House going on the market - help me declutter

[junebugs2024]

Hi

Professional photographer is coming Friday to take pictures of our house before we put it on the market

Can you all please share your best tips and tricks on decluttering and what you did to make your home look it's absolute best OR something that stood out to you when you were looking at photos online

I've removed about 80% of the kids toys. The rest can be tidied away nicely

We have small budget for things like fresh flowers

TIA

I honestly wouldn't bother with things like flowers, it looks too 'try hard' to me. For the photos, just put everything in cupboards/the loft/your car, you want it as clear as possible. Make beds nicely, make sure all kitchen surfaces are clear, get rid of bottles in bathroom. If you have time, I'd do a deep clean including the walls, and go over any marks with paint if possible.

Put them in storage as that’s what we did.

My top tip is not actually around decluttering

before the photographer comes takes snaps on your phone andddd
when the photographer comes let him take the pics but then look at them on the camera.

i found this both these threw up things i “missed”
eg
toilet brush in fore ground or whatever

I them made the photographer retake the pics 😬😆

my sil ( who always has an immaculate house) was advised by estate agents to declutter and then do it all over again, she had a reasonable sized sitting room couch and two chairs was told loose a chair no one notices that its missing a chair, but space seems so much bigger without also no stools etc, she had a few small tables about teh house , one in hall one in living space was told to move them when pictured being taken, she had a nice dresser was told to remove about half the items on it that it looks more spacious if only 4 mugs hanging , remove some chairs from around table when pictures being taken as images are better, hallway should be cleared of everything no coat stand, remove boot/ umbrella stand, all kids photos pictures to be removed from fridge etc, everything to be removed from bathrooms except maybe a plant so loo brush, bottles, towels , mats etc to be gone , kids rooms should loose toyboxes

Get rid of anything that implies a lack of storage. So stuff being stored on top of kitchen cabinets, toiletries/cleaning products out in the bathroom etc. If it looks like you are moving because you have outgrown the house then prospective purchases will wonder if it's big enough for them.

it’s different to how you might present it for viewing - the photos will be on Rightmove for as long as the house is on the market. People will go back to them and zoom in on them.

Slightly dusty or grubby areas won’t show up (although ideally I’d have it all sparkling!) but clutter, clothes on chairs, crowded surfaces etc will. It all suggests lack of storage. Once people are in the house they’ll be getting a feel for it, but you need to get them through the door.

Put as much loose stuff as possible out of sight/in storage crates so it looks spacious, especially in the kitchen - clear worktops. Ram things into cupboards, it won’t show on the photos.

iron the bedding! I would never normally bother but when you see the photos it looks much nicer.

buy a couple of fluffy white towels for the bathroom/cloakroom (I only used these for viewings!).

Great tip above about looking ‘through the camera’. If your photographer is any good they’ll suggest moving things before they take the photo.

Have to admit I find clothes hanging around and washing up waiting to be put off putting.

I wouldn't waste money on flowers - people will be more interested in your house and how it works for them.

One thing that's worth doing is taking some photos yourself - see if you notice anything you're not happy with.

I didn't bother with flowers but I did buy some nice big green plants.

I made sure there was no clothes in sight so no clothes on radiators or coats on the coat pegs, I shoved all my coats and shoes I usually had on the shoe rack (apart from a couple of nice pairs) in my car. No post left in the hall.

Got pet bowls and litter trays out of sight.

Basically no "stuff" in sight, so chucked everything from my dressing table into a bag and hid it in my car apart from a couple of nice perfume bottles.

I cleared my kitchen surfaces, so no bottles of olive oil or pans out. I even took the toaster and freestanding microwave out of the kitchen so it looked like it had more surface space. Also moved bins out.

I did buy hanging baskets, plants for either side of the door and bought a wicker door wreath as my UPVC front door's a bit ugly so wanted to give it a pop of colour and curb appeal especially since the pic of the house is usually the first you scroll past. Bright pink flowers in the hanging baskets made it stand out a bit.

Moved all of my kids toys out of his room apart from a few jelly cat teddies on his bed.

