Putting a property up for sale can be a daunting task.
There is much background work needed and that’s before you even get to the cleaning and decluttering part.
To give your home the best chance of a sale, you need the property to be looking its best.
Terry Fisher of We Buy Any Home says moving is a great excuse for getting rid of unwanted items and making a fresh start.
Decluttering your home is also said to provide health benefits including easing stress and anxiety, as well as reducing allergens.
Terry says: ‘We know that selling a house is sometimes easier when the home is neat and tidy and there are fewer of the homeowner’s personal belongings lying around.
‘So use this as your starting point and get rid of anything that doesn’t serve a purpose or isn’t sentimental.
‘Then, when it comes to moving house, you will have already done a lot of the hard work and won’t waste time moving things you no longer need.’
Below are Terry’s top tips for bossing a decluttering mission:
Time slots
‘Give yourself plenty of time to go through all of your things,’ Terry says.
‘Leaving it until the day before an estate agent comes round to take pictures will just make the process much more stressful. Ideally you want to give yourself at least a week to go through the whole house.
‘However, you need to manage your time to get it done. Try breaking it up into small, manageable chunks so you don’t feel too overwhelmed by the process.
‘You could give yourself 30-minute time slots, making sure you take breaks in between, or aim to complete a certain number of cupboards each day.’
Five categories
Terry recommends dividing your items into five categories: rubbish, recycling, fix, donate and put away.
‘We’re all guilty of leaving things lying in cupboards that are either broken or no longer serve a purpose,’ he explains.
‘If they can’t be fixed then recycle them if you can, and if you no longer want or need them, consider donating them to a local charity shop or giving them away to family or friends.
‘Old books, games and clothes can all find a new lease of life somewhere else. Bulkier items such as furniture can even be collected by some charities, saving you time and transportation costs when it comes to moving.’
Check expiry dates
Old medication, cosmetics and food tins taking up precious space? Check the expiry dates.
Items such as sun cream can go out of date quicker than you think, and the same can be said for many things lying around your bathroom, fridge and cupboards.
‘Use this as an opportunity to take stock of everything you have,’ Terry notes. ‘Check it’s in good working order and if it isn’t, it’s time to get rid.’
One room at a time
The process of decluttering a whole house can feel like an overwhelming task. To make it more manageable, tackle one room at a time.
Terry says: ‘Taking it room by room will help to keep you focused and on track. It’s also easier to see progress this way, which might give you motivation to keep on going.’
Think of the last time you used it
While many people use this technique when sorting through their clothes, it can also be applied to items such as sheets and towels, as well as kitchen utensils.
‘Over the years it’s really easy to acquire duplicates of certain things,’ Terry says. ‘Keep your practical head on and ask yourself if you really need the item, or if it’s just taking up precious space in your already bulging cupboards.’
Keep similar things together
If you have small items such as electrical cables spread across the house in various drawers, when decluttering try to put them all in one place.
This will make it easier to see the items you have duplicates of, and things you no longer need.
Terry says: ‘The added bonus is when it comes to moving house you’ve already got them in one place, so you won’t have to stress about it when you are unpacking.’
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