If there's no reason to leave something lying around, remove it is the stern advice from experienced estate agents who spend many a long hour persuading home owners to de-clutter before opening their homes up to the public.

"A good sense of space" is the vibe all home sellers should aspire to, according to one seasoned estate agent, who regularly but diplomatically suggests that owners remove any excess furniture for the sale campaign.

If viewers find themselves tripping over an uneven rug, impaling themselves on a rogue cabinet corner or dodging around armchairs blocking doorways, the sense of space in your house is seriously compromised.

Take a good hard look at what is in your house and decide what facilitates the flow of space and what doesn't. Maybe it's time to consider what you'll be bringing with you to you new home and use the opportunity to do some serious and permanent de-cluttering by hiring a skip. Not only will a bit of clutter cutting help present your house in its best light it will also reduce your removal costs.

Skip hire companies do a roaring trade at this time of year as homeowners get busy with home improvements, garden overhauls and de-cluttering campaigns.

In general household skips come in three sizes - the 2.5 yard mini, the 4 yard midi and the 6 yard standard. Prices are in the region of 150 for a mini, 200 for a midi and €300 for a standard builder-sized skip. While most companies will hire out a skip for three or four days the advice from one seasoned waste disposal expert is to do it quick before your neighbours can get in on the action.

Oxigen: 01 4600999

Greenstar: 1890 600 900

ABC Waste: 01l 4664420

Fiona Tyrrell on

how to stage your home