by Lynn Dancey Rudkin

Created on: January 20, 2012   Last Updated: January 21, 2012

Untidiness, confusion, clutter, jumble, disorder, disarray, disaster, mess, litter:  Whatever you call it, buyers don't want to see it. Prospective buyers want a spacious, bright, airy, move-in ready home, and most consider your personalized touches, such as magazines and toys, as just a mess. Take a deep breath, then tackle the chaos area by area so the buyer can concentrate on the home instead of touches that make the house a home to you. Declutter so they can imagine their own things in the tidy space by planting in their minds that your home is a bright, restful, easy-to-clean retreat. Decluttering will let the buyer imagine how her own items will fit into your home.

You don't have to complete this all on your own. Call in Friendship Chips. Let
everyone know you're planning to declutter, and accept their offers of help.
You can catch up on the latest gossip while zipping through items that need to
find another home. Perhaps your friends will end up taking some of those things off your hands. They also will provide extra input on what you should or
shouldn't dispose.

Decluttering Tip No. 1: If clearing out clutter seems overwhelming, make a list
and break own what seems like a mammoth task. Fifteen minutes a day spent
tackling a pile at a time will result in a tidy space that doesn't depress you
every time you - or prospective buyers - walk into the room.

Decluttering Tip No. 2: Avoid stockpiling. That means everything from clothes
and shoes to groceries, toilet paper and other staples. Grocery stores will
still exist when you need to replenish, so let them store the goods.

Decluttering Tip No. 3: Share with others. Go room by room disposing of things. If you haven't used something in six months, donate to your favorite charity, or to friends or family. Before you begin cleaning out every nook and cranny in the house, set up three boxes: one for charity, one for family and friends, and the third for a garage sale or selling on ebay or Craigslist to earn money for decorating your next abode.

Decluttering Tip No. 4: Start with the living room, since that is the area of
first impression once the buyer walks into your home. Clear out newspapers,
magazines, old mail, toys, shoes and anything else that doesn't belong in the
room. Instead of moving those items to another room, toss them into one of the give-away boxes.

Pack decorative items, including pictures: You want the buyer to

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