When it comes to our homes, some people can find it very difficult to be objective and can feel very protective about any suggestions or criticism. However, when it comes to selling your property, you want to do everything you can to make a straightforward and fast sale, whilst achieving the best possible price.

One of the most important steps in preparing your home for sale is decluttering, but it is also the step that a lot of homeowners choose to skip or ignore believing that their property is ‘fine’ as it is, and not seeing it from a buyer’s perspective.

If you are thinking about ‘how do I sell my property online’ then here we explain the reason why it is so important to declutter for viewings.

Better First Impression

They say first impressions are everything and it is definitely true when it comes to viewings as first impressions tend to last and can impact the feeling about the rest of the home. When a lot of people think of clutter, they tend to get defensive and insist their home doesn’t have any, but from a viewing perspective, shoes at the front door, a full coat rack or busy sideboard in an entranceway gives a first impression of just that.

Be sure to view every room and area from a buyer’s perspective, make sure that the first impression of every room is one that is clean and clear, with plenty of space to walk around and no unnecessary objects, knick-knacks or bits and bobs.

More Space

You will be surprised at how much bigger your home will look and feel once it has been decluttered giving the illusion of more square footage. Not only does it allow you to clear visible areas but also cupboards, wardrobes and drawers so that there is more space to store things away neatly instead of having them out on display.

Less Distractions

You don’t want people distracted by clutter when they are viewing your property which is why it is important to ensure a clean and clear atmosphere which is far more inviting and less distracting. This makes buyers feel much for comfortable and greatly increases visual appeal, so they can imagine and envision themselves living there.

Easier Staging

This might sound ‘fancy’ but staging your property is an essential part of the selling process and simply means showcasing your homes key features. This can be near impossible if there is too much clutter, furniture, personal items and unnecessary belongings around the house, which is why it is so important to have a thorough and ruthless declutter.

This way you can make a few tweaks, rearrangements and add some strategically placed accessories to highlight architectural details, unique selling points or desirable features such as;

• Some fresh wood in a basket next to a working fireplace or log burner
• A cosy rug on hardwood floors
• Fresh plants or flowers
• Well placed mirrors

Streamlines the Moving Process

Having a thorough declutter should be seen as an extremely worthwhile investment of your time that will benefit you greatly when it comes time to move. Be sure to do every room of the house including garages, sheds and loft spaces, evaluate every item and decide whether you are going to keep, sell or donate. Doing this will help to not only make your home look great and clutter free for viewings but allows you to eliminate unnecessary items which simplifies and downsizes your move for you!

Less items equals less time packing, less boxes, less items to transport and less time unpacking the other end so saves you time and money whilst helping you to arrive at your new property clutter free to start a fresh!