When selling your home, decluttering is an absolute must. The last thing you want is for a potential buyer to get distracted by all of your belongings so they can’t picture the house as being theirs.
Intellectually, they “know” that someone is living there, but they should never feel as though they are invading your space. A house that is free of clutter instantly holds more value and appeal, even if you haven’t gone all out on upgrades.
When you’re not planning to sell your home, decluttering still adds value because it allows you to feel more comfortable in your own space. Unfortunately, it’s also one of those tasks that people love to put off. What can we do about that? In this post, we’ll reveal some of our top tricks for decluttering your home even when you feel like you just can’t get started.
What’s Your Decluttering Type?
Everyone has a different personality type, and that can also affect your approach to decluttering your home. Some people love to jump right in, immersing themselves completely for an entire weekend. By the time they emerge, their home is clean and spotless, and it feels like a thousand-pound weight is off their shoulders.
The good thing about this technique is that you get the project over quickly. The bad news is that it can be difficult to begin, knowing that you’re not going to take a breath until the job is complete.
The other type of declutterer is the “grazer,” who tackles one small area at a time. This might be the better path for those with a hectic schedule or who are easily overwhelmed.
The tricky part is getting into a habit of cleaning out one closet or drawer or clearing off one countertop each day. The other downside is that it will take longer to see the results. That said, if you establish a routine, maintaining a clean house becomes second nature.
There is no right or wrong answer as to which direction you should take. Chances are, one of the above methods will resonate with you. Whatever you choose is perfectly okay as long as the end result is a sparkling clean home.
Are you planning to sell your home? The posts below will help you get the best value:
- 5 Reasons You Should Stage Your Home To Sell
- How Can You Sell A House In A Tough Market?
- Elevate Your Lifestyle By Maximizing The Sale Of Your Current Home
Holding On or Letting Go?
Are you the type of person who gets rid of something the minute it’s no longer needed? Or do you hold on to things for sentimental reasons? Decluttering can be a difficult task for those who form emotional attachments to personal belongings.
Now, it’s not just a big job where you have multiple items to sort through and decide what to keep and what to discard. Every item you touch has a memory associated with it, which makes the idea of getting rid of it almost painful.
Although nothing makes it easy to let go, there are things you can do to make it easier:
- Ask yourself if you really need this item for the memory. Chances are, your recollection of the experience itself is more than enough. At the very least, you likely don’t need so many keepsakes.
- Imagine yourself five years from now, and that item is no longer in your life. Would you miss it or even remember it? If not, it’s time to let go.
- Is the item irreplaceable and valuable? There is no need to worry about throwing away something you feel you “might” need later, especially if you haven’t used it for years. In the worst-case scenario, you can replace it later.
- Be as thorough and objective as possible. Place any items you think you won’t miss but still can’t bring yourself to part with in a box and store it out of sight. If that box remains unopened a few months later, you can safely discard everything in it.
- Is there a family member or friend who would appreciate those items with sentimental value to you? Donating them to a home where they will be loved is easier than discarding them completely.
Once your home is clean and clutter-free, you may want to upgrade your decor. The posts below will give you some ideas:
- Can You Elevate Your Bathroom Decor In An Afternoon?
- Lighting Techniques That Give Your Home an Instant Facelift
- Redesign Your Home Decor With One Trip to Your Local Hardware Store
Getting Started
In many cases, the most difficult part of decluttering your home is simply to get started. However, many people report that once they finally bite the bullet, they get into a groove and it becomes much easier to stay on track.
Thus, your mission today is to take just one small step. Begin asking your friends and coworkers for boxes in which you can sort your items into separate piles to keep, donate, sell, discard, or think about.
Start with the most obvious items first.
- That old rice cooker that has been gathering dust for three years that you’ve since replaced with a multi-cooker? Donate!
- Old clothes buried in the back of your closet that you didn’t even remember that you had? Into the donation pile they go.
- An alarm clock you don’t use anymore now that you have a smartphone, and it doesn’t work anyway? Toss it.
- Old paperwork that is well past the seven-year mark that you need to have on file? Shred and recycle.
You will be surprised at how much clutter you find in your home that you actually don’t have attachments to. Somehow, they just got set aside for “later.” These will be the easiest items to part with, and already your home will look brighter and cleaner.
Once you’ve discarded the obvious, then you can go back and think about the more sentimental items.
Whether you go slow and steady or tackle the project in a single evening, you will be astounded at the end result. For many people, it feels like living in a brand-new home!
Do you have questions about how to declutter or other ways to prepare your home for the market? We are happy to help. Reach out today to ana@asantos.ca or call 647.232.7317 to connect.