De-Clutter Your Home for Buyers

You have come to the conclusion of what needs to be done in order to sell it as quickly as possible. The word, “de-clutter,” comes up. You are sure that you are a very neat person and that everything will be clean when the potential buyers come to view it. Most sellers encounter this same situation each day.

De-cluttering is more than just keeping the baseboards dust-free and the countertops wiped down. Try some of the following tips and wow your buyers:

With pen, paper and clipboard in hand, tour the outside of your home, then the inside. As much as possible, pretend that you don’t own the house and even that you’ve never seen the place. You will quickly see what is meant by de-cluttering when you use this new perspective. Write down anything that is the least bit offensive to the eye, including unruly hoses, toys in the front yard, a busy mantle above the fireplace and newspapers stacked up in the laundry room. The list will seem longer the more times you go through the process. However, the more you notice, the more prepared your home will be for eagle-eyed buyers.

The biggest stumbling block for sellers preparing a home for the market is their lingering attachment to their house. From    repainting a room neutral, to taking family photos off the wall, sellers must accept that their time in that particular house is coming to an end. To counteract this mental block, take your most personal items out of rooms first. Get plenty of clear plastic tubs or boxes to store your items. Treat the de-cluttering process as if you are preparing a model home for viewing. In order to sell your home, you have to give the buyers room to imagine their personal belongings. Little daydreams about decorating your new abode should also counteract those strong attachments.

A good round of de-cluttering will often leave you with a pile of boxes and bins to contend with. Although stacking them up in a closet seems like a nice, out-of-the-way option, this may not be the best choice. Consider that closet space is often one of the key selling points for a home. Closets should look as impeccable as possible. This will aid greatly in creating a spacious  feeling. If the closets are crowded and messy, the buyer may think that your home is just not big enough, even if it has the square footage they want.

Your garage is the most acceptable place for storage in the mind of the buyers. Of course, not everyone has this luxury. If you can convince a family member, friend, or even a neighbor to let you store those boxes and crates, then take advantage of the opportunity. However, if you really need or want your storage items in the house, then try to stack them up in the least  conspicuous place you can find. A playroom or basement can usually stand to have a few of these bins stashed in the corner. Better yet, think about renting a temporary storage facility to house these things.

Despite all your efforts, be prepared to hear that you still have too many belongings cluttering the house. If this happens, just remember that we’re on your side and that we are the experts. Also, remember that a well-de-cluttered house is your quickest ticket to a “Sold!” sign.

 Courtesy of : The Kiper Team Offices:(636) 898-123, HOTLINE: (314) 729-1010 CLICK HERE to email us.