Sellling your home and keeping it clean can be a trial

I had coffee this morning with a friend whose house is on the market – a tough proposition in this current market, as you can imagine; but I was amazed to find that she was in great form and very upbeat about the situation. Despite having to vacate her house twice a week to allow strangers to trek through the place, the big fringe benefit she sees is that she always has a clean house!! The agent told them to declutter at the start of the sales process and before each viewing on a Wednesday evening and a Saturday morning, the whole family pitches in to scrub and polish for the viewers.

 The place doesn’t really get dirty anymore with this ongoing routine and despite not being the most house proud family (three teenage sons and accompanying football kit, boots etc.) they are finding they like living in a ‘showhouse’ . She says “ I don’t have much confidence in the house selling with the market as it is but it might teach my dirty divils better habits that carry over – for a while at least!). Actually sometimes when we have the place all tidy and smelling freshly of lavender, myself and my husband look at each other and aks oursevles why we are selling?

It got me thinking about the tips people use when selling their home.  The baked bread in the oven, the coffee aroma and the fresh cut flowers in every room. 

I'll share a few of my cleaning up before a viewing tips in the next blog but if you have any to add please drop us a note.

T'is the season to declutter.... Tra la la la

Queen of Clean decluttering tips

I know even as I begin that this is going to end up being a series of articles on this one subject.  There is such a lot of information to decluttering your home it’s hard to believe!

However, one thing we all agree on - once done the feeling of satisfaction is worth the effort.  All the signs show a tidy, decluttered home leads to feelings of well being, a sense of empowerment and of pride.

We've put together a few of our first tips and thoughts - let us know yours and we will add them to our next declutter feature - because there will be one!

#1. As per one of our daily tips.  If you don't use it, wear it, love it - dump it! Be strong, be ruthless. It's the only way to succeed at decluttering.

#2. Much as we might dislike taking a look at reality.  Step back; pretend you’re visiting your home as a visitor.  Ah yes that lava lamp that looked so well with the dusky lighting from your student days not looking so well in the kids playroom now is it? Tastes and fashions change. No room for sentiment in decluttering, it’s for the bin!

#3. Every time you leave a room, take something with you that doesn't belong there and put it away or bin it (are you getting the theme?)

#4. They say you should start with the small declutter jobs. I'm a firm believer of booking a weekend when it’s all about the decluttering.  But go with what works for you.  If it is the former pick the small areas to work on and it tends to help build momentum.

#5. If you didn't listen to me above its time to listen to me now.  Roll up the sleeves and BLITZ the place.

#6. As my mother used to say, "Aim to have a place for everything and everything in its place". I used to really dislike that phrase and now I parrot it to my own kids - it works, you should see where we keep our shoes! 

#7. Sort in piles.  I tend to work on this basis.  For friends, for charity, to sell.

#8. And relax! Is that a glass of wine I see before me.....