So you’ve decided to sell your home and you’re wondering where to start. The first thing we always advise our clients to do is to declutter. Not only does this make your home look much tidier, it helps make it look more spacious. Selling your home means treating it as a product, and to achieve the best possible price, it needs to look good.
Having a good clear-out also allows potential buyers to assess your home properly. Without the distraction of piles of belongings and bursting cupboards, they will be able to see the home’s potential and feel more confident that there are no structural problems hiding under all that stuff.
You’ll find, too, that when you come to move, it will be much easier if you have already decluttered – and unpacking at the other end will also be more straightforward.
Where to start?
We love The Life Changing Magic of Tidying-Up by Marie Kondo and the accompanying Netflix series. Either the book or the show (or both) are a great place to start if you’re looking for some tidying inspiration.
While Kondo deals with tidying your current home, many of her methods can be applied to preparing to move house. It can be overwhelming to look at everything you have accumulated over the years, which is why her recommendation to tidy by category (clothes, books, sentimental items and so on) is so useful.
Tidying is this way, rather than room by room, helps you break down the task into manageable chunks and keeps you focused on one category of belongings at a time.
Start with your kitchen and bathroom(s)
When preparing to sell your home, start with your kitchen and bathrooms, as these are the rooms that will generally take the longest to organise. They are also the rooms that may benefit most from some cosmetic work, such as new tiles or benchtops, so getting started here will give you plenty of time to organise tradespeople, should you need to.
Declutter by going through everything and either plan to use it — such as food and beauty products — or get rid of it altogether.
Dispose of everything you no longer need
Once you have sorted through your belongings, you need to work out how to get rid of the items you have no use for.
Your local Buy Nothing Project group is a great place to start for items that have little financial value but can still be used by someone, such as plant pots, unused food items and old magazines. Take note of your local council’s bulk rubbish collection if they offer one, and start gathering items to go out in advance.
Your nearest charity shop is the best place for clean clothes, shoes in good condition and quality homewares.
Specialist charities will often take unusual items. For example, animal shelters like to receive old towels and bedding. You can recycle unwanted spectacles and contact lenses to Lions Australia, who send them on to developing countries. And Mission Australia often calls out for good-quality blankets for homeless people.
For items that have some value, try Gumtree, eBay or Facebook marketplace. You can seek out a local car boot sale or even hold an old-fashioned garage sale.
Pack as you go
The decluttering process is also a good time to start packing things you won’t need until after you move, such as camping gear or out-of-season clothes. Ideally your home will look as neutral as possible for home inspections, and your cupboards will appear organised and spacious, without items stuffed into every corner.
Decluttering is also a great opportunity to get ready for your move, too. With that in mind, label boxes as you go, and store them in your garage (if your building allows it) or at an off-site storage space until you relocate.
Talk to us
Thinking of selling your Sydney property? As the inner-city real estate agents, we have a wide range of buyers looking for property, and we can also give our tips on decluttering, preparing to sell, and getting the best possible price for your home in the current market. Please give us a call today for a no-obligation chat.
