POST-ISO HOUSE SALE READINESS – The Linen Cupboard

Been thinking of putting your property on the market but still have a few jobs to do that are holding you back? With all the extra time on your (thoroughly washed and sanitised) hands from being housebound, there’s never been a better time to get stuck into some organising. This series of tips for the trouble areas around your home will get you over that psychological hump and market ready!

In my line of work I get to look in quite a few storage areas of peoples’ homes…and without a doubt, one of the spaces that generates the most scramble and apology from the vendor as I reach intrepidly for the handle.. is the linen cupboard (we’ll get to some of the others later in this series).

Taking my lead from the thinking woman’s pin up Peter Walsh (peterwalshdesign.com), the recommendation to chunk tasks down into smaller steps is essential for making this achievable and not the monumental drama that you’re expecting it to be. *So achievable in fact, that I’ve honed these steps myself on my own little dysfunction junction that is my laundry (that hadn’t had any attention in the 8 months since we moved into our home!).

Step 1: START SORTING!

Grab a bunch of laundry baskets/boxes/buckets that you can find that are of a decent size…Preferably 5 at a minimum. Step 1 done 😉

2: DIVIDE INTO CATEGORIES

Depending on how jam packed your space is, you may need to approach it with the same caution as a Japanese train conductor working the 7am shinkansen. It does however, all have to come out. General thinking would divide the contents into obvious categories, such as sheets/pillowcases, another for towels, one for blankets/doonas…if you have the extra sorting baskets, go further into itemised versions thereof (beach towels, bath towels, tea towels, tablecloths, etc). *In my case, I had a whole basket dedicated to triathlon gear, another for swimming pool bits/sunscreens, as well cleaning products. Oh dear….

3: CLEAR THE RUBBISH

Keep the essentials. Ditch the non-essentials. It’s a great time to donate to the needy, so ask yourself whether you really need 15 beach towels? Perhaps a few rolls of toilet roll could even be gifted?!

Upturn each basket one by one – if you’re like me, the things you use the most are at the front of the cupboard (and thus will be at the bottom of your sorting basket).This should be a good clue as to the things that you don’t use/like/want and therefore won’t miss. Give the shelves/drawers a good wipe down.

4: FOLD AND STACK

Once happy with the contents of your baskets, fold each item as neatly and uniformly as possible on a flat, nearby surface. Try to form piles of towels that are all facing the same way, fold your fitted sheets properly (make YouTube your best friend if you haven’t figured out this life changing hack yet); slot matching sheet sets into one of its pillowcases for ease of identification; pack blankets and doonas into sensible, labelled space storage bags if not using in this season.

5: ARRANGE

Seasonal items should go towards the back of your storage space (or higher up). If beach towels won’t be getting used in the next few months, probably not worth having them front and centre. Don’t stack the piles too high, as you want to get into the habit of rotating out your sheets and towels – once you’ve laundered and folded them, put them at the bottom of the pile and select from the top. Use your intuition as to the things you use on a regular basis and make those the easiest things to reach and stack.

6: BAG IT UP, MOVE IT ON!

Time to take those pre-loved bits and pieces to your local charity depot or animal shelter (the trick here is not to return with more paraphernalia, however kittens and puppies are perfectly acceptable 😉).

Reward yourself for a job well done – you will relish the convenience of having a functional space at last, and your future buyers will appreciate being able to imagine their own chaos fitting in there when they’re looking for a new home!