There’s an interesting psychological characteristic of clutter. We tend to notice it more in other people’s homes than in our own. In fact, we may not even realize a room in our house feels cluttered and uncomfortable to visitors. That’s why making each room look neat and spacious is so important when you’re selling your property. Here are some tips to help make the task of decluttering easier.

View your home as a first-time visitor. It’s easy to “forget” what your home looks like to a new visitor. Enter your home as if you’re visiting the home of a friend. Write down your first impression on how clean and organized the home is and make changes. You can also ask a friend or family member or us to go through your home and offer suggestions.

Although the task may seem daunting at first, decluttering is relatively easy to do.

Start with one room at a time. You can begin by picking up and sorting anything sitting on the floor, then work you way through one shelf or one closet at a time. This approach is more rewarding.

The simplest technique is to box things. You’re going to move anyway, so boxing makes sense. You can store the boxes of items you’re keeping in your garage. If you have a lot of boxes, or limited storage space, renting short-term storage is an option. When decluttering, you’re bound to come across items you no longer need or want. You can create separate boxes for items to trash, donate, or sell. Deal with these right away, so they’re not included in your stored boxes.

Declutter countertops in your kitchen and bathroom. Keep everyday items neatly stored in organizing containers behind closed doors or in drawers and fight the urge to place decorative items in every square inch of free space.

Reducing the number of items you have in your home, also helps with decluttering. Perhaps you don’t need so many sets of sheets, towels, pots, pans etc.

It can be helpful to take before and after pictures of a room you have completed to help you to stay motivated to continue throughout the rest of the home.

An uncluttered home shows dramatically better to buyers. When they see a cluttered space — even if it’s neatly organized — it creates a reason not to buy. So, declutter your way to a faster sale at a higher price! We visit many homes and make suggestions for prioritizing decluttering and other home repairs. We also have professional contacts that may help you if needed, feel free to contact us.

Whether purchasing or selling a home in Kanata, Stittsville, Barrhaven and greater Ottawa we are here every step of the way to guide you through all of the different stages. We are always happy to assist, and here to answer any real estate questions you may have!