, their impression of your home will affect the price they are willing to pay, so you may receive lower offers than you’d like.
As a seller, when you do decide to sell, your Realtor will need to quickly schedule professionals to come in to photograph, measure, or maybe even stage your home. You’ll also need to prepare for showings. Decluttering before listing your home on the MLS system saves you the stress of struggling to get it done at the last minute.
Don’t wait
Community yard sales are being organized and charities will soon be making their rounds collecting donations. You can even take advantage of local Facebook buy and sell or swap pages, so it’s a perfect time to start organizing and decluttering your home. Take three large boxes and go through one room at a time. Use one box for garbage, one box for yard sale or items to donate, and another box for things to go into storage. Get your kids involved too, picking out old toys and things to donate to other families or sell to help fund a new toy or bike. You’ll be amazed at how much stuff you’ll get rid of!
Expert organizers often recommend only keeping the things you truly love or need and getting rid of the rest. How you declutter is completely up to you – but remember the goal is to create an appealing and uncluttered space. When you’re done, be sure to pack your storage boxes neatly and out of the way (in an attic, basement, or garage) so they don’t impede on the living space either. This will make your home more appealing to buyers (especially important in a competitive market) and much easier for moving day too.
Written by CIR REALTY
