Purging, Decluttering & Beginning to Pack for Your Next Move: Where to Start?
Too many extras on display tend to make a home look smaller to buyers. Decluttering, purging and pre-packing are best done before listing. Help yourself simplify your move. The less items you have, the less items you have to pack and move.
Of course I'm not telling my clients to get rid of sentimental items, but getting rid of some of the excess and unneeded things in our lives, always makes a move easier.
Did you know home stagers recommend cabinets and closets to be 2/3s full or less, so they appear tidy? This helps buyers gauge the available storage space.
I recommend starting packing with items you don't use often or need in the near future. Pre packing any items you won't need for the next 90 days.
- Holiday Decor
- Off-season clothing, jackets & boots ( a great way to make your closets look bigger to buyers!)
- Personal Items - Political, religious items, important documents, anything with your name on it or even photos are good to remove from the home, before photography and showings.
Top 11 items to consider decluttering / purging from your home before selling:
- Unnecessary kitchen & bathroom items
- Swag items, mismatched water bottles, lids, broken kitchenware, old cosmetics, etc.
- Expired condiments & pantry items
- Extra Furniture - Too many pieces of furniture in a room often make a space feel smaller. Remove what is unnecessary to make your square footage shine.
- Outdoor Yard Clutter - Lawn equipment, ornaments, dead plants, etc. Mowing and cleaning up the lawn helps curb appeal.
- Anything you're not planning on taking to your next home. Donate / gift / sell it before you list.
- Clothing & accessories that no longer fit or serve you
- Excess books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, puzzles, toys you've already completed, games you no longer play, outgrown toys, etc. This is the perfect time to curate a smaller, more meaningful collection.
- Sizeable exercise equipment - Do you use your treadmill or Peloton as a clothing hanger? Is it collecting dust?
- Unfinished art / craft projects - Have you given up an old hobby? If so, now is a good time to get rid of these unused items
- Holiday Decor - Are you downsizing in the Denver metro? If so, consider pairing down your holiday decor collection. You won't have as much space to display these items in a condo or townhome as you once did in a single family home.
Where To Donate in the Denver area?
Denver metro non-profits to consider with your donations: Click on the link for donation info and full donation need lists.
- Arc Thrift | Typical thrift store type donations
- Clothes To Kids of Denver | Accepting children's clothing and shoes, size 4T & larger, distributes free clothing to children in need across metro Denver
- Denver Rescue Mission | Accepting Furniture - will pick-up large furniture items
- Florence Crittenton Services | Accepting young women's clothing, maternity clothing, baby clothes - 5T, baby gear, toys
- Goodwill of Colorado | Typical thrift store type donations
- Habitat For Humanity - ReStore | Accepting Furniture, Home Goods & Building Materials | 4 Locations - Denver, Littleton, Aurora & Arvada, free pick-up
- Houses For Warriors | Accepting furniture, electronics, kitchen items & art, will schedule a free pick-up
- WeeCycle | Accepting baby gear, baby clothing, diapers, etc.
Getting started is the hardest part. If it feels overwhelming, tackle one room at a time. I promise, getting rid of excess clutter will likely have a freeing effect. And you can give back to our Denver area neighbors in need. You've got this!
Marie Kondo called. She said, "Time to purge & declutter before you list." By the way, if we haven't met, I'm your local Denverite / Littletonian Realtor, Megan Van Eldik. If you're looking to sell your Denver area home, I'd love to help guide you and formulate a plan. You're going places. Let's Talk! (303)946-6007, megan@camberrealty.com.
Main Home of Legendary Denver Preservationist, Dana Crawford Currently Listed