Selling a Home: Remove Clutter!
Selling a Home: Remove Clutter! By Julie Jalone
Most sellers understand keeping a house clean and picked-up but
have difficulty understanding how to really remove clutter. It
is more than keeping the house neat. Try some of the following
and impress your agent and, more importantly, potential buyers.
The first task I suggest it to pretend you are not the owner or
even that you have ever seen the house before. Tour your
property both inside and outside and make a list of anything you
see that catches your eye and takes away from the homes appeal.
These will be offensive to your eye such as toys in the front
yard, hoses that are not put away, busy shelves and too many
items on the mantel. It could also be stacks of magazines or
newspapers. Make the tour several times and keep adding to your
list. The more you notice the less the potential buyers will.
Most home owners, including myself, are attached to our home,
how we have decorated it and our possessions we proudly display.
Sellers must accept the fact they will not be in the house much
longer and be willing to repaint rooms with neutral colors,
remove pictures and put away those souvenirs from last years
vacation. A good idea is to start by removing most of your
personal items from each room. Get boxes or storage containers
to store your items. Approach the removing clutter as if you are
staging or preparing a model home for viewing by buyers.
Remember you want the buyers to be able to imagine their
belongings in the house.
You will know if you have successfully removed clutter in your
home by the number of boxes or storage containers you have when
you are done. Your first thought may be to put all these boxes
neatly in a closet. Resist the temptation and consider closet
space can be a selling feature. They too should look as good as
possible. Not overly packed closets will help create a spacious
feeling in your home. If your closets are packed full or messy,
the potential buyer may get the feeling the house is not big
enough.
Don't overlook your garage as this is the place most of us
consider as a storage area. Find a friend, neighbor or family
member willing to store your boxes and containers. If this is
not possible consider renting a storage facility on a short term
basis. Selling your home quickly and at a higher price will more
than cover the cost.
After making your tours, list and removing your personal item I
suspect your real estate agent will still think you have too
much in the house. Don't be timid about asking your agent to
help point out these final few items. We spend a fair amount of
time in homes and have a good feel for which ones show best and
why. If you ask, be prepared to accept their suggestions. We are
here to help you sell your house, not be critical of your
possessions.
If all of this seems more than you want to cope with, consider
using a professional stager. They can remove clutter and even
help you bring in items that will make your house look like a
model home. Again selling quickly and for the best price
possible can more than pay for this service. Like above, consult
your agent, they can help you make this decision.
If you like this article or have comments please let me know.
You can contact me via my web siet at http://www.jalone.com.