Preparing to sell and move can be overwhelming when considering the large amount of stuff that has accumulated in your home. Over time, it’s pretty common to have specific areas of the house that gather clutter, like junk drawers, closets, cabinets, linen closets, and the garage. Little by little, we bring items into our homes, and piece by piece suffocates our space. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the number of items you have, as you approach the sale of your home, here are a few tips for you.
(** Listing agents, feel free to share this with your sellers to help them alleviate some of the stress associated with selling their home.**)
First thing first, don’t procrastinate. The longer you put it off the more overwhelming it will become. Your best bet is to make a game plan and take action! You will feel a million times lighter once you put in the effort and get yourself organized. Consider decluttering and organizing your items into Donate, Sell, Recycle, or Throw Away categories.
Here are some Suggestions:
Sell:
'Like new' kitchen appliances or baking ware that you’ve used once and forgotten about
Rarely used table sets
Throw pillows that are more of a nuisance than aesthetically pleasing
Kid-Sized furniture that is in good condition but never used
Workout equipment that’s gathering dust and taking up space
Donate:
Outdated kitchen appliances that still work.
Lightly used linens that are taking up space in closets
Gently Used Mugs and cups
DVDs and CDs you haven’t used in years
Kid's forgotten toys and books
Clothing (Jackets, work pants, athletic wear, blouses, etc.)
Gently used shoes and purses that you haven’t used in years
Planters that are collecting cobwebs outside
Furniture that is not needed and adds to the clutter.
Recycle:
Old phones
Old laptops and computers *Keep the Hard Drive*
Half Used Notebooks (How many notebooks do you need? You’re never going to use it (Toss it!)
Stationary that you have had for a decade
Plastic bags from the grocery store
Brocken plastic planter
Batteries
Old Magazines
Throw Away:
Soap, shampoos, and conditioner bottles a quarter of the product left
Old toothbrushes
Old hair and make-up products you’re not using
Expired medications and vitamins (*Make sure these are disposed of properly)
Worn-out and stained towels
Old receipts
The mail you’ve been hoarding
Children’s artwork (Consider using a scanning service that allows you to create books to treasure your kiddo's masterpieces.)
Broken crayons, dried-out markers, and pens that don’t work
Puzzles and board games with missing pieces
Broken toys
Cords and chargers you no longer use
Clothing with stains or holes
Worn-out shoes that you no longer use
Broken hampers and laundry baskets
Socks that no longer have a pair
Make a game plan for yourself, a pot of coffee, and get to work! Your best bet is to pick one list at a time. This is not an easy project but you will feel a million times better once it’s out of the way.
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