|
|
|
Seven Steps To De clutter Your Home For Sale
our home may be in good your home, less is truly more.
condition and well built,
yet simple clutter will 1) Front Yard
create a perception of chaos,
confusion, and disorder. The De-cluttering starts with your
purchase decision is an emotional front yard. Make sure the yard is
and intellectual response, based mowed and edged, and remove toys,
on a level of trust in your home. junk piles, empty flower pots,
When buyers see clutter, they etc.
assume that the home has been
neglected, with more to fix than An evenly cut yard is pleasing to
meets the eye. This perception the eye. Fertilize the grass a
undermines your home's market month or two ahead.
value.
Overgrown, woody shrubs give an
De-cluttering is an essential old, tired look. Trim or remove
part of your preparation, and is them.
virtually cost free. This
activity is goes hand in hand Do not allow shrubs to cover
with moving. Before you put your windows. They block light on the
home on the market, have a garage interior, and give an appearance
sale, throw some things out, and of crowding on the exterior.
box stuff up. Your move will be
easier, and you will create an Coil hoses and place any tools
open, spacious, simplified look inside the garage.
that buyers love. If you need
support, a local home staging Find a place to store extra cars
service can work with your or boats - other than the front
furniture and create a whole new of your house.
look. When it comes to selling
De-clutter flower beds. Mulch is and are a form of clutter. Clean,
inexpensive (about $2.00 per paint, and eliminate as many of
bag), and does wonders to these as possible.
simplify garden beds, especially
in winter when plants are thin. Pay close attention to your front
Add flowers on the porch or in door. Is it dirty, darkened by
beds if weather permits. mildew, or in need of
re-finishing? Fresh paint or
Too many flowerpots are stain will make a huge
distracting - use a few large difference.
pots with healthy plants.
Consider having your whole house
Never have empty pots or dead power washed to remove stains,
plants sitting around. spider webs and other clutter.
Dried wreaths may be used on The foyer should be clear of
doors in winter, for a simple shoes, coats, or excess items on
focal point. the walls.
2) Entry Create a single focal point in
the entry with an attractive
The buyers' first impression is table or painting.
critical, and shapes their
attitude throughout the showing. 3) Living Areas
Invest in a brand new welcome Rooms should be sparsely
mat. furnished to appear larger and
lighter.
Stains, scratches and dirty spots
create distractions to the eye, The garage or an off-site storage
room can be used to hold extra but reduce these to just a few
pieces of furniture. nice pieces.
Move large pieces of equipment - Remove hunting trophies. They can
drums, telescopes, exercise be overwhelming in a small room,
equipment, etc. - to the garage and may bother some buyers.
or off-site.
Large plants often take up too
Do not allow furniture to block much space. Allow only a few
windows, doorways, or traffic healthy plants in the house.
patterns through rooms.
Bookshelves add a warm touch to a
Do not allow wires to cross room, but be sure that they are
traffic patterns. not overloaded.
Choose one or two elements as the Place books so that the backs are
main points of interest in a room even. Lay some books
- wood floors, a view, a table or horizontally, and leave open
piece of furniture, a nicely made space for art objects.
bed, etc.
Open window blinds and leave on a
Too many personal collections and few lamps for pleasant lighting.
photographs are distracting for
buyers. 4) Kitchen
Buyers must be able to imagine The kitchen is the heart of the
their own family in the home. home and plays an important part
in attracting the heart of a
A few decorative items or buyer. This is an active area
photographs on tables are fine, that usually needs special
attention. contribute to a warm, elegant,
organized look.
Clean, evenly finished cabinetry
is a must. Add new paint or Some suggestions: Flowers, fruit,
stain, if necessary. cookbooks, wine, bowls, antiques,
new dish towels, small designer
Benjamin Moore Paints has a appliances, etc.
product called "Howard's
Restore-a-finish" that works Often the area under the sink
wonders on scratched or worn needs organizing and cleaning.
cabinets.
Never leave trash containers out
New cabinet pulls are an in the kitchen.
inexpensive item that can help
tie the room together in terms of 5) Bathrooms
colors and finishes.
It is important to de-clutter
Remove purely functional items - bathrooms to give them a touch of
such as baking pans, small elegance or romance.
appliances, vitamins, phone
books, plastic bags, etc. Keep in mind that you will give
up some privacy during the
Do not have notes or photos on marketing period.
the refrigerator.
Start by removing everything from
Clear the counters completely, the counters.
then add back a few decorator
items. Remove any toilet brushes or
cleaners that are visible.
Choose decorative pieces that
Put items that you use daily - Bedside lamps add a warm ambience
toothbrushes, soaps, razors - in for showings.
a container, and place the
container inside in a cabinet. Remove excess paintings or photos
from the walls.
Decorate with fresh soaps,
flowers, bowls, photos, or In some cases, old curtains do
designer bath items. more harm than good. Take them
down and clean the windows for a
Invest in new towels and fold fresh look.
them carefully.
Children's bedrooms usually need
Never leave medicines, money, x to be simplified. Take down
rated magazines, jewelry, guns, posters and box up toys. Avoid an
or personal possessions of this overcrowded look.
type on display.
7) Closets
6) Bedrooms
Organize your pantry with
Bedrooms should appear restful everything facing forward. Remove
and serene. Sparsely furnished is excess food and containers.
best.
Relieve your closets if they are
Use your best covers, or invest stuffed. Pack items that are not
in new ones if yours are worn. needed.
Clear off bedside tables, and add The laundry room often functions
back just a few books or nice as a spill over room with junk on
items. the shelves. Clear everything
out, and have just a few soap
boxes visible. and distracts buyers during
showings. They should not be
Often sellers have organized required to "look past" your
their homes to express themselves possessions. They are there to
- their travels, collections, see if your house fits them, and
interests, favorite colors and their emotional level response is
unique tastes. However, when a strong factor in their
selling a home, the goal is just decision. Warm, clean, simple,
the opposite. It is to create a spacious, well lighted, neutral -
clean, simple background that and uncluttered - these are the
many different buyers would like keys to getting the best price
to move into. for your home.
Excess items and clutter confuses
About the Author:
Roselind Hejl is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker United in Austin, Texas. Her website - Austin Texas Real Estate - http://www.weloveaustin.com - offers homes for sale, search MLS, buyer and seller guides. Let Roselind help you make your move to Austin.
Top 25 Residential Agents - Austin Business Journal
Source: www.isnare.com
|
|
