This week’s blog comes from our resident home stager Nikki Bradley. Nikki is an experienced interior stylist and helps people to prepare their home for sale or for let, to help them achieve the best price in the shortest time frame. Today she answers a burning question from many home sellers; “Do I need to declutter before I sell my property?”
One of the biggest mistakes some home owners make before putting their property on the market is a complete disregard for decluttering. It is a real MUST! No viewer wants to stumble around numerous piles of mess or be bombarded with an array of personal possessions, clutter creates a real distraction and potential buyers will instead be focused on the this and not on what the home has to offer.
Here are my top tips for decluttering your home in readiness for your property photographs:
When selling your house “first impressions“ count. Ensure the front garden is tidy and the grass is cut; store or throw away any unattractive items e.g dustbins or rubbish so prospective buyers feel welcomed from the start.
- A disordered hallway full of unnecessary clutter reduces space and makes the entrance to your home feel cramped. Ensure all shoes, bags and coats are out of sight.
- Make sure your lounge is cleared of excess personal possessions [pictures, magazines, books, table accessories] as these can make a room appear smaller. Prospective new buyers will want to envisage their furniture and personal possessions there. This also applies to bedrooms and, in particular, items being tucked under beds and down by the sides of wardrobes etc.
- Moving onto the kitchen – keep worktops clear of unnecessary items that tend to get left out, stick to basic items like your kettle and toaster. Make sure worktops are kept clean at all times as this gives an impression of spaciousness and order.
- Bathrooms can become cluttered with toothbrushes, toothpaste and half empty jars of body lotions/shampoos etc. So make sure everything is stored away so people can visualise the space available.
- Last but not least, make sure toys are kept tidy in storage bins/baskets when not in use and if possible, keep large items in a shed [if one is available] when prospective buyers are coming to view.
Here are some examples of a home owner we helped recently.
When we first went to the property there was a lot of ‘every day clutter’, things that you probably stop noticing when it’s your home! Numerous items on surfaces, things hanging on doors and items left lying around. These were the ‘before photos’:
With our help, they cleared, decluttered and tidied in readiness for their photos. This is the finished result:
I am sure you will agree, that looks MUCH better! It’s a lovely kitchen, but all the mess was distracting for potential buyers. When selling your home you want to ‘sell a lifestyle’. This is the reason developers spend thousands creating beautiful show homes – people buy in to the ‘look’. By spending a few hours staging your home, you could earn thousands extra when your property generates more interest and sells quicker.
You will be helping yourself get ready for the imminent move by carrying out the above, any unwanted items of furniture/accessories can be taken to charity shops or sold online in advance. This will make your move SO much easier!
If you need help with decluttering, staging your home or general interior design then Nikki would love to help. You can find her at: www.nikkibradleystylist.com
Remember that all clients of The Personal Property Shop will receive a FREE consultation with Nikki lasting 1-2 hours to help them prepare their property. So if you’re thinking of moving, get in touch with us to organise a free valuation, and you can find out more about our free home staging service. Call us on 01279 940840, email us at info@thepersonalpropertyshop.co.uk.
Good luck with your move!