Decluttering Before You Sell Helps Reduce the Stress of Moving

If you're planning to sell your home, now is the time to get things in order. Not only does decluttering help you create a nicely staged home, it helps you take an objective look at the current state of your belongings and decide what you need and what you don't. Even the tidiest homeowners are amazed by how quickly houses can become inundated by clutter and other items they accumulate.

Here are some easy tips toward consistently maintaining order and balance in your home and ensuring that come moving time you don't find yourself waging the war against disorder for the first time.

You Need Discipline and a Game Plan:

• Start with a clean sweep of each room, but Instead of dabbling and making gradual improvements here and there throughout the home, focus your efforts on one room at a time. Don't move on to another room until the task at hand has been thoroughly completed.
• Force yourself to stay disciplined - adopt the "in and out" approach. For every new item you add to a room, remove an older one.
• If you have kids, make the cleaning process fun for them -- yes, it IS possible! Whether it's by giving them incentives to keep their rooms tidy and their personal belongings out of public spaces, or showing them how rewarding the result can be, give them a tangible reason (reward, privilege, bribe) to observe these rules even when they haven't been reminded to.
• Have a vision of what the room SHOULD look like before you tackle it.
• Use hangers to sort the clothes you wear the most from the ones you break out only on special occasions. Needless to say, garments that are out of season should be stored separately. A sealed, moth-proof rack for your hangers can be a crucial investment for your basement or attic space.
• When considering whether or not to retire an item, force yourself to decide whether you really, REALLY need it. If you have a hard time deciding, you know what to do.
• Treat your kitchen as a sacred area: the real estate that includes your stove, sink, refrigerator and countertops should be occupied by useful items only.

If you need to sell your home fast, you're a step ahead when you're organized. You will be more than rewarded for the work you have done on the front end!