Realistically, how much do we need to do?

kiss_me_now9

I agree that paying someone to do the cleaning would be easier and better but the agro I've had over paying someone to do our hedge is unreal so I don't think it'd fly! OH threatened to do the hedge himself but it's going to take a lot of work as it borders 3 sides of our driveway and it's a mix of different trees, overhanging various bits of our property, a bus shelter and next doors so I vetoed it and organised that myself. I think he'd have kittens if I suggested paying someone to do the cleaning too. 

I've already cancelled my gym classes for the next two weeks so I can come home from work and clean/declutter after LO is in bed, rather than being out more. I can't cancel any of the practices/performances of the show and unfortunately there's 5 + rehearsals in between which means I'm out of the house most evenings and almost all of Saturday and Sunday at the moment. There simply isn't any more I can give timewise. 

To OH's credit, he did start doing some himself after work yesterday, but seems to be focused on the minutiae of getting paint chips off the wall to take to B+Q (not sure when he thinks that's going to happen) to match the paint. 

@Myci85 one of the reasons we are so keen to relocate is because we have no-one down here really for things like this. We have a handful of lovely friends, but they all have young kids too, and neither of us have anyone we could call to do anything like this, or for instance to say we need a big piece of furniture moving, would you mind coming over and helping.  

I've done a bit more decluttering today but it feels like a small drop in the ocean. 

Appreciate all the replies! 

MysteryMe

Carry on focussing on the positive, you have started to declutter. You are making progress, feel good about that. Your husband is tackling the hedge and matching paint, all progress.

Bigphil1474

No point looking for a new house until yours is SSTC (Sold Subject to Contract). Been there , done that. You might find the perfect house but if you aren't proceedable, the seller is very unlikely to accept any offer. 

Concentrate on selling yours - you can list it fairly quickly if you stage the photos, but then you'd have to stage every viewing as well. We started planning our house sale about a year before we put it on the market in 2023. Different circumstances obviously, but I had a very long list of jobs to do that I'd put off. Main focus is getting rid of crap you don't need and cleaning the property - be brutal on the declutter. Imagine how you'd want the buyer to see it. Don't worry about the details only you will notice. As long as it isn't a significant problem then it's unlikely to put a buyer off. 

We saw some right s'holes when we were looking last year. Some people seem to have just literally decided to sell their house as is, not even bothered tidying up. We went to one where they had half a dozen kittens and the guy spent the whole viewing trying to find the last 2 (and it stunk). 

Sounds like you've made a good start, good luck.

FlorayG

Honestly you and your OH need to get on the same page over this. Just pay someone to come and do the necessary jobs.
When I bought my current house i fell in love with it immediately. The garden and hedges had been neglected for years, the interior hadn't been painted for so long there were clean squares on the walls where pictures had been removed, the shower was ghastly. None of these things matter if it's the house you want, they are all easily cured. As long as there aren't important things need doing such as leaks/damp/ loose fittings don't worry. Also, you can keep doing the small things after you have it on the market remember

Flugelhorn

almost sounds like he doesn't want to move!
TBH you just don't have enough time in the week to do these tasks unless you cut corners, yes get the study / office decluttered into storage unit - get someone in to do some cleaning etc - the rest of it just tidy. 

Nebulous2

I was always sceptical about stuff like this, but for our last sale almost 4 years ago we were able to move out before we sold. 

Some basic stuff, touching up the paint, painting a window, and above all else dramatically reducing the furniture made a huge difference. 

The market was quite slow at the time and our solicitor couldn't believe how well we did. I'm now a fan of improving space above all else. 

On the other hand, our next door neighbour spent a lot on redoing their back garden, before selling. My wife tried, unsuccessfully, to point out that it wasn't to everyone's taste, and a buyer might not like it. 

The buyer wasn't in six months when they had paid to have the garden changed back to something similar to how it had started. 

Flugelhorn

Nebulous2 said:

I was always sceptical about stuff like this, but for our last sale almost 4 years ago we were able to move out before we sold. 

Some basic stuff, touching up the paint, painting a window, and above all else dramatically reducing the furniture made a huge difference. 

i agree - we were able to sell the house unoccupied, no clutter and clobber, and just the right amount of furniture - FAP cash offer on day 1. 

kiss_me_now9

A small update. OH has really cracked on (I have been basically taking our LO out and about at every opportunity whilst he does the DIY) and the place looks loads better. Parents came over at the weekend and helped too, his parents are coming over tomorrow and doing the garden (they are both keen gardeners and very good at sprucing it up) whilst I declutter and tidy the last bits in our office. Hedge has been professionally trimmed, large outhouse project has been completed to 'good enough' standard (which I think looks fab, but OH is unable to provide himself with any praise) and we're in a position where the house can be photographed for sale at the end of the week. 

By far the biggest things that I've noticed making a difference are the smallest - he's touched up a lot of the worn and chipped paint, repainted the window sills and resealed the bath. Stuff we should have been doing whilst we lived here, but life got in the way of!

RHemmings

Just a minor thought - if your partner completes all of those 45 things to make the house more saleable, then might your partner then get an unreaslistic idea of how much the house should sell for resulting in it being difficult to sell because your partner won't negotiate? 

GDB2222

I’m pleased that it’s all going so well, and incredibly quickly too. 

Well done, and be a bit ruthless about throwing away stuff you don’t really need.