As you prepare to list your home, one of the best things you can do is declutter. This essential step in the staging process will help potential buyers envision themselves in the house, rather than being distracted by personal belongings. Decluttering also makes it far easier to keep the home ready for showings with last-minute notice.
To declutter your home in preparation for selling, follow this checklist.
Tidy the Front Yard
We often think of decluttering as an interior chore, but it actually begins in the front yard. The first impression your buyer gets when arriving for a showing is your home's curb appeal; the tidiness, or lack thereof, in the front yard is a major factor. In addition to potential buyers who have scheduled a showing, people may drive by and see your for sale sign out front, making a quick subconscious judgment about the condition of the home based on the status of the front yard.
To tidy the front yard, regularly check that no trash or debris has blown into it. Keep up with any weeds or yard work that needs to be done, even temporarily hiring a lawn care service if you know you won't keep up with it during this busy time. Sweep the front porch and keep patio furniture clean and placed where it belongs to keep a put-together look.
Pay Attention to the Entryway
Much like the front yard, the entryway of the home makes a major first impression as your potential buyers walk through the door. Look around the entryway of your home and determine whether there are any items that "live" there for practical use but are not aesthetically pleasing.
For example, many people have a shoe basket or coat rack by the front door that often looks quite cluttered. If that's you, find a temporary home for shoes, coats, bags, umbrellas, and other things that tend to get dropped by the front door.
You may also have an entry table where you drop mail, car keys, or other items you carry in the door. This things should also find a new home, and be replaced by simple, decorative items during the time your home is on the market.
Pet Items
Most pet owners are so used to the items that are out for their pets that they don't think of them as clutter, but potential buyers may see it differently. Before a showing, put away food and water bowls, beds, toys, and other items that belong to your pets and be sure to vacuum any pet hair that accumulated near them.
Simplify on the Kitchen Counters
A common area for clutter is kitchen counters. While it may serve a functional purpose to keep a basket of miscellaneous items, a notepad with a grocery list, or multiple small appliances on the kitchen counter, during showings it will be best to keep your counters virtually empty. A few decorative items like fresh flowers, a fruit bowl, or a candle are all you need to keep the kitchen from feeling bare.
Otherwise, remove just about everything from the outliers to help the kitchen put its best foot forward, with an emphasis on the space itself rather than all your personal items.
Related: Boost Your Curb Appeal with These Front Door Hacks
Put Away Personal Hygiene Products
While your house is on the market, get in the habit of putting away all personal hygiene items from bathrooms. This includes any shampoos and conditioners that do not fit easily in a shower shelf, toothpaste and toothbrushes (even if they are in a cup), and any curling irons or hair dryers.
Personal towels and robes should also be put away, with decorative towels used for staging put in their place. Think of the way your favorite hotel bathroom looked when you walked in; you want your potential buyers to walk in and envision themselves owning the bathroom, not walk in and be reminded that someone else showered there this morning.
Read more: 6 Great Exterior House Colors
Laundry Room
Laundry rooms are notorious for clutter. Be ruthless about keeping a tidy laundry room while your home is on the market, keeping nothing but nicely staged detergent or an attractive laundry basket in the room.
Miscellaneous Clutter
Walk through your home looking for miscellaneous sources of clutter. This might be a closet or cabinet that is stuffed full, piles of papers or books on a nightstand, or any other space that looks crowded with personal belongings. Any way you can get a head start on packing and remove personal belongings from the home, even by storing them in boxes in the garage, will help allow your home to shine.
For more information about preparing your home for sale, contact us any time! Contact our office for information on Carson City home styles or Dayton NV real estate.
