The first and probably one of the most important steps in preparing your property for sale, is ensuring it is decluttered and sparkling clean.
This can be a daunting process, particularly if you’ve lived in your home for a while, but decluttering your property can make it feel more spacious, pleasing, and leave a lasting impression for potential buyers.
The first step in decluttering, is to sort through your items in the following order:
- Clothing
- Books
- Papers
- Miscellaneous
- Sentimental items
Decluttering category-by-category, instead of room-by-room encourages you to really rein in the clutter, and not let it quickly grow again.
Following the declutter, giving your property a really good deep clean will help it present well in photography/videography and to potential buyers.
For this step, it’s important to go room-by-room. Splitting up tasks with family and friends can make this process a lot quicker too.
Bathroom:
Re-grouting the tiles or scrubbing the grout in the tiles, makes a huge difference to the appearance of the bathroom, particularly if it’s an older style. For baths and sinks, ensure the tub is wiped clean and free of any dust or mold. While it’s important for the kids to enjoy bathtime, keep their toys in the cupboard for home opens to neutralise the space. Cleaning the shower screen and putting away shower products also creates a more neutral environment for potential buyers.
Kitchen:
Cleaning the pantry by throwing away old or expired products, creates a much cleaner environment for buyers to view the property subjectively. Re-organising the pantry by putting products in glass jars or clear containers, enables buyers to see the full size and positive attributes of the pantry. Similarly to the bathroom, if you have a tiled splash-back ensure the grout is clean, or re-grout this area. Cleaning the drain is also super important as no one wants to buy a smelly kitchen! Other basic necessities including wiping down the countertops, sink and ensuring the dishwasher is clean, is very important to create a nice and clean environment for buyers.
Flooring:
For wooden flooring such as timber floorboards, having them re-polished prior to going to market is very attractive for buyers, as it shows off the wood in a whole new light and reassures buyers that the floors have been well-maintained. Similarly to floorboards, getting your rugs and/or carpets steam cleaned to remove any stains, will make them show up even better on photos.
While it seems like a lengthy process to complete, decluttering and cleaning is not only a helpful step in obtaining a successful result, but it also can make the move from your home a whole lot easier.