Storage & Utility
The closer buyers are to making an offer, the closer they look at your property. This means that no door, drawer, or wardrobe is sacred and that you need to be prepared for the buyer to look at everything. When the doors and drawers start opening, the potential buyer is in the confirming mode — they’ve formed a positive or negative impression about your property and are confirming their decision to make an offer or not by looking for clues that they’re right. When they find a mess, they believe you may be hiding something.
One of the top three selling features buyers are looking for in a new house is adequate storage space, which means that your wardrobes are extremely important. Buyers expect to see guest bedroom wardrobes almost empty with a few nice hangers like a wardrobe in a hotel suite. They want the master bedroom wardrobe to look like a well-organized clothing store, with all the clothes hanging the same direction and all like clothing hanging together.
Take the extra time to organize every wardrobe and consider making a small investment in adding wardrobe organizers to each wardrobe — icing on the cake that might just sell your house.
Checklist of Basics
- Tidy up and organize your shed/laundry. Discard, donate or recycle items you can give away.
- If you have unfinished concrete floors, paint the concrete to give it a cleaner look.
- Be sure to clean and polish the washer and dryer to give them a bright and shiny look.
- Put all detergents, laundry items and irons out of sight. Remove any residue that may have accumulated in the laundry sink.
- A bright throw rug in front of the washer and dryer will often help cheer up unfinished laundry rooms.
- The garage is usually the catch-all area where everything goes that has no other place to go, so it’s usually a mess. If your garage isn’t neat, no buyer would surmise that you take good care of the whole house. You’re going to say I’m going to extremes but believe me, this works every time.
- Empty everything out of the garage. Hose down the floor, and if there are stains remaining, paint it
- Paint the garage walls off-white using a flat latex paint.
- After the paint is dry – put everything back in the garage piece by piece and throw out what you won’t be taking with you. Then organize what’s left.
- If you have a storage shed, organize it the same way and if it needs a coat of paint or stain, do it.
- Use an open bag of charcoal to absorb moisture in the storage shed.
- If you have too much “stuff,” rent a storage unit and store it there.
Quick
Wins
🧽 Clean, Clear, and Create Space
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Declutter aggressively – Remove excess tools, boxes, broken furniture, or “just-in-case” junk.
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Sweep and pressure clean the floor – A clean concrete floor immediately upgrades the feel.
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Clear the corners – Corners often collect clutter; clearing them makes the space feel larger.
🧰 Organise and Present Function
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Install wall storage – Pegboards, hooks, or simple shelves for tools and equipment look organised and practical.
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Group items neatly – Stack bins or boxes by category, label if possible (gardening, tools, sports gear).
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Tidy up workbenches – Leave only a few key tools or items out — the rest can be packed or stored.
🪵 Create Zones If Space Allows
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Add a “workspace” corner – Showcase a small workbench or DIY station if the garage is large enough.
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Display storage potential – Neatly arranged shelving units show off capacity.
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Show car space – If it’s a double garage, leave room for two cars to help buyers visualise it.
🎨 Freshen Up the Look
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Touch up scuffed walls – Especially if painted — white or light grey works well in garages.
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Repaint garage doors (if needed) – A clean, sharp garage door improves street appeal.
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Fix broken lights – Bright lighting makes the area look bigger and more usable.
🪛 Check Functionality
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Test the garage door – Make sure it opens smoothly and quietly.
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Repair broken shelving or hooks – Buyers want usable, not crumbling.
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Remove spider webs and pests – Give the space a fresh, maintained feel.
🧼 Make It Feel Useful, Not Forgotten
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Add a basic welcome mat – Especially near internal access doors.
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Use sealed storage tubs – Looks neater than open boxes and signals order.
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Hang bikes, tools, or sports gear – This shows potential for lifestyle use and organisation.
👃 Odour Control
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Air it out well before inspections – Musty or chemical smells are a turn-off.
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Use a moisture absorber – Keeps it feeling fresh and dry.
