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| Our client's beautiful, clutter free kitchen! |
One of the most unassuming things that can hinder the sale of your house, and even take a chunk out of the sale price is clutter. Imagine all the places in your home where clutter finds a way to pile up: kitchen counters, bookshelves, bedroom dressers, bathroom shelves, the garage...it really has a tendency to accumulate all over. This does not only include things like mail and beauty products, but decor as well. You may love your collectibles that you proudly display on your fireplace mantle, but chances are, buyers do not care to see your "stuff". They want to see the house.
So how can you get a handle on all of these little things in order to prepare your home to sell? It is time to get organized!
1.) Evaluate each room in your home and gather all of the things that you do not use every day. Do you really need fifteen different spices sitting on your kitchen counter? Does the newspaper seem to be piling up in the mudroom? Be honest, go through each area and write down the things you need to either purge or store. If you are really in the mood to be humbled, move everything you need to pack up in the middle of the room so you can sort through it.
2.) Based on your inventory list of things to pack up, go out and buy some sturdy, but inexpensive storage. This may include cardboard boxes if you are sure you can pack things up for a long term period. Places like IKEA offer great, and even attractive, storage boxes, baskets and file holders that will not break the bank.
3.) Be careful where you "hide" things. When buyers come into your home, they will be looking at your kitchen cabinets, pantries and linen closets. You want buyers to see exactly the amout of storage they will have if they buy your home. One easy rule of thumb is to remove at least 30% of what you already have in cabinets, etc. If you are an exceptional pack rat, make it 50%.
4.) Clean, clean, clean! The last thing buyers want to see is dust and dirt, especially if it is coupled with needless clutter. These two go hand in hand, so get rid of both. You want your home to sparkle and welcome potential buyers.
5.) Depersonalize! This tip is shared far and wide when it comes to prepping your home to sell. Family photos, knick knacks, excessive decorative items....they should all get packed up. Where you would normally be tempted to add a framed photo (think the top of your night stand), resist the urge and pack it up. Selling your home is very personal, but you need to make it a neutral ground for all buyers.
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| Our client's beautiful, tidy living area |
6.) Do not forget the exterior. Be sure that your deck furniture is the right scale for your space and that your plantings are neat, weeded and tidy. Curb appeal is in the top five most important qualities of your home! We will be writing more about that soon...
We are here to guide you throughout this entire process. Our complete list of tips and complimentary staging plan will give you peace of mind that you are preparing your home as thoroughly as possible.
By Chrissy Racho
