Getting Your Decatur GA Home Ready to Sell - Part 7 in the Series
Clutter, it's what makes real estate agents and home buyers shudder... Clutter is distracting to home buyers and they tend to notice that more than the house itself.
Closet Clutter
Closets are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not think of it as clutter. If you have a lot of clothes, try thinning out your closet by removing your winter stuff in summer and summer stuff in winter. If the season has passed and you didn't wear something, try getting rid of it. (This rule applies except for formal occasion clothes.) Do without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make your closets look crammed full.
Furniture Clutter
Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms - not too much for your own personal living needs - but too much to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see. Look at model homes to see how the furniture is placed. Put the extra furniture in storage or move it out.
Storage Area Clutter
Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it to the storage area.
Do not just put the box in the attic, basement, garage or a closet. Part of preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter," and that is the next step in preparing your house for sale.
Paper Clutter
If you don't already have a paper shredder, get one. Start going through and shredding unneeded paperwork. If you must keep it, box it up and store it. For your financial security, checkbooks and financial documents should always be put away when your home is being shown.
Bathroom Clutter
If you are one of those people that has multiple shampoo bottles, conditioners, bath toys, bubbles, scrubbing sea salts etc in your bath, please thin that out. Keep out what you use daily, but put the extra stuff away. Start using it up too. You'll want less stuff to move. Prescription drugs like financial documents should be safeguarded when your home is being shown too.
Uncluttering is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way home buyers see the home, even if you don"t realize it.
If it overwhelms you, start in one room and commit to just 15 minutes a day. If you do that everyday, soon you will control your clutter, instead of it controlling you!
Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages, attics, and basements. You want as much open clear space as possible, so every extra little thing needs to be cleared away.
Take a step back and pretend you are a home buyer. Let a trusted friend help point out areas of clutter, as long as you can accept their views without getting defensive. You can also try taking digital pictures. Sometimes pictures help us to see the things we don't normally see. Let your real estate agent help you, too.
By reducing the clutter in your home you will have less to clean, dust and maintain. When your Decatur GA home is on the market, it needs to look pristine. Less clutter can help with that.
I hope this 7 post series has been helpful in Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur, GA.
If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact local expert and Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.
View more of the Georgia Real Estate Voice. Search Decatur GA homes for Sale
See Part 1 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA - Kitchens
See Part 2 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Garage
See Part 3 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decautur GA- Curb Appeal
See Part 4 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Floors and Walls
See Part 5 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- De-Personalizing
See Part 6 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Lighting
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