12 Items You Should Get Rid Of Right Now

May 7, 2016

If you are selling your home soon, a spacious, bright, and clutter-free home can help you sell faster, attract more buyers, and can land you the best offer out there. Half the time, buyers are on the look for a great space or that extra space that they don’t currently have.  Here are clutter monsters that you probably have in your house that you can easily get rid of right now.

1. Broken appliances and other broken household items

I’m not going to lie, just like you, I am guilty of collecting broken and non-functioning household items in the hope that it can be used again somehow. Broken vacuum cleaners, televisions, bikes, speaker system, broken bookshelves, computer monitors, kitchen gadgets, old remote controls, and even broken umbrellas. There is no use to keeping it,  time to ditch it.

2. Papers

Flyers, expired coupons, savings pass, old newspapers, stacks of magazines you haven’t touched in months, old instruction manuals, Holiday cards, wedding invitations that you didn’t go to, old receipts you don’t need, old calendars. Get rid of them if you no longer need it.

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3. School projects

Kid’s art projects can easily overwhelm any room. Try not to keep or display them all,  pick your favourites and file them nicely. Keep it in a file for now until you move to your new home!

4. Overgrown plants  or  dead plants

No plants are better than dead plants. Having plants in every nook and corner of the house can dramatically shrink your space.  Try to remove all of it and you will be surprised at how big and bright the room is going to feel and look like.

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5. Kennels, litter boxes, and pet beds

Pet crates, kennels, pet beds, pet gates, and other pet items can easily overwhelm a space.  Your pets can sabotage a potential offer. It is best to remove all pet items and relocate your pets for now.

6. Your collection of used  grocery  bags under your sink

You are moving out and selling the house, time to toss it.

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7. Random cords you’ve been holding onto for years

If you haven’t used it by now or if you’re not sure what to use it for, it is best to toss it. Otherwise using a container to keep all these cords tamed and organized is best.

8. Anything outgrown

Getting rid of all clothes that you or your kids have outgrown can make a big difference! If your household includes children (or any adults who may be changing size) this is the perfect time to purge.  Winter gears, other clothes that haven’t been worn for years, old shoes, or other clothes that have been outgrown are perfect for donation.

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9. Children’s toys

The presence of toys probably won’t turn off buyers without children, but a disorganized house overrun by clutter will. Keeping things tidy and removing excess toys can result in a cleaner, more organized space that can prevent chaos when showcasing a children’s rooms.  Keeping it under control while your house is on the market is important, use one area of the house as a play area.

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10. Exercise machines and  other exercise equipment

Treadmill inside the bedroom, or in the family room can be an eyesore during house showings. More than an eyesore, exercise equipment is huge and can easily ruin the “feel” of the room.

11. Empty bottles and food storage containers without lids

Wine bottles, beer bottles, near-empty booze bottles containing one last shot, empty jars and food containers in your cupboard that you will never use. Why keep them?

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12. Items just rolling around loose 

Pens with no ink, rubber bands, ketchup and mustard packets, extra packet of buttons that came with the shirt that you’ve since donated, hobby supplies for hobbies you’ve given up, old batteries, VHS tapes, cassettes and DVDs you will never use, take-out knives, forks, and spoons, old makeup, expired beauty products and loose screws.

There’s nothing wrong with keeping household items like children’s keepsakes, old sweaters, or all your holiday decor but showing a spacious and clutter-free is important if you want to sell fast and attract more buyers. Here’s my tip, if it is something that is of value to you or something that you will be using again in the future, just start boxing them and put it in storage for now. You can enjoy these things again once you move to your new home!

RED BARRINUEVO

REDESIGN4MORE Inc.  Home Staging & Interior Decorating

Red Barrinuevo is a Toronto-based, award-winning Interior Stylist and Principal Designer of Redesing4More Inc. servicing Toronto & the GTA. The firm’s known for enhancing and creating stylish yet functional spaces through their creative home staging, interior styling, and design services. Click here to learn more about Red and REDESIGN4MORE.

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