When you’ve lived in your home for many years, it’s easy to stop noticing the things that a buyer will notice straight away.

The marks on the walls, the overcrowded cupboards, the furniture that’s seen better days, the garden that needs some attention, they’re all just part of everyday life to you.

But when you’re selling, it’s worth looking at your home through a buyer’s eyes.

After helping hundreds of families prepare their homes for sale, Downsizing by utterDECLUTTER knows that you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune or completely renovate your home. It’s about knowing what will make a difference and where to spend your money.

Start with decluttering

For most of our clients, this is where we recommend starting.

If you’ve lived in a home for 20, 30 or 40 years, there is likely to be far more in it than you realise. Cupboards become full, spare rooms become storage rooms and furniture accumulates over the years.

Before you start painting, styling or having photographs taken, give yourself time to sort through the belongings.

Ask yourself:

• What am I taking with me?
• What can be donated or given to family?
• What can be sold?
• What needs to go into storage?
• What is simply no longer needed?

Removing excess furniture and belongings can make a surprisingly big difference. Rooms feel larger, cupboards look more spacious and buyers can actually see the features of the home.

And if you’re downsizing, you’re going to have to make these decisions eventually, so starting before you go on the market can save you a lot of work later.

Don’t renovate everything

One of the biggest mistakes we see is homeowners assuming they need to renovate the whole house before selling.

Usually, they don’t.

Of course, every property is different, and your real estate agent can give you advice about what buyers are expecting in your particular area. But in many cases, a few well-chosen improvements can make more sense than spending a large amount on a major renovation.

Once the home is decluttered, walk through it with a critical eye.

Look at the things a buyer is likely to notice:

• Scuffed or marked walls
• Damaged or tired flooring
• Broken cupboard handles
• Leaking taps
• Sticky doors
• Burnt-out or mismatched light globes
• Tired gardens
• Dirty windows
• Fences or gates that need attention

Small jobs can sometimes make a big difference to the overall impression of a property.

Give the kitchen and bathrooms some attention

You don’t necessarily need a brand-new kitchen or bathroom.

Often, a thorough clean, fresh grout, new tapware or handles, some minor repairs and a good declutter can make these areas feel much fresher.

Clear the kitchen benches as much as possible so buyers can see the available workspace and storage.

In bathrooms, remove personal products, clean everything thoroughly and make sure there are no obvious signs of mould, leaking taps or damaged fixtures.

If something is genuinely tired or broken, ask your agent whether it is worth replacing before you spend the money.

Don’t forget the outside

The outside of your home is the first impression.

A tidy garden, clean driveway, swept paths and a welcoming entrance can make a property feel cared for before a buyer has even walked through the front door.

Depending on the property, it may be worth organising:

• Gardening and pruning
• Lawn maintenance
• House washing
• Cleaning paths and driveways
• Fence or gate repairs
• Gutter cleaning
• Tidying outdoor entertaining areas

Again, you don’t have to completely transform the garden. It just needs to look neat, maintained and inviting.

Cleaning matters more than people think

Once the decluttering and repairs are finished, a professional clean is one of the best ways to bring everything together.

Clean windows let in more light. Clean floors and carpets make rooms feel fresher. Kitchens and bathrooms need to be spotless.

And don’t forget the areas that aren’t immediately obvious, inside cupboards, wardrobes, the laundry, garage and other storage areas.

Buyers will look.

A clean, well-presented home gives the impression that the property has been well cared for.

Styling isn’t about making your home look like everyone else’s

Styling can be very helpful, particularly when a home is empty or the existing furniture doesn’t show the rooms at their best.

The aim isn’t to fill the house with expensive furniture or make it look like a display home.

Good styling helps buyers understand how a room can be used and allows the best features of the property to stand out.

Sometimes the best result comes from removing furniture rather than adding it.

A large lounge suite in a small room can make the room feel cramped. Too many ornaments can make surfaces look cluttered. A spare bedroom filled with boxes doesn’t help a buyer see it as a bedroom.

It’s about getting the balance right.

Think about the photographs

Most buyers will see your home online before they ever come through the front door.

That means your property needs to look its best when the photographs are taken.

By this stage, the decluttering, cleaning, repairs and styling should already be finished. The photographer shouldn’t be spending their time moving piles of belongings or trying to hide things that should have been dealt with beforehand.

Good photography can show your home at its best, but it can’t fix a property that hasn’t been properly prepared.

Where should you spend your money?

This is one of the questions we are asked regularly.

Our advice is always to look at the property as a whole rather than automatically spending money on the biggest possible renovation.

Talk to your real estate agent about what is likely to make a difference in your local market, and consider the condition of your home compared with other properties buyers will be looking at.

Sometimes the money is better spent on decluttering, cleaning, painting and presentation rather than a new kitchen.

And sometimes there is a repair that really does need to be addressed.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Give yourself enough time

Perhaps the biggest mistake we see is leaving everything until the last few weeks.

Decluttering a family home can take much longer than expected, particularly when there are decades of belongings to work through.

Then there are trades to organise, cleaning, rubbish removal, gardening, styling and photography.

Starting early means you can make decisions properly rather than rushing everything because the agent is ready to list the property.

At Downsizing by utterDECLUTTER, we can help you work through the process and coordinate the jobs that need to happen before your home goes on the market.

We can help with decluttering and packing, rubbish removal, cleaning, painting, carpet, gardening, house washing, handyman work and styling, as well as coordinating the different trades involved.

We’ve seen first-hand the difference that good preparation can make.

You don’t need to do everything. You just need to know what needs to be done and in what order.

Downsizing by utterDECLUTTER –  we get your house ready to sell.