The Real Estate Blog

Planning on moving soon? Then along with the occasion, make plans to also part ways with clothes and other things that you no longer have any use for. This decluttering is essential for several reasons, notably:

• To make your home show better if you’re selling property in conjunction with the move.
• The need to have to move less to your new home.
• The ability to make extra money by selling items at a garage sale or boost your tax return by donating unneeded or unwanted items.

But just how should you go about decluttering your home? Here’s a closer look:

Tips on Decluttering Before Moving

• Consider the seasons: Pack away and store any clothes or décor that is out of season. While you’re doing this, pay special attention to any seasonal clothes and separate it into “keep” and “donate” piles. If you haven’t worn that giant orange pumpkin shirt in 10 years, it could be time to finally do away with it.
• Toys: If you have kids, it’s likely that they have a ton of toys. Now’s as good a time as ever to thoroughly go through all these toys and sell or donate the ones that they’ve outgrown or no longer play with.
• Closets: Whether they’re bedroom closets, linen closets or storage closets, these spaces are typically areas where junk just gets tossed when there’s no real place for it. So be sure to go through all these closets and separate what you need from what you don’t need.
• Garage/shed: Like closets, outdoor stuff tends to just get tossed into the garage or shed. Make sure you purge these areas and sort through outdoor toys, bikes, lawn products, decorations and more. You’ll be surprised at how much you can clear out.
• Don’t forget the rest of the house: While we’ve outlined the major areas to key in on above, you can’t forget the rest of the house.

As you go through the decluttering process, try having a “throw out” pile, a “keep” pile and a “sell/donate” pile. Just remember, what you decide to part with now means less to move on moving day.

Ready to sell after all that decluttering? Contact Realtor Greg Dewar to learn more.