So, you want to sell your home? You can successfully list your home for 3-5% more if you have a cleared out, decluttered property. Fair or not, potential buyers just have a hard time seeing themselves in your home if you have piles of laundry in the corner or bags of recycling sitting out. But decluttering is much more than cleaning up. It’s also about creating a space that is neutral — in other words, a property where there aren’t family photos everywhere and a ceramic horse collection taking up an entire wall.
If you’re on the hunt for the right buyer, you could probably use some advice on how to declutter. Here are our best decluttering 101 tips for a variety of spaces in your home.
Decluttering the Bathroom
First things first: you need to do a deep clean on the shower. That includes throwing away old shampoo bottles and consolidating your shower essentials into one area if possible. Try a shower caddie to hold your soaps and conditioners and show that you can keep a tidy shower/bath area. Next, take an honest inventory of the vanity area. You want to leave as much open space as possible. Move medicines and daily face cleaners into the cabinet. Wipe down everything — including areas that are often neglected, such as using a metal on your sink faucet. Some other bathroom cluttering tips include:
- Paying attention to details, such as making sure the garbage is empty and the room smells good when people tour your home.
- Putting away extra towels, leaving just two hanging neatly on your towel bar.
- Picking up your bath mats and hanging them over the bathtub to make the bathroom floor appear larger.
How to Declutter Bedrooms
Bedrooms are a major deal breaker space for potential buyers. If they don’t like the vibe in the master bedroom or they’re not sure their furniture will fit — they’ll be on to the next listing in no time. To declutter your bedroom, begin by clearing all surfaces of picture frames and knick-knacks. That includes your nightstands, dressers, and window sills. Next, do a sweep of your closet and donate or store some items. An over-brimming closet can leave the impression that it’s not big enough. You want to send the message that your closet has enough space for the average homeowner, so give away those old jeans. Some other bedroom decluttering ideas:
- Consider moving extra furniture, such as a chest at the end of your bed, to storage or a different room. This can make your room seem bigger by leaving more empty floor space.
- Take down wedding photos or other personal wall hangings.
- Pick up any clothes that live on a chair in the corner or typically hang on closet door handles, etc.
Tips for Decluttering Common Rooms
Don’t forget about common rooms! Your living room and kitchen are hubs of activity, so they’ve probably collected lots of stuff over the years. Everybody has a junk drawer (or two) and some other cluttered areas that are going ignored. Now is a good time to do an honest assessment and clear some things out. First, fold up and store extra blankets and pillows, which can come across as personal items. Minimize the number of items on your bookshelves. In the kitchen, store small appliances in cabinets to leave the counter mostly empty. Make sure the sink is empty when people tour the home. Some other tips:
- Reconsider how many end tables you need in your living room. Consolidating furniture can make the room look more spacious.
- Clean up stray magazines and piles of mail that look messy.
- Put away your favorite mug that you leave on the counter.
- Do a pass on the fridge and throw out any aging fruit or expired items. You want the kitchen to smell great.
Learning how to declutter your home is great — but is your home still not selling? Give California Family Homebuyers a call! We buy homes in Sacramento in all sorts of conditions and we can close a sale as quickly as one week! Whether you want to move in a hurry because you’re relocating for work, or you want to avoid falling into foreclosure, we may be able to take over your property soon.