Tip Tuesday: Decluttering, Depersonalizing and Organizing
Thanks to late night Netflix binging we've all heard of the KonMari method of organizing your home. While in no way a minimalist, Marie Kondo understands the importance of clearing out the things that no longer provide value to our lives for cleaner, simpler, more organized living. This applies to preparing your home for selling too!
You don't want your house to look bare, but a bit of tidying will make your home seem bigger with more storage and help buyers picture themselves living in, not just visiting, your home. All of this will help your home sell faster and for a better price.
My personal experience
When we sold our last home I wasn't a Realtor yet so we used a family friend. Her assistant came over and tore the place apart staging it and making me clear out every shred of evidence that a family lived there. By the time she finished, our house felt cold and stark, the furniture layout made the living room look huge but barely function for our family, and despite having spent the last five years making it our home even I didn't want to live there. She actually told me "it doesn't matter what you think, it's not your house anymore" and I vowed then and there I would never make anyone feel the way I felt in that moment.
It was rough. But while I hated the way she handled it, she did have a point. When selling your home, it does still need to be your house in that it needs to function to house you and your family until you move. Aesthetically, though, it needs to appeal to as many people as possible. That's why depersonalizing and decluttering while keeping a sense of home is so important in preparing to list your home for sale.
So let's talk about some easier, kinder ways to make your home appeal to the most people possible.
Depersonalize
Yes, do take down most of your photos. Buyers need to be able to see themselves living here, not be wondering if they know the woman in that picture. But do not remove every shred of evidence that a family lives here. After all, buyers need to be able to see themselves living here, and no one wants to live in a hotel!
Declutter
This does not mean take down every decoration you have. It means clear the stack of papers from your kitchen counters, the toiletries you usually have strewn on your bathroom sink and the kids' toys from...well, everywhere! Bins and baskets are your best friends for showings. Not only will they reduce the appearance of clutter, you can carry them around with you for a quick tidy each time your leave so your home is always showing ready.
Clean out your closets
The best way to make your home look like you have tons of storage is to clear stuff out. Take at least half of your clothes out of your closets. Same with cabinets, drawers, anything you think potential buyers will open. Make sure what you do keep is organized. I can't tell you how many times I've had a buyer look under the sink to check for leaks and they couldn't even see because it was so full of STUFF.
Consider starting to pack
It will not only help you clear out some clutter, it will also save you time once your house does sell. Here's the thing, though - you don't want to look too desperate to move or you may get low-ball offers. So if you're going to start packing, either get creative (pack in existing luggage that has a home in the basement) or get those boxes out of the house. If you can take them to a friend or neighbor's house for safe storage, great! If you have an attic that's a great place to stash boxes because your average buyer isn't going to go in the attic on a first showing. If neither of these is an option, stack boxes neatly in the garage or basement. Just don't leave them out where it's obvious you're packing.
What not to do
Unless you're listing your house for upwards of $300,000, focus on making it safe, secure and sanitary, not on looking like it should be in a magazine. Don't spend tons of time and money on new flooring, fresh paint, etc. when what you have is perfectly fine. Don't get me wrong, if your carpet has a hole, your paint is peeling or your oven door looks like it's about to fall off please address those issues! But most buyers plan to paint when they move in so unless your walls are neon green, you're probably good. And not everyone wants carpet, no matter how new and plush it is so unless your flooring is torn up, save yourself the money and headache. You can always offer a flooring allowance to let a buyer get what they actually want.
Deep clean
Think about what feels more welcoming to you - everything freshly painted and looking new but smelling like pet stains and cigarette smoke or dated finishes that are squeaky clean and clearly well cared for? Think about what those things say about how you cared for the home while you lived there. Yes, carpets can be cleaned to get rid of the smell, but when I walk in a house and the dog smell hits me, I wonder what else the seller didn't keep up with. On the other hand, when I see a clean, fresh home that happens to be a little full, I figure this is a great house that the family just outgrew.
The bottom line is, you want your house to be neutral and cleared enough that potential buyers can see themselves living there, but still livable for you. Spruce it up a bit, but it doesn't make sense to sink a ton of money into a home you're trying to sell. Consider how you would feel walking into this home for a showing. If there's something that would turn you off, or something you've hated since you moved in, change it! Otherwise, clear, clean and organize and cherish your last weeks in your home!
