More decluttering

Think about how much stuff you use everyday. Look around at the shelves packed with old phone books, old mobile phones, toys, junk, games and dust!

Before you advertise your house for sale you need to accept that at some point you'll have to pack everything up anyway - so by starting now you'll be saving yourself time in the long run.

Start on one room first. Have three boxes.

1. Charity shop stuff
2. Broken stuff for the bin
3. Stuff to keep

Sort out everything in the room. Keep the furniture! Clean everything!

By decluttering you are removing most of the personalised aspects of your home. It may be that these are the things that stop other people from seeing themself living in your home. By removing your personal items you're making your home a bit more of a blank canvas and giving others the chance to see their own stuff in your home.

Keep a few personal items: family photos in nice frames add class to a room when places right.
Look at the walls too. If you've got dozens of family photos up you need to take them down.

The three box method is sometimes supplemented by another box which you put things in your are not sure if you should get rid of. Label up the box as to what's in it and put the date you seal it. If you've not got anything out of the box after six months then throw it away!

Remember to declutter the garage, shed, loft and utility rooms! These rooms are well worth sorting out to make sure your home is shown off to it's best.

Declutter to sell

Decluttering means removing all the excess items from your home.

All the books, excessive ornaments, furniture, shoes, coats, toys, junk, rubbish, suitcases, clothes that don't fit anywhere - all the things that make you feel at home - make your house seem smaller.

You need to remove all the excess items. Have a good sort out - throw away the broken items, send the good stuff to charity shops and keep the stuff you want to take with you into storage either in paid storage or at a friends house.

Think about how show houses look. Aim for that clean, fresh feel with a lack of personal items. Save a few high quality ornaments and pictures to dress your home but get rid of the vast majority of stuff.

It'll make your house look bigger!

By clearing out the junk room and dressing it as a bedroom you'll show potential buyers that the house is suitable for them.
Dress your dining room with the places set for a nice meal. Arrange cushions on sofas and beds in coordinating colours to match your home.
Dress the kitchen with a few carefully chosen items.

No magazines or books strewn about unless they are posh, uncreased glossy magazines.

Every item in your home should be chosen because it adds to the look.

Before every viewing run round and check for books, toys and other junk that will creep back in. Remember you are decluttering to sell your home - not to live free of junk forever.