Preparing your home to sell
means presenting a home which is attractive to buyers. If you’re going to be
living in the home while it’s on the market, and you’re choosing not to stage
it, you absolutely must go through a decluttering process. It can feel overwhelming
at first, but I assure you the process can be broken down into manageable steps
which will help your home sell potentially faster and for a better price.
1. Take photos of
what you’re up against. You might think
things look pretty good until you see your home with the unflinching eye of the
camera. Photograph every room from multiple angles and you’ll begin to see what
buyers will see. Don’t forget to snap the closets, laundry rooms, and garage.
2. Plan a
room-by-room attack. This doesn’t have to be done
in a day, a weekend, or even a week. Depending on your timeline, tackle as much
or as little as you can reasonably manage before burning out. If you try to do
too much at one time, you’re likely to start making unfortunate compromises
about what stays and what goes.
3. Use a
checklist. When you assess a room, list what needs to be done
and then the orderin which it makes the most sense to do it.
Visualizing the process will prevent you from wasting time. For example: You
may find that certain pieces of furniture can go, and if you haven’t planned
for help moving them out, you can get stalled.
4. Be ruthless. You
have clothes you haven’t worn in years, piles in the garage you’ve moved
around, and shelves of unread or dispensable books. Start thinking of those
“perfectly good” somethings you’ve been hanging onto as anchors dragging down
your home’s appeal.
5. Stay motivated. Tell
yourself: Less is more. Remind yourself: Every box that goes to Goodwill is a
box you won’t have to lift, relocate, and unpack on moving day. This is an
opportunity to refresh your life!
6. Pile it up. Sort
things into “give away,” “throw away,” and “sell.” Some things can go to
friends, others can go to charity. Keep in mind the real market value of items
if you plan on selling them online (they’re probably worth less than you
think). Some you can unload curbside, other items may be destined for
freecycle.org, Craigslist.org, or a local junk pick-up service.
If you need someone who can
see your home with a buyer’s eyes, don’t hesitate to invite me over. I’d be
happy to provide you with a fresh perspective on your decluttering mission. Get
in touch today!
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