Not knowing how long my house would take to sell, I put it on the market when I got engaged, providing me with plenty of leeway. Since I was busy planning my wedding and working, and I keep things organized, I didn’t think it was necessary to worry about cleaning out. Plus I wanted my house to show well. When the offer came in and the buyers wanted to close in 30 days, I started to panic. I was very busy at work, and a little over a month away from walking down the aisle. Your probably saying to yourself, putting your belongings in a box should not take much time. And it normally wouldn’t except I had to clean out while boxing everything up. I was going through dresser drawers, cabinets, the attic, and garage trying to decide if the item was one I thought my new husband and I would use, should it be donated to Goodwill or thrown in the trash. I had to take several loads to the dumpster or Goodwill and get everything boxed up and labeled before the movers showed up.
So don’t be like me and think its silly to start cleaning out in advance. Take sections of your house at a time. This way its not so overwhelming and you can keep it looking pristine for showings. By cleaning out early it helps you get rid of clutter. Buyers like to envision themselves living in your home, and it is harder for them to do if all of your dirty laundry, old magazines, bills, and the broken kid toys from 2 years ago are lying around. And lastly, consider some minor updates to your home. The leaking bathroom faucet, squeaky ceiling fan, old door knobs and missing caulk can be low in cost to fix but bring major rewards back with an offer. The more you can do in advance will only help your sanity and selling your house faster.