The Costs of Clutter: The Value of Your Home
Is Clutter Devaluing Your Home?
If you are selling your home, clutter may be costing you more than you think. As a homeowner, it's important to protect what is likely your biggest financial investment and do everything you can to maximize its value—especially if you are considering selling. Research shows that mess and clutter can decrease a home's value by an average of 10%. Buyers will often look for any reason to make a lower offer, and a cluttered property is less likely to fetch the full asking price.
Clutter Can Be Costly When Selling Your Home
While many factors determine a home's value—such as type, size, location, and school catchment area—the condition and presentation of the interior are within your control. Decluttering before putting your home on the market can significantly increase your chances of selling quickly and at the best price.
An uncluttered home is perceived as more spacious and attractive. Walking into a cluttered home can create stress and negative emotions, which is the last thing you want when trying to convince someone that your home could be their future happy home. Clutter can also highlight potential negatives, such as inadequate storage or the need for repairs that might not be immediately visible.
Buyers' Perspective
We often become accustomed to our own clutter and fail to see it through others' eyes. A useful tip is to take photos of your home's cluttered areas and study them. Seeing your home through photos can offer a new perspective and highlight areas that need attention.
With most buyers starting their search online, the photos of your home will heavily influence their decision. Ensuring these images present your home in the best possible light is crucial.
Selling Your Home Is a Business Transaction
When you decide to sell, you must view the process as a business transaction and mentally detach from your home. To get the best offer, keep your home as clutter-free and neutral as possible. The goal is to allow potential buyers to envision themselves living there, which is hard to do when they can't see past your belongings.
Additionally, having less stuff means fewer items to move, which can reduce moving costs. If you can live without certain items now, why pay to move them to your new home? Decluttering before listing your home will help you achieve the best sale price, make packing and unpacking easier, and give you a fresh start in your new home. You’ll feel more organized and lighter as you move forward.
Maintaining Your Home
Even if you're not planning to move, clutter can still negatively impact your home's value. When clutter takes over, it can prevent you from maintaining your home properly. This often leads to delayed repairs and maintenance, which can result in more costly fixes later on.
Uncared-for contents such as furniture, flooring, and appliances can deteriorate in value. Clutter can also cause embarrassment, making you reluctant to invite tradespeople into your home for necessary repairs.
Decluttering for Financial and Emotional Benefits
Decluttering can be hard work, but it comes with significant rewards—not just financially but also for your peace of mind. If you need help to declutter in preparation for a home move, or to enable you to get some home improvements done, please get in touch. A Professional Organiser can provide an honest, non-judgemental opinion on the clutter levels in your home and help you achieve calm, organized spaces that show your home off at its best.