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Your Clutter-Clearing Plan for the New Year

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SOURCE: Houzz

Tackle these tasks month by month for a decluttering strategy that will really pay off

With an entire new year ahead of you, decluttering your home may not seem so hard. But after January, when that new year energy begins to wane, the prospect of tackling such a big project tends to overwhelm.

Enter this month-by-month guide to clearing the clutter from every room of your house. I’ve zeroed in on areas of the home that I find fit with certain events, such as back-to-school or spring fashion, but feel free to reorganize as you see fit to tackle specific areas of your home that need attention sooner.

No matter what, by the end of the year, your home should be feeling more spacious and, perhaps more important, you should be feeling more capable of maintaining a clutter-free space.

Getting Started: Turbocharge Your Decluttering

If you’re feeling inspired and motivated by the new year, take advantage of that energy and spend a few weekends clearing clutter throughout the house. Making noticeable headway will help motivate you to keep up the decluttering effort in the coming months. Try to get the other members of your household onboard — but if they are not interested, don’t try to force it. Hopefully they will see the positive changes happening around the house and change their tune!

Habit to cultivate: Keep an empty reusable bin in a closet, and use it to corral items you plan to give away.

January: Kitchen and Pantry

Give yourself a fresh start for the new year with a clean kitchen, decluttered cabinets and a healthy pantry and fridge.

  • Toss worn dish towels or cut them up to make rags

  • Sell or give away specialty small appliances and tools you seldom or never use

  • Recycle or toss freebie cups and Tupperware containers without lids

  • Compost or toss expired food and spices

  • Take stock of cookware and dishes; give away or sell pieces you do not need

Habit to cultivate: Clean out the pantry and fridge each week before shopping.

February: Home Office — Digital Documents and Papers

Get a jump-start on tax time by getting your files (paper and digital) in order.

  • Sort through random stacks of paper; file, shred or recycle everything

  • Streamline your files, shredding any documents you no longer need

  • Use one calendar to keep track of all events

  • Switch to paperless bills and statements if possible

  • Clean out computer files and back up everything, using cloud-based storage and an external drive

Habit to cultivate: Sort your mail at the door, tossing junk immediately into a recycling bin.

March: Clothes and Accessories

The seasonal transition is a good time to sort through clothing. Sort through winter clothes before storing, and pare back spring and summer clothes as you begin to wear them.

  • Donate or sell clothes, shoes and accessories in good condition

  • Have winter clothes laundered or dry-cleaned before storing until next year

  • Try on all clothes for the upcoming season and give away or sell any items that do not make you feel good

Habit to cultivate: As soon as you wear something and notice it doesn’t fit, has a hole or doesn’t flatter you, toss it in a bag in your closet. When the bag is full, donate it.

April: Bath and Beauty Products and Medicine Cabinets

Give your daily routine a spring cleaning by sorting through all of those bottles and jars hiding in medicine cabinets, on counters and in drawers.

  • Toss expired makeup and skin-care items, as well as anything you do not use or like

  • Clean drawers and shelves before returning items

  • Store heat- and moisture-sensitive items (medications and some skin-care products) away from the bathroom

Habit to cultivate: Keep a list of your favorite bath and beauty products and order them online rather than shopping in person. This helps avoid overshopping and impulse purchases.

May: Laundry Room, Linen Closet, Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning routines are much easier and more pleasant when the supplies you need are neat and orderly. Sheets, towels and other household linens do not last forever — go through them this month and make some space.

  • Recycle worn-out and stained towels, washcloths, sheets and tea towels at a textile recycling center.

  • If your child has graduated a bed size, donate the old bedding to charity

  • Clean under sinks and in any cupboards where cleaning supplies are stored. Get rid of empty containers and products you tried but did not like

Habit to cultivate: Don’t downgrade old towels and sheets to “guest” status. Only keep linens you would personally want to use — get rid of the rest. Your guests deserve better!

June: Family Room, Playroom, Media, Art and Schoolwork

The end of the school year is a good time to review collected artwork and school papers, and choose a small number of special pieces to save in a portfolio or document box.

