One of the biggest factors that impacts how buyers feel when they walk into a home isn’t flooring, paint colour, or even renovations…
It’s clutter.
A cluttered home feels smaller, darker, and more stressful — even if it’s actually a great property. The good news? Decluttering doesn’t require a massive renovation or expensive upgrades. Small, intentional steps can completely change how your home shows and photographs.
Here are 8 simple, realistic decluttering strategies that actually work.
1. Start Somewhere (Anywhere)
Decluttering can feel overwhelming when you look at the entire house at once. That’s usually why people procrastinate.
Instead of tackling everything, choose one small starting point:
a pile of papers
a junk drawer
a single closet
a bathroom cabinet
Momentum matters more than perfection. Once you begin, it becomes much easier to continue.
2. Create Three Categories: Keep, Donate, Sell
This is the easiest system to stay organized.
Every item you pick up goes into one of three piles:
Keep | Donate | Sell
Use boxes or bins while you work. When a box fills, set it aside and grab another so you don’t stop your progress. The key is making a decision immediately — not later.
3. Use the 5-Second Rule
Here’s a powerful test:
If you pick up an item and you can’t remember the last time you used it within 5 seconds, you probably don’t need it.
We often hold onto things “just in case,” but rarely use them. Items you haven’t used in years quietly take up valuable visual and physical space.
4. Ask: Does It Actually Bring You Joy?
This sounds simple, but it works.
If an item doesn’t:
serve a purpose, or
make you happy
…why is it still in your home?
Buyers notice emotional clutter just as much as physical clutter. The goal is to make the space feel calm, clean, and easy to live in.
5. Eliminate Duplicates
Most homes have far more duplicates than owners realize.
Examples:
multiple spatulas
extra kitchen tools
old linens
duplicate cleaning supplies
backup decor items
You don’t need three of everything. Keeping only your best or favourite items instantly makes cabinets and drawers feel larger.
6. Recycle What You Can
Many homes store unused items that simply need to leave:
old cell phones
magazines
outdated paperwork
broken electronics
These items don’t belong in storage — they belong in recycling. Removing them frees up both space and mental load.
7. Set Time Limits
Decluttering doesn’t need to consume your entire weekend.
Set a timer:
20 minutes per room or area.
A time limit helps prevent overthinking. If you’re debating an item for longer than a few seconds, that’s usually your answer — it can go.
Short focused sessions are far more effective than occasional marathon cleaning days.
8. Don’t Let the Boxes Sit
This is the step most people miss.
You’ve sorted everything… but the donation boxes stay in the garage for months.
Once your boxes are full:
donate them
schedule pickup
list sale items immediately
Decluttering only works when items actually leave the house.
Why This Matters When Selling
Decluttering is one of the highest-return “upgrades” you can make before listing your home.
It helps:
rooms appear larger
photos look brighter
buyers focus on the home (not your belongings)
showings feel more comfortable
offers come faster
In many cases, proper decluttering alone can increase perceived value more than small renovations.
If you’re thinking about selling in Edmonton and want to know what specifically you should remove, store, or keep, our MetroYEG team can walk through your home and give you a personalized pre-listing plan.
Sometimes you don’t need to renovate — you just need to simplify.
