10 reasons why you need to declutter before selling your home

It's time to sell up. But before you invite the estate agents round for a look, the easiest and most crucial step to take is to declutter your home, making it picture perfect for it's online debut.

 It may feel like a daunting task - physically and emotionally but decluttering your home will unlock it's selling potential and improve your chance to sell fast - and at asking price.

Decluttering and styling = magic

As professional home organisers, we see the stress that clutter creates and the magic that happens when your home is decluttered, organised and styled. We can advise on reconfiguring rooms too so the flow and functionality appeals to your target buyer. Here are 10 compelling reasons why decluttering your home before going to market is crucial.

1. Gives a great first impression

When potential buyers step into your home, first impressions matter. A clutter-free and well-organised space creates an immediate positive impact, making them feel welcome and comfortable. It helps them visualise the potential of the space.

2. Makes your home feel more spacious

Clutter makes rooms look smaller and cramped. By decluttering, you can showcase the full potential of the space in your home.

Buyers are looking for spacious layouts and decluttering maximises this, allowing them to see the true size and possibilities of each room. Pack away the kid's artwork on the fridge and the family photos on the sideboard as with the space depersonalised, all types of buyers can better visualise themselves living there.

3. Highlights your home's best features

Every home has unique features that make it stand out. Decluttering allows you to accentuate these, whether that's a stunning fireplace, beautiful wood floors or a glamorous dressing room. A clutter-free space allows those features to take centre-stage.

4. Identifies potential snags in time

When decluttering, you're bound to find defects lurking behind a chest of drawers or on the floor. This allows you the opportunity to correct those faults before a buyer spots them.

5. Creates high quality estate agent photos

Most home buyers start their search online so high-quality photos and virtual tours are essential in attracting their attention. A clutter-free home photographs beautifully, making your listing more attractive. Professional photographs of a clean, well-staged home can significantly boost interest and click-through rates.

Quarter's Residential specialise in marketing homes across Berkshire and Teresa, one of their co-founders, has many year's experience in property and has learnt a lot along the way!

So much so, that she has a helpful photo prep sheet for all her clients, guiding them on how best to prep their home before Photography Day. Here are a few of Teresa's expert tips for showing your home in its best light. Top tip? Clear the clutter of course.

• Ensure tops of wardrobes are clear

• Hide dressing gowns from the back of doors and pack away pooch's bed

• Remove day-to-day toiletries from the shower and bath - then add back a couple of choice items (arranged in threes looks the best)

• Playrooms need to feel warm and fun but still show good floor space so the ideal is 50% of toys removed for the photos. Store in clear labelled storage all the time so that you can remove and return quickly.

6. Gives a feel good factor

A clutter-free and organized home evokes positive emotions and a sense of calm and can hugely influence a potential buyer's perception of your property. They're more likely to feel comfortable and emotionally connected to a home that feels orderly and well-cared for. This emotional connection can be a powerful motivator when making a purchasing decision.

Families tell us how much lighter and calmer a home feels once we've worked our decluttering, organising and styling magic and this feeling is also apparent to buyers when you're presenting a decluttered and styled home.

7. Maximises the success of viewings

When prepping your home for viewings, Teresa also shared with us some pointers from her handy checklist before you open the door to a potential buyer.

• Make sure all doors open fully - remove dressing gowns, bags, boxes, furniture from behind the doors

• Clear the hallway - no more than a couple of coats on the pegs (stick them in the car if needs be!)

• Invest in a set of posh "display" towels for the cloakroom and bathrooms and do a quick swap over before and after viewings!

8. Facilitates the moving process

Selling a home goes hand-in-hand with moving to a new location. Decluttering before listing your property can dramatically streamline the moving process. By reducing the amount of clutter and unnecessary items, you'll have fewer belongings to pack, making the transition to your new home smoother and less stressful. (Even more so f you're moving with kids in tow, so see Quarter's helpful article on making that a little easier).

9. Increases perceived value

A cluttered home can give the impression that it has not been well-maintained or cared for. On the contrary, a well-organised, clutter-free home signals to potential buyers that the property has been cared for and is in good condition. This perception of a well-maintained home can lead buyers to attach a higher perceived value to your property, ultimately resulting in a more desirable selling price.

10. Maximises the chance of a speedier sale

Decluttered homes sell faster, sparing you the stress of a drawn-out time on the market - keeping your home presentable for viewings (especially last minute ones) is much easier if you have already decluttered and organised your space.

Moving home is a stressful process but we hope we've inspired you to maximise your home's selling potential with the power of decluttering.

Selling up is such a busy time so if you are struggling to declutter your home and get it beautifully styled for the estate agent's photos and subsequent viewings, get in contact here to arrange a free consultation and to book a declutter and styling session.

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