Getting Real Estate Ready for Market by Decluttering Like a Pro

Home Inspectors Share Tips to Declutter to Make Your Home Market Ready

When you are selling your home, one of the most important actions you can take is to make your property as presentable as possible. Decluttering messy areas can make all the difference in the impression of potential buyers and real estate agents alike. You want your potential buyer to fall in love with your home before they order a home inspection. Additionally, getting the property clean and in good working order is a wise step to take before you hire a home inspector. Consider the following steps to help declutter your home like a pro.

Prevent Overwhelm

First and foremost, remember that you don’t need to accomplish everything in one day or one week. If you already feel overwhelmed by a busy schedule, you might simply devote 5 or 10 minutes per day to the task of organizing your belongings. Commit to getting rid of one unneeded item per day, for example, and you could be surprised by how quickly your environment can become manageable again.

Use Proven Strategies

Some techniques are timeless because they work. One rule you may wish to implement is “one in, two out,” which means that for every item you bring into your home, you must eliminate two others. This will aid in keeping your home from looking like a hoarder’s hovel!

Another tactic to try is setting up a few boxes before you declutter a room or area. Label the boxes as “keep,” “put in storage,” “donate/sell” and “trash.” Once everything has been placed in the correct boxes, be sure to put items in their designated places as quickly as possible. Remember to evaluate how important each thing is before you decide to keep or store it; you might feel a great attachment to that baseball glove from 6th grade, but you may find that taking a picture of it is enough to preserve the memory.

Also, try taking pictures of each room before decluttering, and then take more pictures throughout the process. This will serve as proof to yourself that you are making progress, and it may encourage you to keep going when you feel frustrated.

Don’t Spend a Fortune

Getting the place decluttered does not require spending a lot of money or hiring an organizational guru. You can contain many items with simple devices available online or in local stores. Handy (and inexpensive) tools include desktop organizers in the pantry, toilet paper rolls to corral electronics cords, removable hooks to hang a wealth of objects, hanging baskets to store toiletries and empty flower pots to house office supplies. Be creative! You might discover potential storage containers going unused in your home.

HomeGuard Home Inspectors Have Seen it All

Once you have effectively decluttered your home, remember to schedule a professional home inspection before you list your property. This will aid in identifying and correcting any issues you may not have detected yourself. HomeGuard Incorporated provides a variety of home inspections throughout Northern California in Sacramento, Novato, San Jose, Livermore, Modesto and now servicing San Diego. Call us today at (855) 331-1900, or feel free to use our online contact form for more information.