80% of us have too much STUFF!

We don’t necessarily know that we have too much stuff because we are masters at squirreling it away in every creative nook and cranny we can find in our abodes.

When we run out of nook and cranny space, we begin tolerating more stuff on our counter and table tops . . . and we begin stacks of stuff on the floor or start filling rarely used rooms.

When the house reaches maximum density, it’s time to rent a storage unit because . . . we don’t want to get rid of our stuff.

What happens when we decide we want to sell the house and move to a larger house because our current house doesn’t have enough room for all of our STUFF?

The REALTOR tells us to “declutter” which immediately feels like a daunting impossible task because it’s a matter of ridding the main areas of the house of visible stuff . . . and the house is already at maximum density.

The trick is that most of us have no clue how much stuff we really have . . . That is . . . Until we move!

Most of my clients tell me that they underestimate their amount of stuff by at least 50%, so they rent a truck that’s not big enough to do the move in a single trip thereby doubling the amount of time it takes to move resulting in an amazing amount of STRESS for them and likely for every other human and pet involved.

Believe me. there IS a better way.

This is going to take a dose of patience and discipline, but it’s worth doing.

On that very morning that you wake up with the idea that you’d like to sell your house and buy another house, START PACKING!

Not later . . .

Not after you’ve called your REALTOR to list the house . . .

Not after you’ve started looking for another house and visiting Open Houses . . .

The truth is that, once you’ve entered the process of Selling a house and Buying another, things move VERY quickly these days, so it behooves you to take care of the nasty work of dealing with your STUFF before you dive in.

Yep! Go ahead and buy a bushel of boxes from the local U-Haul and start packing everything in your house that you haven’t touched in the past 6 months . . . Yes! ALL of it!

Stack these boxes in ONE room of your house . . . The goal is to empty all the other rooms.

As you see that room fill to capacity, begin thinking about all of this STUFF and how much of it really needs to go to the new house. Do you honestly want to take all of that STUFF that’s been in your attic and basement all these years into your new house?

How much of that STUFF could you live without (and never notice)?

Get rid of THAT stuff . . . Donate to Goodwill, give books to the local school or library or McKays, and fill your trash cans every week with stuff that has no value.

As your house gets emptier (is that really a word), it gets more marketable because it will show SO much better . . . Prospective Buyers will actually be able to see the house instead of the stuff (Forrest/Trees).

So . . . My point . . . Don’t wait for a REALTOR to tell you to do this. Just DO IT!

Take the initiative . . . It’ll make you beaucoup $$$$$

When you’re done, call your REALTOR!

My guess is (and I’m not kidding) you’ll net 20% more dough (Money) by implementing this mischievous little scheme.

Try it!

I think you’ll like the results.

About Barry Owen

Residential Real Estate Principal Broker and Founder of Pareto Realty, LLC. Creating the quintessential real estate firm with emphasis on "Live, Work, & Play" balance . . . and a true Performance Oriented environment for Real Estate Professionals. Serving the Real estate needs of Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee.