When people are considering selling their homes and finding more suitable accommodation, there are many thoughts that cross the mind. “Where do I start?”, “It’s all too hard!” and “There is so much to do!”
Delaying the process does not make it any easier but having a plan to get you thinking about the steps you need to take can be quite useful.
- Quite often good natured parents tend to “babysit” some of their children’s belongings. The first step to “cleaning the house” is to ask the children to collect their things so you have a clearer starting point.
- The next step is to look at what items you may have that you can perhaps sell at a garage sale or through the “Trading Post”. Do keep in mind that the main purpose of this task is to create more space and relieve you of unnecessary clutter. Price items reasonably and even place a free sign on items which you are happy to have people take off your hands.
- Whatever items are left over can be addressed in several ways.
- Donate to local churches/charities.
- Arrange for a council pick-up.
- Hire a mini skip bin.
- Organise a trailer to take items to the tip.
These are the most significant steps you can take to unburden yourself of items you no longer need or can use while also keeping in mind the new home you will be moving into.
It is also important to give yourself a time frame with deadlines to achieve these tasks. Once this stage is complete, you need to attend to any home repairs and maintenance you may have overlooked. Also attending to important presentation points will give your home a sparkle, and make a good first impression!
Consider these points-
- Repair squeaky/sticking doors.
- Keep the gardens tidy and appealing.
- Clean windows (no cobwebs).
- Wash or repaint surfaces.
- Open blinds and curtains.
Please know that although these steps can be daunting, if you break it down into smaller steps, you will feel empowered and pro-active! Also, there are a number of people and services that can make this process easier for you. We would be happy to help you with names and numbers of helpful people in a variety of trades which may be of assistance to you. Remember, at any stage you can speak with a member of Knox Family Real Estate to monitor your readiness to move to the next stage.
-Victoria Knox