  • Edit schoolwork and art from the past year

  • Sort through toys, books and games. Donate those your family no longer enjoys, and toss any that are worn out or missing key pieces

Habit to cultivate: At the beginning of each school year, pick up a simple art portfolio. When your child brings work home, enjoy all of it for a while, but choose only a few special pieces to put in the portfolio.

July: Yard, Shed, Garage and Tools

Being outdoors in midsummer makes this a good time to get outdoor tools and equipment in order.

  • Get rid of broken tools and those you no longer need

  • Sort through gardening supplies

  • Toss worn-out outdoor furnishings and decor

  • If you’ve been collecting items to sell, hold a yard sale this month. At the end of the day, take unsold items to a charity donation center

Habit to cultivate: Keep everything in your garage or shed on shelving, not on the floor. This helps prevent accumulating a pileup of junk and keeps your gear cleaner.

August: Photos

Photos seem to be one of the most problematic items for many people to keep organized. Use the lazy days of August to sort through old photos and make books or prints from new ones.

  • Choose a few favorite photos from this year and have them framed

  • Edit digital photos and back up using a cloud service as well as an external drive

  • Make a photo album or book from recent photos

  • Sort through any bins of loose photos and put them in acid-free photo boxes or simple albums

Habit to cultivate: Take a few extra moments to tag favorite digital photos each time you upload. Then when it’s time to print or make an album, you can go straight to your favorites.

September: Mudroom, Entrances and Junk Drawers

Embrace the back-to-school spirit (whether or not you have kids) by getting the busiest zones of your house clutter-free this month.

  • Put away stray items in entrances that belong elsewhere

  • Add extra hooks or shelves if you need them to help corral items

  • Sort through junk drawers, baskets, trays and any other spots that accumulate random junk

  • Invest in drawer organizers or a wall-mounted organizer to keep small items neat

Habit to cultivate: Do an end-of-day tidy-up of the entryway, putting shoes, coats and random items back where they belong.

October: Dining Room and Entertaining Supplies

With the big holidays coming up over the next few months, October is a good time to get ahead of the curve and sort out your entertaining arsenal.

  • Get rid of worn-out and stained tablecloths, placemats and napkins

  • Count your dinnerware and serving pieces and consider whether you have enough, too much or too little for the amount you entertain

  • Get rid of decor, table linens and serving pieces that you don’t like or that no longer fit your lifestyle

Habit to cultivate: Just like creating a wardrobe with lots of pieces that work together, think of creating an entertaining wardrobe that you can mix and match, rather than having lots of distinct sets of dishes.

November: Hobbies and Crafts

Get ready for holiday crafting and gift wrapping by clearing out your stash and organizing supplies this month.

  • Clean out gift-wrapping supplies, tossing empty tape dispensers, out-of-ink pens and shreds of gift wrap and ribbon

  • Downsize your craft stash by donating spare fabric scraps, yarn, scrapbooking paper and other materials — many organizations (schools, retirement centers and the like) are happy to accept donations of craft supplies, and there are even some craft-specific donation centers, like Scrap in San Francisco

  • Keep works in progress together in bags, bins or boxes

Habit to cultivate: Take the time to put away your craft supplies neatly when you are done working. A messy stash makes it more likely you will buy something you already have simply because you couldn’t find it!

December: Holiday Items and Decor

With so much going on around the holidays, it’s wise not to expect too much of yourself when it comes to clutter-clearing. That said, with all of the new gifts coming in, it does make sense to do some paring back to preserve balance in the house.

  • Give away holiday ornaments and decor that you did not use this year, or that you no longer love

  • Toss broken ornaments and recycle strands of lights that no longer work

  • Exchange or give away gifts you received but know you will never use, and do not like — don’t keep things out of guilt. The one exception to this rule may be hand-knit sweaters. The knitter will never forgive you; that’s just how it is.

Habit to cultivate: Tell friends and family who ask (in advance of the holidays) that you and your family would prefer gifts that are experiential or edible. Most people honestly want to give you something you will like, and are happy for the guidance.

