Currently, my husband and I are selling our first home and buying our second. And while accepting offers was a long and arduous task due to volatility in the housing market, the response to our home was always the same: viewers. loved And thought it was in perfect, clutter-free condition.
However, this was not just a fluke. Before putting our home on the market, we spent a lot of time doing research How to declutter your home before selling it And decided to go through it from top to bottom. We thought hard about what our new home would look like and what we wanted to take with us, and we thought hard about everything we knew we definitely didn’t want.
This process was very beneficial for us, not only that Reduction in circulating costs But also to put some extra cash in our pockets during one of the biggest financial commitments we’ve ever made. After all, every penny helps and turning your clutter into cash is an easy way to do just that.
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1. Books
(Image credit: Future plc/Paul Reside)
Want to know one thing about me? I am a big reader. I also dream of having a huge library in my house (I blame Beauty and the Beast for that matter), so I’ve happily collected books for decades. But the sad reality is that I never have room for what I need, which is why they’ve been stored in my office or the loft since we moved in.
As it is It is not wise to store books in the loftI knew I would definitely not re-read, and had to start decluttering what had no sentimental value. Then I sold many of them through A world of booksWhich lets you recycle books for cash quickly and easily through the app.
All in all, I’ve made around £80 selling my unwanted books, and not having piles everywhere makes the space feel more inviting during my home appraisals and subsequent viewings. Just be warned that World of Books does not accept everyone book, so I just donated my leftovers to my local charity shop.
2. Old clothes
(Image credit: Future plc/Georgia Burns)
It’s not a decision everyone makes, but I don’t have a single wardrobe in my house – and I never have. That’s because we have an (admittedly very small) dressing room off our master bedroom, and we’ve always used a combination of a chest of drawers and a large hanging rail for our wardrobes. In fact, this SONGMICS Clothes Rack on Wheels (£34.99) We’ve been going for a few years now.
And while having clothes on display keeps things relatively organized, I’ve known for a while that it’s still full of clothes that no longer fit or aren’t my style. I also rotate my clothes seasonally, some were stored in this Mixed Vacuum Storage Bags (£10 at Argos) Even in the loft.
So, I went through everything and sold 90% on Vinted. The rest I offered to friends and family or donated to the local charity shop. Clearing the space instantly makes the room look brighter and bigger, which is always a great selling point. Because of this, it was a win-win.
3. Unwanted furniture
(Image credit: Future plc)
When we moved into this house, then Furniture came with us. But while we’ve since bought new stuff, we keep the old furniture just in case. We knew we didn’t want to take this into our new home, so we decided to declutter it.
Fortunately, there are many ways Get rid of things after declutteringAnd while we donated some pieces of furniture to charity and even popped them out of our house for neighbors for free, there were other pieces that just seemed too nice to give away. So, we sold it instead.
When go to my choice Selling second hand furniture There is a Facebook marketplace, and we sold some spare dining room chairs, an office chair and desk, a bookcase, and even old freestanding lamps for a total of about £200. This meant that they weren’t hidden in the closet, either, which made the available storage space look better during viewing.
4. Garden and DIY tools
(Image credit: Future plc/Douglas Gibb)
There are many Garden features that help sell a homeAnd I always think the big shed is a major selling point. This is something we have, but until recently, it was the dumping ground for all the outdoor ‘stuff’ we struggled to store. In fact, the entire shed was bursting at the seams and looked awful.
While I knew this wouldn’t be a dealbreaker for potential buyers, I still wanted to make it presentable and clutter-free for viewing. So, we took some time to declutter the shed and go through everything that had been hiding there over the years. We found an old lawnmower, an old one BBQAnd lots of garden and DIY tools we no longer need or want to carry into the new home.
So, we decided to sell it on Facebook Marketplace as well. They weren’t getting much for what we paid for them, but the shade honestly looks brand new. We then used this 5m Adjustable Cable Straps (£9.99 on Amazon) Bundle all leftover garden tools for easy moving (a great hack suggested by our removals company).
5. Everyday clutter
(Image credit: Future plc/James French)
While many of my disorganized efforts before putting my house on the market revolved around actively removing items from my home and selling them, I didn’t get rid. everyone A piece of clutter. After all, clutter can still be useful, and we all need to keep essential and everyday items close at hand.
That’s why I also focused on daily restoration of empty, visible clutter in professional photos taken and viewed. It is known that this can help sSpeed up your home Because it makes the home more inviting and allows viewers to imagine themselves in the space.
Disorganization can be difficult to hide for home views when closets are being inspected by estate agents and viewers, but I like my DUSK Ascot Ottoman Bed (£299 at DUSK).) to be the key to our success, as I can hide things like my dog’s toys, bathroom toiletries, small kitchen appliances, and anything else that looks unsightly in there.
Decluttering these items not only helped me turn clutter into cash, but it also helped us spend less on moving day. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving…
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