Whether you bought a starter home or what you hoped would be a forever home, circumstances change. One thing that doesn’t change though, is the inevitable expansion that occurs when you become a homeowner. As time goes on, you acquire tools that need to be used just once or twice a year, like step ladders, lawn mowers, and leaf blowers. When it’s time to sell, you may find you’ve expanded just a bit too much. Getting rid of clutter is the first thing you need to do when you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, and sadly, unless you move frequently, there are very few people who don’t accumulate more than they should.
Here are seven reasons you need to get rid of that clutter to ensure a quick home sale.
- It’s all about imagined lives
- Help the potential buyer maintain focus
- Create the illusion of space to entice buyers
- Well-staged homes photograph better
- Maximize kitchen counter space
- Don’t borrow trouble
- Let your home show itself
Clutter makes it hard to think. You may not think of your collection of exotic masks from your foreign travels as clutter. But let’s face it, we don’t all like the same things, and if your home is bursting with small objects, buyers can’t imagine themselves in your space. You have to make room for them and their imagined lives in what might soon be their home rather than yours. Store the highly personal collections so buyers can see the space as theirs, and they’ll be more likely to make an immediate offer.
Extra seating, family photos and bone china tea cup collections are all distractions. You don’t want potential buyers to become so intrigued (or puzzled) by the things you’ve collected that they don’t actually register the house itself. You want them to look at the space, appreciate its best features and become convinced of its potential for their family.
By getting rid of extra seating, paring down the clothes in your closets and weeding out everything in the pantry, you create the illusion of more space, which is always a good thing. After all, empty rooms always look bigger than rooms filled with furniture.
Be strategic, though, and don’t leave yourself with nowhere to sit. Think of your home as wearing its Sunday best rather than sweats and a t-shirt. If there’s a chair the cat’s clawed, the sun has faded or that needs cleaning or reupholstering, get it out of the house. There will be plenty of time to kick back and relax in that past-its-prime lounger when you’re moved into your new home.
While you might get a viewing from an open house, most buyers these days are going to look at your house online. Good photos make all the difference, but you’re not going to get them if you haven’t decluttered. Put the family photos away, get all the toys into the toy box, remove the gym equipment and present a home that shows to advantage in both photos and real life.
Yes, it’s a pain. But even though your family uses the toaster and blender every day, putting them away provides a clean slate and makes potential home buyers think about all the meals they’re going to prepare in their new home.
If your home’s being shown to first-time home buyers, chances are good they’re looking for more space, particularly from a galley kitchen to one that has room for a table and chairs. Help them believe they’re going to be transformed by giving them the visual space they need.
Cluttered homes make potential buyers uneasy. Viewing someone else’s occupied home is slightly uncomfortable for most people. Clutter is not only a distraction; it makes your home look uncared for. This can make potential buyers start to ask themselves, “if they haven’t taken care of their possessions, what other problems are brewing here?” You could lose an offer if this kind of nebulous doubt sets in.
Let’s face it—you’re selling your home, not the couch and coffee table. By getting rid of clutter and replacing it with neutral but stylish accessories, you lead the buyer’s eye to the features of your home that are its true selling points. That means you’re going to get a quicker sale and a higher price than if you make a potential buyer struggle to see your home’s merits.