Declutter checklist
How to Declutter Before Selling: A Room-by-Room Checklist
Buyers look at the room, not your things. Clearing out before the listing photos makes rooms look bigger and easier to picture as their own, and you'll have packed part of your move already. Work through one room at a time.
Entry and living room
- Clear shoes, coats and bags from the entry.
- Take extra throws, pillows and small decor off sofas and shelves.
- Store one or two pieces of furniture if a room feels tight.
- Put away personal photos, collections and kids' artwork.
Kitchen
- Leave no more than three items on the counters.
- Clean out the fridge door: magnets, notes and calendars.
- Pack small appliances and dishes you won't use before the move.
Bathrooms
- Put toiletries in a bin under the sink.
- Use one set of matching towels.
- Clear the shower ledge and the tub edge.
Bedrooms and closets
- Clear nightstands down to a lamp and one book.
- Pack or donate about half of what's in each closet so the space looks roomy.
- Keep floors and the space under the bed clear.
Garage and storage
- Donate or sell what you won't take with you.
- Stack boxes neatly on one wall, or move them to a storage unit.
- Make sure buyers can see the floor and walk around.
Are you a real estate agent?
If a decluttered room now looks empty, Virtual Staging by The Agent Edition furnishes empty-room photos in the style you pick, delivered with the originals within 48 hours: 3 photos for $29. Every staged photo should be labeled as virtually staged. See the before-and-after styles at theagentedition.com/services/virtual-staging.
General tips. Ask your agent what matters most for homes in your area.