1) Start with a large box which is sturdy enough to take some weight, selotape, a large market pen, a pad and biro. Choose a room at a time and aim to fill 1 box per room.
2) Stand in the middle of your room with your pad and biro. Choose a wall (it doesn’t matter which because you are going to keep turning until you’ve faced all of them) and look at everything against that wall which could easily be stored away for a few months until you move. Think about ornaments, books, CD’s, papers, toys, electronic equipment anything which will fit in your box. List these items and keep turning until you’ve covered the whole room.
3) Assemble your box and put everything in which is on your list. Remember it is only a few months and you are not throwing away these items. If you need them you can get them back out again!
4) Once everything is in the box seal it well and write the name of the room on the box with your large marker pen. Also write the name of the room on your pad so you can remember which items are from which rooms.
5) Store your box somewhere out of site. If you are lucky you may have a cellar or loft space (make sure they are clean, secure and dry) DON’T just displace clutter by piling up your boxes in the spare room! Remember there are many choices of storage centres in all towns and cities and contracts run from as little as a month at a time.
6) Clean. It’s amazing how much dust can hide behind books and on ornament shelves so take the opportunity to clean these areas – this will also freshen the room for prospective buyers / renters.
Finally – you can repeat this process as many times as you like. The first time is the hardest; but once you get into the swing of it you’ll get the de-cluttering bug!
Before:
After:
Abigail Hall Design offers a full range of interior styling services to help sell / rent properties. For a free half hour consultation please contact her on Abigail.Hall@Abigailhall.co.uk or call 07811 155194