Hi ,

Selling a home these days means you need to be on trend and clutter free with your interior design. Your goal should always be to have the buyer picture him or herself living in their new home - your home!

Decluttering is vital to ensure that any prospective buyer can visualise themselves living in the space. A declutter can including removing bulky appliances, any personal items and ensuring pet gear is out of sight. Any construction materials lying outside your home should also be removed.

Bulky Appliances
Be sure to remove blenders, toasters, kettles or other appliances from countertops to create a sense of space. Hallways and entryways should also be free from clutter. Homebuyers are normally distracted with "stuff" that get them to pause while inspecting the home.

Personal Items
Personal items should also be removed from the home as much as possible. You want your prospective buyer to feel like they are already in their future home. Photographs, keepsakes and other personal items identified with the owners should be avoided for this reason. It is also safter for you to remove any jewellery from the home during open for inspections.

Cupboard Contents
Odd as it sounds, people will open up all the cupboards, including drawers, on items that clearly will not be staying, for example, coffee tables. Make sure that you organise the contents in all of your cupboards. Many buyers have the habit of opening every door, cupboard and drawer they see and you need to ensure that what they find in them are the bare essentials. They are also particular about storage space, so keep this in mind.

Pet Gear

Not all home buyers own pets, so it's best not to keep any evidence of pets during your open home. This can be another distraction to a potential buyer. Another thing to consider is to ensure there aren't any pet smells present in the home.

Home Office

Coming off the back of the pandemic, people are changing how they view the spaces in a home. Previously, you were better off converting a home office or study to an additional bedroom. However, now people are seeing the merit in having that flex space at home. Make a decision based on the layout of your home and location as to whether or not a home office should be retained or staged as a bedroom for the sale

Backyard Clutter

Have you noticed how over time you just don't really see the clutter anymore? This is particularly so for gardens and back yards. As a starting point, hide garden tools and extra building materials you may have laying around. 

Overall, think less clutter and minimal furnishings when you are thinking about putting your home on the market. There is a huge benefit in staging a home or even having a stylist give you tips on staging your home in the best light for the sale. Your aim is to make your buyer feel comfortable and welcome when inspecting your home, so much so that they fall in love and decide to buy it!