Clear the Clutter When Selling Your Home

The third of our moving tips is to clear the clutter.  We all have it – mail stacked up on the kitchen counter, old magazines, too many knick-knacks and photos on the end tables and shelves.

When it’s time to put your home on the market, it’s time to pack these things up, donate them or throw them away.  You are planning to move, right?  So the packing will have to be done at some point and what better time to start than when you are not under the pressure of a closing deadline.

Most of us overlook the clutter in our homes.  We see it every day and it just becomes a part of our lives.  Now that you have committed to making your home “show ready”, you must be prepared to tackle it and part (just temporarily) with some of your treasures.

Here is a quick and easy list of things you can put in those moving boxes ahead of time:

Family photos.  Don’t let buyers be distracted by a wall of family photos.  They can feel like they are intruding on your personal space and not give the house the attention that it deserves.

Seasonal items.  Pack those out-of-season clothes and make your closets look even bigger.  It’s spring, and you don’t need to have coats, scarves, boots and other fall and winter items taking up space you need to show off.  This is also the perfect time to reorganize closet space to make the most of it.

Books and magazines.  A few books on a shelf are fine.  An overflowing basket of old magazines is not.  Consider dropping them off at the local senior citizen center if you can’t bring yourself to throw them away or recycle them.  Too many books?  Donate them to the local library or drop them at your neighborhood Little Free Library.

Knick-knacks.  Not only do you have to dust them to keep your home looking clean, but they too can distract a buyer who might be more interested in your model car collection than your house.

Movies, music, and video games.  I’m not suggesting that you get rid of your collection…only that you keep it out of sight.

Kitchen appliances.  How often do you really use that blender on the counter?  When preparing your home for sale, it’s a great time to clean out those cabinets and make them look spacious.  Get rid of all of those tupperware containers that have been warped in the dishwasher or are missing their lids and make space to store the things you usually keep on the counter tops.  If it is something you only use once or twice a year (holiday dishes, anyone?), go ahead and pack it for the move.

Linens.  Most of us don’t even use all of the towels and sheets that are stacked up in the linen closets.  Pack half of them and look at how much bigger your storage space seems.

Toys.  Have the kids pick their absolute favorite toys and make sure they can all fit neatly in their toy box.  Everything else can be packed and will seem like new when they get to their new house.