You don't want your house to look bare, but a bit of tidying will make your home seem bigger with more storage and help buyers picture themselves living in, not just visiting, your home. All of this will help your home sell faster and for a better price.
My personal experience
When we sold our last home I wasn't a Realtor yet so we used a family friend. Her assistant came over and tore the place apart staging it and making me clear out every shred of evidence that a family lived there. By the time she finished, our house felt cold and stark, the furniture layout made the living room look huge but barely function for our family, and despite having spent the last five years making it our home even I didn't want to live there. She actually told me "it doesn't matter what you think, it's not your house anymore" and I vowed then and there I would never make anyone feel the way I felt in that moment.
It was rough. But while I hated the way she handled it, she did have a point. When selling your home, it does still need to be your house in that it needs to function to house you and your family until you move. Aesthetically, though, it needs to appeal to as many people as possible. That's why depersonalizing and decluttering while keeping a sense of home is so important in preparing to list your home for sale.
So let's talk about some easier, kinder ways to make your home appeal to the most people possible.
Depersonalize
Yes, do take down most of your photos. Buyers need to be able to see themselves living here, not be wondering if they know the woman in that picture. But do not remove every shred of evidence that a family lives here. After all, buyers need to be able to see themselves living here, and no one wants to live in a hotel!
Declutter
This does not mean take down every decoration you have. It means clear the stack of papers from your kitchen counters, the toiletries you usually have strewn on your bathroom sink and the kids' toys from...well, everywhere! Bins and baskets are your best friends for showings. Not only will they reduce the appearance of clutter, you can carry them around with you for a quick tidy each time your leave so your home is always showing ready.
Clean out your closets
The best way to make your home look like you have tons of storage is to clear stuff out. Take at least half of your clothes out of your closets. Same with cabinets, drawers, anything you think potential buyers will open. Make sure what you do keep is organized. I can't tell you how many times I've had a buyer look under the sink to check for leaks and they couldn't even see because it was so full of STUFF.
Consider starting to pack
It will not only help you clear out some clutter, it will also save you time once your house does sell. Here's the thing, though - you don't want to look too desperate to move or you may get low-ball offers. So if you're going to start packing, either get creative (pack in existing luggage that has a home in the basement) or get those boxes out of the house. If you can take them to a friend or neighbor's house for safe storage, great! If you have an attic that's a great place to stash boxes because your average buyer isn't going to go in the attic on a first showing. If neither of these is an option, stack boxes neatly in the garage or basement. Just don't leave them out where it's obvious you're packing.
What not to do
Unless you're listing your house for upwards of $300,000, focus on making it safe, secure and sanitary, not on looking like it should be in a magazine. Don't spend tons of time and money on new flooring, fresh paint, etc. when what you have is perfectly fine. Don't get me wrong, if your carpet has a hole, your paint is peeling or your oven door looks like it's about to fall off please address those issues! But most buyers plan to paint when they move in so unless your walls are neon green, you're probably good. And not everyone wants carpet, no matter how new and plush it is so unless your flooring is torn up, save yourself the money and headache. You can always offer a flooring allowance to let a buyer get what they actually want.
Deep clean
Think about what feels more welcoming to you - everything freshly painted and looking new but smelling like pet stains and cigarette smoke or dated finishes that are squeaky clean and clearly well cared for? Think about what those things say about how you cared for the home while you lived there. Yes, carpets can be cleaned to get rid of the smell, but when I walk in a house and the dog smell hits me, I wonder what else the seller didn't keep up with. On the other hand, when I see a clean, fresh home that happens to be a little full, I figure this is a great house that the family just outgrew.
The bottom line is, you want your house to be neutral and cleared enough that potential buyers can see themselves living there, but still livable for you. Spruce it up a bit, but it doesn't make sense to sink a ton of money into a home you're trying to sell. Consider how you would feel walking into this home for a showing. If there's something that would turn you off, or something you've hated since you moved in, change it! Otherwise, clear, clean and organize and cherish your last weeks in your home!
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