Do you walk into a new home and want an upgrade? While the sparkle of fresh paint and shiny appliances is appealing, it’s not the only reason people gravitate to the new.

One thing that display homes across Geelong, Melbourne, and Sydney have in common is a lack of clutter. While this is partly so you can imagine yourself (aka all your stuff) in the space, it is also has a clever calming technique on prospective buyers. Too many items and not enough floor space make rooms feel smaller. Studies even note people feel less satisfied with their life generally due to the clutter effect. So, set yourself a goal to streamline your living space with our tips below.

Organize your organizing

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If you’re a more sentimental human, chances are your ‘stuff’ represents many significant memories. You may have tried to declutter before and instead spent a nostalgic afternoon reliving special events and people. And uh-oh, you just made more mess than before as you upended a bunch of old boxes. Therefore, when deciding to declutter, you need a good plan. Many people address a room at a time, but if you have an entire weekend to yourself at home, you might dedicate it to a blitz. Pre-organized boxes or a spare bit of space to stash your items, and prepare yourself mentally to be ruthless, but practical. You will need that flashlight when your power goes out, but you don’t need every birthday card you’ve gotten since you were five.

See Also: Top 5 Tips to Organize Your Home

Categorize

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If your decluttering job is a genuinely huge task due to the size of your home, or your clutter, a colored sticker system works well. Use small colored dots to indicate what things you will discard, keep, and sell/donate. This means that come tip day, you can efficiently load up your goods as they’re pre-organized. For the truly ruthless, anything that sits around with the intention of selling later set a date. If it passes without you being able to offload it, it’s time to donate or give it away to a friend.

See Also: How to Declutter Your House Once and for All

Clean

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Once you have rifled through your bits and bobs, prepare the space for its new look by giving it a deep clean. Aside from the general wipe down, vacuum and mop, consider professional carpet, drape, and furniture cleaning. Yes, you need to move the couch!

See Also: How to Clean a New House

Presentation

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Once you’ve decided what to keep, focus on how you will showcase these items in your home. For decorative pieces or books, group similar items together in a certain space, such as a coffee or end table. Many stylists favor odd numbers of items as the asymmetry is said to be more pleasing to the eye. Don’t forget that furniture arrangement also plays a big role in how a room feels and is navigated – this includes pillow arrangement! Don’t be afraid to move larger items around periodically until space feels right for you – it should be easier now you’ve downsized the clutter.