First impressions make a huge impact when it comes to selling your home so one that’s clear of clutter is sure to strike the right chord with potential buyers. Just imagine yourself walking into a home to find piles of shoes clogging up the hallway or stacks of junk on the bedside table – it would put you off, wouldn’t it? A property bursting at the seams with stuff will make buyers think there’s not enough storage. To purge the mess follow the Forbes Estate Agents’ simple tips to edit and eliminate the clutter and make the right first impression on potential buyers.
Declutter the living space:
We all have those areas in the house that no matter what we do, always get clogged up with things. But if you declutter the junk from your home you are allowing potential buyers the opportunity to see the space and imagine themselves living in it. The hallway, lounge and dining spaces are key areas to focus on.
- Put away coats and shoes that would usually block up the hallway
- Does the pile of dry laundry typically over the dining table? Store it away and set the table up for mealtime to show potential buyers how the space could work for them.
- Hideaway magazines, newspapers etc that could be scattered around the home.
- In areas like lounges where you do a lot of the living, it might be hard to get rid of lots of items so it might be worth investing in storage so that at least the clutter is organized.
Banish bedroom mess:
Bedrooms can become dumping grounds when everyone is racing around to get ready for the day. But take the time to have a good sort out and you’ll be surprised by the new change.
- Get rid of that pile-up of clothes on the chair in your bedroom. Return items to their proper places. Fold or hang and store any clothing.
- If stacks of books and beauty products are taking over your bedside table find them another home, preferably tucked away in a draw.
- But before you think about throwing it all in the cupboard you will want to ensure that a house hunter can open all cupboards and doors easily, and that there are no obstacles in the way or things that will fall out onto them.
Keep your kitchen clear:
The kitchen is one of your main areas and also a place to entertain, ideally, you want potential buyers to imagine the fantastic feasts they’ll be whipping up there so spending some time clearing out and reorganizing your kitchen could make the world of difference.
- Rid your kitchen surfaces of items you don’t use on a regular basis. If a slow cooker has been sitting out since Easter not being used it might be time to put it away.
- Remove fridge magnets, menus and other mess from the front of your fridge
- Sort through your utensils drawer, spice rack, and food cupboard clearing anything out of date, broken or no longer needed.
Beautify your bathroom:
Everyone knows the difference a bathroom can have on the potential buyer so make sure yours is in tip-top shape.
- Clear away lotions and potions into a cupboard or draw rather than the side of the bath or shower floor.
- Discard any out of date products lurking in your bathroom cabinet.
- Store away rolls of toilet paper – everyone doesn’t need to see the evidence of you bargain buy from ASDA, just have out what’s required
- Hang towels nicely. You’ll be surprised how more streamlined a well folded towel could look on a rack compared to the pile the kids have thrown on the floor
Store away things you don’t use:
Got a pile of toys the children no longer play with? Bags of clothes you no longer wear? Pack them away in a storage box or vacuum pack and pop them in the loft or garage. Or even better sell them for some extra cash or give them to charity if they aren’t going to be used again. Having a good clear out will help rid you of those things you don’t want to take on to a new property. Living with less in your home whilst it’s on the market means you spend a lot less time tidying, cleaning, maintaining and repairing things, allowing your agent more time to focus on the features, marketing and selling of your property.
Are you ready or thinking of selling your property soon? Need advice on how to declutter or help with staging and selling tips to move on? Please get in touch with Forbes Estates Agents and we would be delighted to help, telephone 01257 273324, DM, or drop us an email at info@forbesestates.co.uk or visit www.forbesestates.com we’d love to help you get your home in tip-top selling shape.
Best regards,
Paul
