Realtors and Stagers...Just for one day let's try not using the evil "D" Word.
No not some of the other "D" words that we use (although you may be having one of those days where you want to use one) but I'm talking about the other over-used "D" word........DeClutter!
HGTV and the emphasis on Staging has made the word a household name and yet it's not yet in Merriam-Webster's dictionary. We've used it so much it rolls off our tongues like butter. When I ask a Realtor about a listing they want me to stage... first word out of their mouth is.,... you got it ... Declutter. And of course that's because the property is usually just that... in dire need of making the space visible to a buyer.
But why can't we use our imagination and find another not so trite way of saying they need to get rid of all of their excess cr__p.
And let's face it there's a little excess...
And then there's CLUTTER...
I've also found that when I'm speaking with a client it can be like speaking with a little child who knows they did something wrong and is waiting for the parent (me) to scold them by uttering the "D" word. They just know we're coming in ready to throw down the "D" word. Many times they're so relieved that I didn't use it, they're more than willing to listen to my suggestions.
Clutter can mean so many things... none of them being good. But, how would you feel if someone came into your home... looked at all of your beautifully framed photographs of your children, grandchildren and all of your special vacations and called them CLUTTER.
In a situation like this I try to suggest to my client the need to EDIT their collection. Think flies and honey folks.
So for today, if you're out on a listing appointment or giving a Staging Consultation, see if you can't come up with another way to tell your client to eliminate-purge- expunge or expel the disarray-disorder-derangement or chaos in their home.
What are some of the phrases you use??
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