Home Owner Tips

Declutter

If you are thinking about selling within the next year, start this now. I have seen buyers walk through homes that have too much stuff everywhere and comment to me that it just looks messy. When a buyer thinks a home is messy, they figure that there are other problems with the home as well even if there is not! This is something that even I deal with sometimes as we just get so 'used to things' laying around that we do not even see them anymore. They almost become invisible! Do decluttering in two stages.

STAGE ONE:

 Get everything that you have not used in last few months (or years!), and do not anticipate using in the foreseeable future boxed up and in storage or the basement (neatly!). This would include clothes that you have not worn in long time, dishes / appliances that you have not used in forever, paperwork piling up, bathroom items and other things. These are items that you do not want to throw away or donate, but that you just do not need in your home on a day to day basis.

STAGE TWO:
This is when you are getting close to listing your home for sale. Now you want your home to be ready for buyers to walk through and have a good impression so that they think to themselves, "This is a clean and neat home, the owner must take care of it!" This will also help make moving day easier after your home is sold! Pack up even more clothes that you are not going to wear anytime soon, pack up toys, appliances that are not being used, other kitchen items, bathroom items, tools, books, art, etc. Put these in storage or boxed neatly into the attic or basement. Be sure to label all boxes with both the room they belong to, like, "Kitchen" and what is in the box "Dishes".