No prospective homebuyer wants to walk into a home only to find clutter scattered everywhere yet it happens every day. When selling your home, you want to take time to remove all the clutter before anyone visits. For some reason, too many people think all their trinkets, pictures, and collectibles are going to interest prospective buyers but in truth, it makes a home look not just cluttered but also small.
One of the worst mistakes home sellers make is not getting rid of the clutter. We suggest you work room-by-room, looking around to see what all can be removed. A good rule is that anything not being used should go. For instance, if you have a hallway table that is covered with family photos, take this time to pack the photos for your move, replacing them with a vase of fresh flowers.
If you keep wood by the fireplace, even in the summertime, take the wood outdoors. Then, rather than all the things on the mantle, clear everything off, keeping just a few attractive candles and perhaps a decorative box for matches. Bookshelves piled high with books should be packed up with the exception of a few. Then, keep just a few of your favorite knickknacks, making the entire area cleaner and neater.
In the bathroom, two coordinating hand towels neatly folded next to decorative soap and perhaps a candle or flowers is all you need on the countertop. If you love perfume, again, we suggest you keep out just a few of your favorite bottles, moving everything else to packing boxes. You also want to go through closets and cabinets, cleaning out anything not needed. In this case, your linen closet should be orderly with just a couple sets of sheets, a blanket, and perhaps quilt with everything else being boxed up.
As you go through each room, you will be amazed at how much personal “stuff” you can go ahead and box up. In addition to making the home more presentable for buyers, you are getting ahead of the game for your own move by packing. The result for potential buyers is walking into a home that appears larger, providing them the opportunity to envision all of their personal “stuff” in the home, rather than your things.