No one wants to take on a big decluttering project, but it’s something home sellers have to do. A messy, cluttered home can affect whether a potential buyer makes an offer or even the offer amount. If a house is cluttered, buyers will have difficulty imagining what it will look like when they move in and live there. So if you want to sell, you’ll have to declutter. To that end, here’s a checklist for home sellers in Houston to help you quickly declutter a messy house.
Start With the Bathroom
For many home sellers facing the prospect of decluttering, the hardest part is just getting started. That’s why we recommend beginning with the bathroom: it’s the smallest room in your house and will be the easiest to clean. That way you can quickly see some progress and start building your decluttering momentum.
- Start by picking up the clothes that didn’t make their way into the hamper.
- Then move on to the vanity/sink area and put away or throw all those toiletries cluttering up the area. Then clean the sink.
- The shower bathtub area is next. Again put away shampoos, soaps, and so on, and throw out empty or near-empty bottles. Then clean the tub and shower.
Move on to the Bedroom
You don’t want to be one of those home sellers who lose their momentum early on, so after the bathroom move on to the master bedroom. We advise tackling the bedroom next because most of the clutter here will be easy stuff.
- Put away all those books, magazines, and cups/glasses littering the nightstands.
- Pick up and put away clothes and towels lying about.
- Clean under the bed. (Don’t think buyers won’t look there!)
- Put away family photos and other personal items so that you’ll be depersonalizing while you declutter.
- Clean the bedroom top to bottom.
- Tackle the closet last. (Remember: buyers will likely look in there too.)
Then the Living Room and Dining Room
Now that you’re making some headway, our advice to home sellers is to move on to the living room and dining room. These rooms won’t be as easy as the bathroom and master bedroom, but they will have to be done because they are lived-in areas that accumulate a lot of clutter. Here’s what to do . . .
- Toss or put away books, magazines, and mail.
- Put all the items that need to go elsewhere in a big bin.
- Put away all personal items – family photos, weird knick-knacks, and so on – to achieve depersonalization.
- Tidy up and straighten up bookcases and shelves.
- Thoroughly clean and dust the rooms.
And Finally, the Kitchen
Finally, you’re ready to tackle the kitchen – one of the most difficult rooms to keep clutter-free. Don’t get overwhelmed at this point. Just take it one step at a time.
- Clean out the refrigerator, throw out all old food items, and then wipe down the shelves.
- Clear the refrigerator door of kids’ artwork, magnets, calendars, and whatever else is on it.
- Put away or get rid of all seldom-used kitchen utensils.
- Clear countertops as much as possible and then clean them. It’s best to put away items like mixers, coffee makers, and so on because you can get them back out temporarily when you need them.
- Tidy up the sink area, getting out of sight things such as dish-washing detergent, soap, and brushes.
- Then clean the kitchen from top to bottom, especially the floor.
More Decluttering Tips for Home Sellers
This decluttering checklist for home sellers should get you started and get you well on your way to a clutter-free house. But there is more you can and probably should do, and a lot of it depends on what buyers in your market want. This is where your Houston agent can be a valuable asset. If you’re among the home sellers in Houston who want to declutter in the best way possible, contact us today at (832) 346-7631.