New Year’s Resolutions to help sell your Okehampton or Tavistock home in 2023

As we enter into 2023, many of us will make some resolutions, intentions of changes we will make to our lifestyle, our health and even how we behave. If you are thinking of selling your home in the new year, what about making some resolutions for your home? Intentions of changes you will make to increase the saleability of your Okehampton or Tavistock home. Houses, just like people, can sometimes be mistreated, misunderstood and neglected, or even need a fresh pair of eyes to find that thing that’s missing. A house that looks and feels loved is a beautiful thing, which is why we have some ideas of New Year’s resolutions to help sell your home.

Don’t get too caught up in the latest interior trends

Interior trends are often inspired by past influences, the environment, world affairs and even fashion. The colours on the catwalk often transpose into our homes through home furnishings or wall coverings. Some trends survive longer than others, but sometimes, a hot trend can look dated before it has had time to age through wear and tear.

Gemma Riberti, Head of Interiors at international trend forecasting agency WGSN, said in Elle Décor: “We enter 2023 with a lot of uncertainty, and cost of living is a priority. So whatever product or space we are going to interact with will need to be meaningful to engage with, to deliver something beyond the mere item or room.” In other words, if there is a trend, furnishing or furniture that you fall in love with and that suits your home, and you believe you will still feel the same even as the trend loses its shine, then go for it.

What you must bear in mind is the mass appeal; if your taste is too extreme you may start to turn off buyers. Buyers are looking for a blank canvas from which they can start to imagine their own design ideas coming to life. Therefore, try to keep the décor as neutral as possible and add colours and style through easier to change accents and accessories.

Making space for your soul

“Decluttering your life changes more than the way your home looks and feels. It makes space for your soul to discover that your happiness never was found in all that excess stuff.” Julia Ubbenga.

Throughout the year, we accumulate more and more things that start to fill all the nooks and crannies in our homes. Some people are great about getting rid of clutter, taking time every few months to ensure that their home is filled with the beautiful and useful, but many of us struggle to keep on top of things. We all have stuff we keep hold of for a variety of reasons with sentimental value being the most common. However knick-knacks make fantastic dust collectors and the more 'stuff' in a room, the harder it is to clean and reorganize during regular housekeeping sessions or ahead of that all-important viewing. In addition, personalised items such as photos and mementos can often confuse buyers as they struggle to picture themselves and their possessions in the space. Making changes can be hard, yet the feeling when you finish decluttering is like having weight lifted off your shoulders and your home starts to look fresh and renewed.

One way to approach decluttering is to ask yourself, is it useful and do I love it? You would never throw out your favourite mixing bowl when it is the only one you ever use when you are baking. Or perhaps whenever you receive flowers you always place them in a particular vase because its simplicity is beautiful, and you couldn’t imagine placing them in anything else. But maybe its time to find a new home for that carved wooden statue that Auntie Sue brought back for you from her trip to Indonesia 5 years ago.

Keep on top of maintenance

With the extreme weather we have had over the last few weeks, stories of burst pipes before Christmas and other disasters, it does make you think about the condition of your home. Although many of the incidents were outside the homeowners’ control there are many things you can do to ensure that you prevent or minimise damage in the future. We know money is tight but try to plan to do something each month, so your home is always looking loved and cared for. Clean your gutters, unblock drains, refreshen paint work, fix broken fences, trim back trees and shrubs, and all those other little jobs that you may put off. Giving your home regular TLC will make it more attractive to potential buyers when you decide to place it on the market.

Enjoy the rewards

Creating a home where the décor is timeless and gives you that ‘home’ feeling from the minute you walk in, a house that is organised and filled with things you want and need, and a property that is well cared for will not just reward you but will always help sell your home. For more advice on moving home in Okehampton or Tavistock, come and talk to our team at Miller Town & Country – we love to chat about all things property!