Nice pressed sheets in all rooms, I also bought satin bed runners and cushions to make it look show-homey. Nothing on bed side tables.

Outside I put all the cushions on my garden table and the parosol out (its a nice big wooden one), made the patio look bbq ready.

Tried to declutter my desk in the home office as much as humanley possible (this was the hardest) I literally just boxed it and put it in the hall when they took pictures. I was chasing that poor photographer round moving shit out of his way and checking every photo he took. I offered him plenty of teas and was polite though so he was happy enough.

I also hired someone to redo the silicon round bath as it had gotten black patches over the 10 years since it was last done and there was no hiding it. I also removed every bottle and toothbrush, leaving nothing in the bathroom apart from a mirror, a plant and a vase of pebbles. Make sure your kitchen and bathroom are as clean as possible.

I also repainted a couple of windowsills that were peeling, I didn't want them to think the windows were damp.

Good luck with the declutter OP. Xx

We packed up about half our house and put it into storage, which helped it to look more minimalist.

It depends where you are starting from, but usually it's a case of removing everyday clutter that you might not notice, or that look unsightly in photos. We all know people have toothbrushes and bins and piles of post but they don't add to your houses appeal.
As PP's said - remove anything that suggests lack of storage - stuff on top of cupboards, overstuffed bookcases, excessive ornaments, bottles etc.
Get out your nicest cushions, bed linen, pictures and reduce visible toys to a few attractive ones.
You want it to look like a happy tidy person's house, not like you've moved out and about to let to students.

I personally think a vase or houseplant in every room brings them to life.

I looked at everything I had and asked myself 'when I move, do I really want to pay to transport this?' and if the answer was 'no', I took it to charity shops before the photographer came round. That freed up loads of cupboard space into which I could put all the stuff that the posts above are saying should be hidden.

Clear all surfaces (countertops, tables, shelves, mantle) as much as possible. Put all "decorative" cushions/throws away (I've put mine into actual washing). Tidy up the bathrooms - no photo looks good with a half empty Radox.

Storage is quite cheap if you need to seriously declutter asap. I like bits of art, ceramics etc around my house. When we’ve put the house on the market I usually put about half of my personal items away. Basically try to make it not too personal or about me, so buyers can imagine themselves there. Also I might paint rooms an off white if I have any stronger colours. Then clutter like bits around the kitchen worktop and bathrooms definitely get hidden. Make it look like a tasteful holiday home. Inviting but impersonal so buyers can see it as their home.

Box up ornaments photos etc to make surfaces as clear as possible. Remove oversize furniture and make clear you have plenty of storage. Packing away a lot of the kids toys is a good call. Makes it easier for tidying up for last minute viewings. Declutter kitchen surfaces by removing unused gadgets so it is easy to wipe over surfaces. Same goes for bathroom and remove toiletries not used all the time.

Great tip!! I did this for 2 rooms so far and spotted charging cables that I had missed in both rooms so TY!

If you have white bedlinen, put that on your beds. It brightens up a room, and gives a less personal look than floral/coloured bed linens.

Essentially remove as much as you can anything that makes it "yours" and aim for a neutral look so people can more easily visualise their stuff in your house.

My estate agents forwarded to me some guidance from the photographer before he arrived. As I recall, nothing in the bathroom not even towels. Windows closed, no washing in machine. No tablecloth on the dining table. Kitchen surfaces cleared except for Kitchenaid mixer. I was allowed a stack of breadboards but only the wooden ones, not plastic. Any monoblock taps had to be central, ie not turned to left or right. Study; very very tidy desk, shredder out of sight. Beds made perfectly. It took me ages but the photos were great.

We put some toys and bulky furniture like a bookcase we had in our hallway, a huge teddy box and some junk from our cupboard under the stairs into storage for a few weeks while photos and viewings were being done. Cost £80 and a few hours of our time but helped us transform our playroom into a more multifunctional space with a desk added to broaden it's appeal to young professionals as well as families. Shoved lots of things into the boot of our car on the day like extra coats and boots and a ride on toy of my son. Cleared away all bottles from side of the bath.

Thank you all! Photographs came out brilliant.