If you’re one of the many home sellers who feel stressed about the prospect of decluttering your home before placing it on the market, you’re in luck: Today I’ll answer some common questions in hopes of making the process easier for you and to help you get your home ship-shape.  

Where do you start?

Like anything in life, you’ll want to establish a plan, and your plan should begin with tackling the toughest task first. This way, you’ll be getting the most arduous work out of the way while your motivation and energy are at their highest.  

Let’s say our starting point is the living room—the first item to go should be any big ottomans you have. A fair number of homebuyers lack the space to store items of this size, so my advice is to rent a storage unit in the meantime. That way, your home will be free of clutter without you having to get rid of the items stored.

“There’s no way around the stress that comes with decluttering, but with ample preparation and time, you can move through the process smoothly.”

Next, you’ll want to create an organizational system and group items according to specific identifiers. A good rule to live by is, “When in doubt, throw it out.” For items you plan to keep, however, you’ll want to decide what items can stay while your home is shown and what items might be a hindrance and should be removed. 

During this time, the fewer personal belongings you have and the more neutral you go, the better. Focus on your shelves, drawers, and closets—you don’t want these spaces to be entirely bare, though. You should instead empty one-third of the area so that clothes stored in the closet aren’t spilling out when the buyer goes to take a look. 

Another important detail is to take down any personal pictures from the walls or the like—it’s hard for buyers to see themselves living in the home when they’re surrounded by your family’s lives and experiences. 

Figuring out what to do with the items that you won’t be bringing to your new home is a bridge we can cross when we get there. There’s no way around the stress that comes with decluttering, but with ample preparation and time, you move through the process smoothly.     

If you have comments or questions for me, feel free to give me a call at 617-398-0018 or send me an email at Chris.Remmes@NEMoves.com. I look forward to speaking with you!