As we start to edge out of the dark and gloomy days of winter, the feeling of hibernation begins to ebb away. One of the urges that come with it is the need to spring clean our homes to brighten up our living spaces. Especially for homeowners that are considering selling their property. Before you can spring clean, you need to first lighten the load of your collected clutter. There are a few simple changes you can make today to declutter your home.

1. Throw away homeless items

The number one reason for visual clutter is an item that doesn’t have its own home in the house. You might be more familiar with these items as the ones cluttering up one of your kitchen drawers. You know that remote you aren’t quite sure what it is for? The random extra parts that came with various electronics? That toy your child no longer plays with, but you’re forever relocating it from room to room? Just throw them all away. You didn’t feel the need to find them a home in the first place, so the reality is that they just do not hold any value in your life.

2. Toss duplicates

The bathroom and the kitchen will be the biggest culprits for hoarding items. There are a few questions that you can ask yourself to make your job ten times easier.

When you buy new utensils and pots, what do you do with the old ones? Do you really need three can openers when you only have one pair of hands? How about that box of Tupperware you have stashed away. Can you package thirty meals at once?

How many bottles of almost empty shampoo are on the shelves in the bathroom? Pop the remaining product into the same container and throw the rest away. If you bought a different bottle and there are only the dregs left, do you have to save it? If you are completely anti-waste, then fear not. Our handy tip is to buy miniature bottles from the pound shop. When your products are running low but you don’t use them all the time, put the rest of it in a mini bottle. This way you can store it away from view and use it for holidays and weekends away. This way you are comfortable you aren’t wasting money, you are not cluttering up your shelves, and when it comes to travelling, you aren’t lugging around heavy bottles. It is a win-win.

3. If you haven’t used it, (in six months) lose it

As human beings, we have developed an unusual sentimental need to keep our belongings. We have become chronic hoarders that do not like to throw things away. It’s not the norm. Take a look at nature. When summer rolls into autumn, the trees shed their leaves which then decompose ready for the next season where new leaves take their place. You don’t see the oak tree in the back garden storing its old leaves away for safekeeping just in case. It is perfectly natural to rid yourself of belongings once they are no longer a part of your life. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used it for six months, you probably don’t need it. The exception, of course, is summer and winter clothes which you can store accordingly to minimise clutter in the wardrobe. But if it comes to the following season and you haven’t worn that jumper or suit in years, just get rid of it. Your feng shui will thank you for it.

There are many tactics you can use in the spring cleaning season, but these are our favourite. These small, easy-to-make changes make a huge difference and help you transform your living space in a matter of minutes. When it comes to selling your home, an organised space feels cleaner and bigger; much more alluring for potential buyers. Not to mention the fact you’ll minimise the time you have to spend cleaning for viewings and you’ll have less items to pack when you move.

We’d like to hear from you. What are your tip tops when it comes to decluttering and spring cleaning before selling your home. If you would like to discuss ideas to improve the worth of your home give us a call. For more information about the best estate agents Whitefield has to offer, visit our website. You can reach us on 0161 773 1011 or info@philipellisestateagents.co.uk.