HOME SELLING TIPS FROM DOOR COUNTY, WI
The Benefits of Living Light: Moving to a New Home
and just generally Giving Up Too Much Stuff
I recently had the pleasure of helping some new friends sell their home, and they are older and have accumulated many things. When I commented on this, they initially laughed, and told me that when they moved from Illinois to Door County that they had downsized by half.
Fast-forward to their home sale, and six weeks of packing, and then a few weeks in multiple storage facilities, and then six weeks of unpacking--and you get the picture. During my last telephone conversation with my client, she said "I'm pulling my hair out! How in the world did we ever end up with so much 'stuff'???!!!!!"
Well, these are my words of wisdom for the week (or some life-long wisdom for everyone)--"STUFF" NEVER ENDS! From my daughters packing up and leaving to and from school, to cluttered drawers, closets, cabinets, basemens, attics, garages, storage rooms....we all have "stuff". And even though I thought I was living "light", a good look around my home this week told me that we have WAY too much stuff.
There are many benefits to living light, regardless of whether or not you are selling a home, but this has served as another GREAT lesson to remind my Sellers EVERY DAY that their one perfect Offer may come in tomorrow--and then what do we do with all of that "stuff" they've been sitting on for the past several years if their buyer wants to close in six weeks?
TOP REASONS TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD AND
GET RID OF YOUR EXTRA "STUFF" NOW
1. Your listed home WILL sell. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but it will. And you need to be ready. Too much stuff will drag you down and cause tension during your move.
2. There are other people that NEED your "stuff". Gently used coats, shoes, business attire and other clothing items can truly help families in need of warm winter clothing, or assisting people who are applying for jobs that may not have the appropriate clothing and need to start an inexpensive business wardrobe. People also adore vintage clothing and accessories (I know I do)...and don't forget the upcoming Halloween.
3. You can get MONEY for your "stuff". Need some cold, hard cash? Time to declutter! Door County has some fantastic consignment stores (Second Hand Sue's, Julie's Upscale Resale), where you can get cold, hard cash for the things you are no longer using. And many of my BUYER clients frequent these stores waiting for furnishings to come in from the homes that I am selling for their own new homes. Also, everyone likes a fresh new look for their home--so long as you get rid of the "old stuff". You can often find true treasures at our consignment stores and at Bargains Unlimited. If you're moving to Door County and need furnishings, ask me about any of these great stores. And don't forget garage sales (Sister Bay has a Village-Wide Rummage Sale each spring) and estate sales.
4. You can get tax deductions for your "stuff". Check the IRS rules or with your accountant, and donate needed items to local charities. We have a great store in Door County called Bargains Unlimited where the proceeds of sales of donated goods help support our local retirement home, and the items we donate are tax deductible as allowed by law.
5. Your kids may not want your "stuff". I still a lot of homes where the family has already "yellow tagged" the things they want from Mom and Dad. That means you KNOW what your nearest and dearest want, and you can start to declutter of the things they do NOT want.
6. Getting rid of the "stuff" will help your home sell faster. I can make suggestions as a Broker selling your home, and one of the first things is going to be to get rid of whatever you can, and box up whatever you will need that is detracting from your currest space.
There will always be someone that can use your "stuff" somewhere. We are a nation of over-consumers, and if you're planning a move, the best thing you can do NOW is to use these tips to lighten your load for the future.
And that being said, I also plan to practice what I preach! I plan to work on a complete declutter over the next several months, and I'll bet I won't miss the old desk I never, ever sit at (but that holds a stack of paper a foot high, that can also be disposed of), the old cans of paint that have dried solid, and the million other things between the house and garage. If I want to buy new clothes, I have to give away or donate what I'm NOT wearing (how many purses do I really need)? When you're ready to list, call me and we'll talk about the journey to get rid of the things you really don't need.
The Benefits of Living Light: Moving to a New Home
and just generally Giving Up Too Much Stuff
(One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure)
HOME SELLING TIPS: PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR SALE
A nice example of a well-staged room with a lot of open space and
not too much "stuff" to detract from the space
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