organizing for home sale

Decluttering for a Faster Home Sale: Tips from a Professional Organizer

Selling your home can be one of life’s most stressful events—but it doesn’t have to be. With some intentional organizing and strategic decluttering, you can not only ease the moving process but also make your home more appealing to buyers, helping it sell faster and for a better price. Whether you're prepping your house for market or just craving a calmer, more functional space, these tips will help you make a big impact.

Why Decluttering Makes a Difference

We all know that first impressions count. Studies show that buyers make up their minds about a home within the first few seconds of walking in. A cluttered space can feel small, overwhelming, and less inviting. On the other hand, a clean, organized home feels spacious, fresh, and move-in ready. Buyers are more likely to make stronger offers on homes that feel well-maintained and visually appealing.

Think of decluttering as “Pre-Packing”

One way to think about decluttering is to see it as ‘pre-packing.’ You’re going to be moving anyway, so now is the perfect time to sort through your belongings and only keep what you truly need or love. Less clutter means buyers can focus on the space itself rather than being distracted by too many personal items and clutter. The goal is to create a neutral environment where buyers can imagine their own lives unfolding. Some tips to keep in mind when unsure whether to keep or let go of items are:

• Do I even like it?

• Can it be easily replaced in less than a day?

• Does it cost less than $20 to replace?

• And can it be fixed?

Room-by-Room Decluttering Tips

To avoid overwhelm, work through your home one area at a time.

Entryway & Coat Closet

Make a great first impression to potential buyers in the entryway with a clean, uncluttered entrance. Start by removing excess shoes, coats and accessories. Clear off table tops and pack most decorative and personal items for storage. Discard worn shoes and coats. Donate outgrown items. Pack out of season items for storage.

Kitchen

In the kitchen aim to have most countertops cleared off. Organize cabinets and remove any appliances that you don’t use daily. Toss expired food. Donate or pack duplicates. Let go of gadgets and tools you never use. Clear the fridge of expired food items and clean it.

Living Room & Common Areas

Simplifying furniture arrangements helps spaces look larger and more open. Reduce decorative items and pack personal items. This helps the space to feel more neutral. It might not look like what you are used to but it will allow buyers to visualize themselves in the space. Pare down magazines and books to reduce visual clutter—recycle or donate them. For concealed storage ideas, use storage ottomans and decorative boxes on tables. You can store pens, papers, remotes and books or magazines you are currently reading.

Bedrooms & Closets

Donate items that no longer fit, you don’t like or are unlikely to wear in the future. Pack out-of-season clothing to showcase closet space and make the area appear to have ample storage. Using thin matching hangers is a great trick to reduce visual clutter and make a closet feel larger. Pack personal items.

Bathrooms & Linen Storage

Toss expired medications, old or broken makeup, and donate unused or unwanted products. Clear off countertops and store items out of site when possible. Donate or repurpose stained or excess linens and towels. Most people are surprised when they start to organize linen closets at how many sheets and blankets they have. There are some great bed sheet organizers where you can store a complete set of sheets in a rectangle zippered organizer. There is an area for a label and to see what’s inside.

Bed sheet organizer

Garage, Basement, or Storage Spaces

Discard anything broken or unusable. Donate tools, decor, or equipment you no longer use. Pack up seasonal or rarely-used items. Garages and basements should be tidy, clean and well-organized so they feel spacious. Make use of zones so items feel more logical and not scattered. For example, group similar items together in one area like items for gardening, tools and sports equipment.

Do a Final Walkthrough & Touch-Ups
Look for anything you may have missed. Did I miss anything obvious? Does the space feel neutral and spacious. Is there anything broken, expired or just not useful anymore. Tidy shelves, relabel containers if needed, and do a light wipe-down. This small final pass-through helps pull everything together and leaves each space looking polished and ready.

Overcoming Overwhelm
If you’re feeling stuck, here are some simple tricks to get started.

