How to Clean Out Your House to Sell and Increase its Value by 3%-5%

If you took the time to count every item in the average American household at the rate of one item per second, you would be counting continuously for nearly three and a half days. And if you’re reading this article, the home you are looking to declutter and sell is at risk of exceeding the 300,000 item average.

Whether you’re selling the home you’ve been in for decades, or are facing an unexpected sale due to the death of a loved one, settling assets in a divorce, or getting out from underneath a mound of debt, the task of decluttering prior to a sale may feel daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.

Welcome to the ultimate guide for how to clean out your home before you list it for sale. We’ll break down the process into simple, tried-and-true steps based on our research, and the expertise of decluttering and staging expert Joy Metten, owner of The Joy Of Staging, and Stephanie Nash, a real estate veteran who sells homes 47% quicker than the average agent in her area.