Once you've decided to sell your home, it's time to start decluttering – and the kitchen is a good place to start, because it is an easy place to make an impact. 

You could do the Marie Kondo thing and ask if each item brings you joy. But decluttering to sell probably needs an even more ruthless approach, as you will want to remove as much as is practical, leaving only things you will use over the next few months.

First, get everything off the counters, except perhaps a few items like the fruit bowl (so long as the fruit is always fresh!) or coffee machine. Put the toaster in a cupboard and take it out when you use it. Find places in cupboards and drawers to store what you need to keep handy.

Next, clear out everything else that rarely gets used – the crock pot, Great Aunt Aggie's tea set, the waffle maker and all those plastic storage containers. Give them away, or put them in a box and put that box in storage.

You can be certain that buyers will open cupboards and drawers, especially in the kitchen, because they want to be sure there is enough room for their stuff. If the kitchen cupboards, pantry and drawers are bulging, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does not give the impression of adequate storage space. The best way to do that is to have as much empty space as possible.

If you have a 'junk drawer', get rid of the junk. Cull the useful pieces, put them in storage and bin the rest. Do this with every cabinet and drawer. Create open space.

If you have a lot of foodstuff crammed into the shelves or pantry, start using it, especially the canned goods. Canned goods are heavy and you don't want to be lugging them to a new house, anyway. Use what you have on the shelves to determine your menus and use up as much as you can.

Beneath the sink is critical, too. Make sure the area is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. Scrub the space, and make sure there are no tell-tale signs of water leaks that may cause a homebuyer to hesitate about buying your home.