How to declutter and stage your home for sale:
1) Set yourself up for success – Changing homes can be a great opportunity to let go of excess belongings and update your décor to fit your current style. While preparing your home to sell, consider the items you want to take with you and donate or sell the others. Rent a dumpster or hire a junk hauler. If you approach this process with the right mindset, you will feel organized and free of unwanted items moving into your next home.
2) Consider your storage spaces – basement, attic, garage. These can be a big selling point for buyers so make sure these are neat and show the home’s storage potential. If timing allows, I would recommend starting here as there is most likely to be items that can be donated or trashed, creating space for you to store personal items that will be removed from the home during staging.
3) Remove personal items – Walk through the home and remove all family photos, personal mementos, and excess furniture. This helps buyers envision themselves in the home and starts the process of decluttering.
4) Focus on the entryway – The entry is the first impression for buyers so you’ll want to make sure it shows well. Remove all excess jackets, shoes, and personal items. Consider a fresh coat of paint or a new throw rug. Highlight the space’s function with everything in its place.
5) Create inviting living spaces – Living rooms are crucial in staging a home. The goal is to make these spaces calm and inviting. Declutter knick-knacks, pillows, and blankets, add stylish décor, and consider a thorough cleaning of all rugs and upholstery.
6) Kitchen & Dining – Remove all items from surfaces. Tuck all mail, chargers, utensils, cleaning supplies, and other countertop items away. Declutter inside cabinets and buffets and keep the spaces minimal and simplistic as you prepare to move.
7) Bedrooms – Create an inviting retreat. Declutter surfaces, remove excess furniture, consider adding fresh linens. Light a candle and open the windows before a showing to keep it smelling fresh.
8) Bathrooms – Bathrooms can make or break the sale of a house. Scrub the toilet, tub, counters, floors and mirrors. Replace hand towels and rugs, declutter old and expired toiletries and highlight the bathroom’s function. Consider essential oils and candles to create a sense of freshness.
9) Curb appeal – Don’t discount the outdoor spaces. Make sure the yard is free of toys, hoses, and barrels. Add fresh flowers or a doormat and arrange outdoor furniture neatly.
10) Make it spotless – Give the home a thorough cleaning. Consider hiring a professional company to wash the window and screens (you’ll be amazed), deep clean appliances (behind the fridge, inside the stove and microwave, and dust all high spaces). Remember that storage spaces also sell homes so deep clean those closets and small spaces to show their functionality.
11) Fix broken items – Small fixes will prove to buyers that the home has been cared for. If there is a cabinet that falls off the hinge, a missing doorknob, or chipping paint –TLC will go a long way. Make sure all lights in the home have working light bulbs.
12) Finishing touches – Add fresh flowers, plants, and fresh fruit to make the home feel alive and welcoming. The addition of a new art piece or color coded bookshelves can make the home feel interesting and fun.
Follow these steps to declutter and stage your home quickly and for top dollar. Additionally, you will move into your new space feeling free of clutter and ready to begin your new journey.
