Less is more: why sellers should embrace the ‘lessting’ trend

A stack of yellowing magazines that you’ll never get round to reading? Boxes overflowing with cables you’ve long forgotten what they connect? A bathroom bursting with half used cleaning products? If this is you, you’re not alone.

Almost half of us hoard

A new survey has found 40% of Brits stockpile unwanted items. Other possessions we find hard to part with include packaging from expensive purchases, childhood toys, out of date spices and even unmatched socks!

Generally, filling your home to the brim is a personal preference, and it can bring a sense of joy and comfort to be surrounded by your favourite things. Too much, however, can become a problem if you’re thinking of selling. 

Making a poor impression

First impressions are critical when you’re on the market and clutter is the enemy. Property photographs that are filled with mess send the wrong signals – rooms will feel smaller than they actually are, natural light will be zapped and the ‘bones’ of the property will be hard to see. 

And what about when people arrive at your home? Clutter can be so distracting that people may find it impossible to see how much space there really is and struggle to imagine their own things in situ. There’s also the matter of storage – if every surface is piled high and items are spilling out, the viewer will question whether the property has enough storage.

Less interest, lower offers

Sadly, hoarding or just a haphazard approach to organisation will reduce the amount of interest your home generates. In the worst case, purchasers will dismiss your home entirely – especially true when, like now, it’s a buyers’ market. 

Those inclined to make an offer may go low based on what they see. In fact, research suggests a cluttered property could attract offers 10% less than those made for tidy, smart homes for sale.

Empty nest = empty out

The survey carried a warning for empty nesters. Of those questioned, 22% said their parents were the biggest clutter culprits, with Mums and Dads holding on to sentimental items and refusing to clear out the family home.  

Decluttering is clearly an emotional experience, with 42% saying it was nostalgia that kept them from letting go of possessions. Almost a quarter (24%) said they struggled to part with family heirlooms and meaningful gifts, with women (29%) more likely than men (20%) to have an attachment that’s hard to break.

‘Lessting’ to the rescue

There is good news if you need motivation to clear out your property. ‘Lessting’ is all the rage. It’s a new trend for living with less. Dr Beckmann found 55% of Generation X (45 to 60 year olds) are adopting the ‘lessting’ way of life – letting go of unused or unwanted possessions so there is ‘less in the nest’.

‘Lessting’ encourages people to tidy up, declutter and improve their mental wellbeing by letting go of the past. The result will be a fresher home, a clearer mind and a neater living environment.

There are extra benefits for home movers too. As well as improving the presentation of a property and inviting higher-value offers, ‘lessting’ means there is less to pack up, move and unpack at the other end. What’s not to love?

If you’d like an honest appraisal of your property ahead of a sale, please contact us. We have seen hundreds of properties and given sellers advice about how to get the full potential out of their home.