If you are looking to sell your home in the near future, or if yours has been on the market with no bites as yet, you’ll be wanting to get the maximum sale price in the quickest time for it – to make it an easy transition to your new home. After all, who wants to be tied up at the old place when they could be moving straight into the new one? And with the market like it is at present, a quick sale can make all the difference.

Do you really need that extra vacuum? Consider if duplicates can find a better home elsewhere without going to waste. Many charities share list of needed items and may even offer scheduled donation pick-ups. Visit local charity and support service websites to learn more. 

When you declutter, you can see the wood for the trees. Your buyers will see what they are getting, and how much space they should be able to fill with their own belongings – even if those belongings are a little more limited than if they bought a house with a lighter wall and floor color scheme. They will quickly see that this is both good value, and likely to be well suited for whatever lifestyle they want to lead – whether it be having lots of kids running around or making this a weekend home to get away from life in the city. They are likely to put offers on it that are higher than comparable properties.

We get it, some things just need to be retired. After you’ve exhauseted donation options, set aside things to be tossed away. Certain items can be recycled or may need special disposal. Checkwith your municipality to confirm how you can responsibly dispose of your excess items. 

There are many benefits to owning fewer possessions. Even then, it’s tough to move into action. That is… until the many benefits of getting rid of clutter reveal themselves:

Less to clean. Cleaning is already enough of a chore, but having to clean around things you have zero emotional attachment to (or worse, actively dislike) makes cleaning the house much more stressful.

Less to organize. Finding things suddenly become easier. Things don’t just “disappear” anymore. You can actually move around your home and enjoy the space, instead of moving around things that are in the way.

Less stress. Looking around at the clutter is a nausea-inducing sight once your home becomes cluttered enough. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to look around and see a home you love?

Finally, there are many things you’ll want to keep. Witch each one, think about how to extend its use. For example, repairing, updating or “up-cycling.” If you’re planning a move, consider what packing materials you’ll need and if needed, rent a “portable storage and moving container.”

The best way to make decluttering easier is doing it in stages—focus on one room, one space, or even one zone within a room (like your kitchen cabinets), completing the job fully before moving on to the next space. This will also build confidence as you experience visible success at each step.