SOURCE: Houzz

December 11th Weekly King County Market Watch NW | Chris Doucet

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Luxury Trends | December 2024 | Chris Doucet

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Compass Curated | December 2024

CURATED COLLECTIONS

A December Defined by Elegance and Elevated Living

December brings with it the sparkle of the season and an extraordinary lineup of homes that celebrate life’s finest moments. From an idyllic full floor residence at the Auberge in Fort Lauderdale, to a Los Angeles retreat perched above the city with sweeping vistas of the Getty and beyond, each property redefines excellence. Nestled in Star, Idaho, a private estate offers tranquility across 10 rolling acres, while Newton’s modern masterpiece delivers unparalleled sophistication in the heart of West Newton Hill. Finally, Rhode Island's Westerly residence invites you to embrace coastal charm with views stretching to Block Island. This holiday season, let these stunning homes inspire your dreams of the perfect sanctuary.

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Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
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December 2nd Weekly King County Market Watch NW with Chris Doucet

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An Effective Home Listing Can Get Your Place Sold

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SOURCE: Realty Times

Where are you going to move to next? Will you find another house you love? Will the moving process go smoothly? They’re just a few of the dozens of questions you probably have if you’re getting ready to sell your home and look for another. But first things first: You have to find that buyer! The right real estate listing could make the difference between your home selling quickly, or not at all. 

You may not have thought much about your real estate listing, but it’s a critical piece of the home-selling pie. Getting it wrong may not necessarily cost you a sale if your home is well-priced, located in a hot area, and you have great listing photos. But it could help you attract the right buyers if done well.

If you’re working with a good, experienced real estate agent, they are probably already following these tips (and, if not, it might be time for another agent!). Which brings us to our first tip:

Listen to your real estate agent

There are numerous applications for this, but, the most important one—and one that has the biggest potential to attract or repel potential buyers—is your listing price. It’s common practice for sellers to disagree on the price of their home. No one wants to sell for less than they think their home is worth or what they think they can get. 

Trusting in your agent’s pricing strategy is important. Don’t be surprised if the recommended price comes back with a “9” in it. There is a psychology to this. 

“When cruising the aisles at the grocery store, ever notice how many prices end in 99s? That’s no accident. This strategy is called charm pricing and relies on the truism that $5.99 sounds less expensive than $6.00, even though the difference is only one penny,” said Homelight. “But does this theory translate to real estate? An analysis of four million home sales showed that yes…you’d actually be wise to round your list price down to the nearest $9,000. So if you were to determine your fair market value was $450,000, you’d want to go for $449,000.”

 The other reason is more practical. If your buyer has to stay under $450,000 for their home purchase, your place will show up in their search.

Watch your words

“Cozy” means “small.” Assume your buyer—or your buyer’s agent—has looked at the square footage. You don’t need to remind them your house is the size of a shoebox. “Charming” could means lots of things—in need of updates, probably not done to the buyer’s taste, or, the kiss of death, “interesting.” A term like “great potential” will likely make the buyer think a deal can be had because the home is in need of a serious makeover.

Carefully choose which features to mention

Some could be more valuable than others. Mentioning certain home features like professional appliances, wine cellar, steam shower and waterfall countertop can boost sales prices.

Think about the area

It may turn out that your buyer is hyperlocal, but many experts advise that sellers focus on out-of-area prospects. Even a buyer from 10 minutes away many not be aware that there are 12 community parks, 20 miles of trails, and four museums in the area. 

Be creative

Especially if you’re in a market with a lot of listings in your price range, it’s important for your listing to stand out. “Look at typical real estate ads and you will notice they tend to be similar and boring,” said SFGate. ‘How would you react if you read an ad among 24 others that is in capital letters and says, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? 12 Acres of Wooded Land for HOW MUCH?” If you were looking for raw land, would you click on it?’ 

Write an effective headline

Your house has to make a great first impression to attract buyers, and so does your listing. This isn’t a time to be boring.

Check for errors

Every couple weeks or so we see a listing with a glaring error in the price of a home for sale (such as one that makes a $300,000 home look like it’s listed for $3,000 or even $3,000,000). And that’s not the only easy mistake to make. 

“For example, if your house is listed on Polar Lane when it is actually on Poplar, your place may never be found, even if it is turnkey and well priced,” said the Los Angeles Times. “The same holds true if the school district is incorrect, the ZIP Code is wrong, the number of bedrooms is misstated or the map coordinates are inaccurate.” 

SOURCE: Realty Times