Housing activity during April signaled good news for buyers in Western Washington as inventory continued to grow, the rate of price increases was slowing in many areas (and even decreasing in a few counties), and mortgage rates remained low.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service statistics for last month show a 28.5 percent overall increase in active listings compared to the same month a year ago, a 5.8 percent gain in pending sales, and a 2.4 percent rise in median prices for sales of single family homes and condos that closed during April. The volume of closings dipped slightly (down 1.9 percent).

“Listings were popping up like April flowers and the bloom has produced a vibrant and healthy market,” exclaimed MLS director John Deely, principal managing broker at Coldwell Banker Bain. “With an increased supply of listing inventory, low interest rates, and a positive economic climate, buyers are confident that this is a good time to buy,” he reported, while noting a larger number of buyers are opting out of competing with other buyers.

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Let’s face it, decluttering a household can be an intimidating job. All those little piles of clothing, doohickies, and junk that has been neglected due to your busy schedule can leave you wondering where to start! If you are finding yourself overwhelmed by your cluttered home, tossing these three items is the perfect way to ease yourself into the decluttering process.

Remove the Receipts

When you have purchased a piece of clothing or electronic device that starts to fall apart after a week, there are few better feelings than knowing you’ve kept the receipt. However, what happens to all those receipts that never end up being used? Well, they sit on your coffee table, or in your junk drawer, or on your kitchen counter—forever. Chances are, most of the receipts that are around your home are probably long expired and hold no further use. Give these receipts a toss for an easy decluttering win.

Clothes You Will Never Wear Again

Everyone has at least a few clothing items buried deep in their closet that haven’t been worn in years. Take a moment to go through your wardrobe and give those old items a toss. Whether
they no longer fit, are out of style, or are dotted with holes—they aren’t doing you any good taking up precious closet space!

Old Newspapers and Magazines

You swear you were going to get around to reading the latest issue of your favorite magazine, and yet, as weeks turn to months, that magazine sits on your counter joined by other magazines still on your to-read list. If a magazine or newspaper has been sitting for a few months, it is probably worth parting ways. You can always catch up on the next issue!