Use the Four Box Method: Grab 4 boxes and a trash bag. Use one box for items to keep, one for donations, one for relocate and one for storage until after you are moved. Set a timer—work for 30 minutes to an hour per session. Small progress adds up over time. Start with a room that has items with little to no emotional attachment, such as bathrooms, pantries, kitchen cabinets, linen closets, laundry room, junk drawer, entryways and mudrooms. This can help build momentum and strengthen your decision making ability about other more personal items in your house. Work through a space quickly placing items in each of the boxes. When finished place the keep items back into the room, put the donation box into your car, relocate items to where they belong, and pack up the short term storage until you are moved.

Make use of body doubling. Sometimes it’s helpful to have someone beside you to make the process easier. This person acts as a supportive co-worker helping you to stay on task. They provide accountability without pressure, reduce decision fatigue, provide a sense of calm and structure and decrease the senses of boredom and isolation that can come with decluttering.

Quick Systems for Being Show Ready

Sometimes there is very little notice before a showing will be scheduled. Once you’ve decluttered, keeping your home ‘show-ready’ is easier with a few simple systems:

• Keep a “show-ready bin” in each main living area to quickly toss in clutter before a last-minute showing. Store out of sight.

• Designate a drawer in the kitchen or where your papers and every day to- do items normally accumulate. Clear it out and leave it empty. Use this drawer as a space to store all the papers and items that normally live on your counter when you have a showing.

• Stock the bathrooms with glass cleaner and wipes to quickly surface clean prior to showings.

• Maintain a moving folder with important documents related to the sale.

• Set a 15-minute daily tidy-up routine so your home stays in great condition.

The S.P.A.C.E. Method

Use this acronym to guide any decluttering session:

S – Sort: Group everything into Keep, Relocate, Donate, or Trash
P – Purge: Ask yourself if you really like, use, or need each item
A – Arrange: Group similar items and decide on broad vs. detailed categories
C – Contain: Choose storage solutions that fit your space and needs
E – Evaluate: Revisit and adjust your system to stay on track long-term

S – SORT
The first step in organizing as mentioned before is sorting. Keep, Relocate, and Donate and for moving, another box for storage items.

As you go through your space, place each item in one of these boxes. Items that are broken or used up should go straight into the trash bag. Be methodical—work around the space instead of jumping from area to area. If something belongs in another room, put it in the 'Relocate' box instead of leaving to put it away right now. This keeps the process focused and efficient.

P-PURGE
Looking through your Keep items, Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I like it?

• Will I use it?

• Would I buy it again?

• Can it be fixed?

If the answer is 'no' to any of these, it’s time to let it go. If it’s still in good condition, donate it. If it’s broken or unusable, throw it away. A common struggle is feeling guilty about getting rid of something you spent money on—but keeping it won’t bring the money back! Instead, focus on the benefit of creating space for what truly serves you. Remember, fewer things means less time spent on keeping them organized.

A-ARRANGE
Now we move on to arranging what’s left. Group similar items together so you can determine the right size storage solutions.

Ask yourself:

• Do I want broad categories, like 'office supplies,' or detailed categories, like 'pens,' 'notebooks,' and 'paperclips'?

• Do I prefer my items out in the open where I can see them, or stored away in cabinets and drawers?

The answers to these questions will help you create an organizational system that works for your needs.

C-CONTAIN
Now that everything is arranged, it’s time to contain it! Choose storage solutions that fit your space and make items easy to find.

Hidden storage ideas include:

• Drawer dividers

• Cabinet organizers

• Shelving

For items you want visible, consider:

• Magazine racks

• Pegboards

• Vertical file racks

• Labeled cubbies or decorative boxes

Make sure your storage fits the area you’re organizing—measuring before buying containers can save a lot of frustration!

E-EVALUATE
The final step, EVALUATE,  is one that most people don’t do often enough and it leads to organizational backslides. Evaluate and maintain your new system. Periodically check your space and adjust as needed. Over time, items will accumulate, and things may shift.

Return to the space occasionally and do a quick refresh—put things back where they belong and remove anything that’s out of place.

And most importantly—there is no 'perfect' way to organize. The best system is the one that works for YOU!

By following these five simple steps you can create and maintain an organized home. Whether you’re decluttering for a move or just simplifying your space, this method will help you stay on track.

Let’s Make Space for What’s Next

Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of things—it’s about setting yourself up for success, whether you're selling your home or simply ready for a fresh start.

Looking for hands-on help or a personalized plan? Contact me to get started!