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A fabulous new concept - "Pre-packing"

By
Real Estate Agent with Stamps Realty

It took me awhile to realize this, but people HATE to de-clutter.  Besides implying that their house is cluttered and messy, there's no goal except to remove stuff from a room...THEN what do you with it? 

Trying to think of what sellers are looking forward to, I realized it's PACKING.  When you're packing, you're going somewhere!  You've got an exciting adventure coming up!  Yee Haw, let's go! 

What better way to de-clutter than to START PACKING!  I now recommend that my clients "PRE-PACK."  They are asked to:

  • Pack up everything you aren't using now (winter clothes, holiday decorations, etc.);
  • Pack up everything you aren't going to need before you move (good china, crystal, etc.);
  • Pack up everything that's not vital to your existence in the home (cookbooks, family pictures, candles, excess videos/DVDs/CD's, etc.)
  • Pack up everything else that's smaller than a basketball.

I've found that having seller's do this serves more than one purpose:

  • Most importantly, it DE-CLUTTERS the house making it easier to sell, more quickly.
  • It get's the sellers excited about moving.  The less they have to pack later, the less stress they'll be under when it comes time for the big move.  If they do it right, all they have to do is pack a few boxes, their suitcases  and call the movers to get the big stuff and haul off the "already packed" boxes.
  • By being ready to go, they can "move quickly" for those buyer's that need a house RIGHT NOW.  

It's all in how we choose to look at a situation.  Instead of decluttering, explain this fabulous new concept of "pre-packing." 

 

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Tori Stamps, MA, JD

Stamps Realty

www.Stamps-Realty.com
www.LeipersForkRealEstate.com

615-512-5485 (cell)
615-595-1311 (office)
615-595-1312 (fax)
tori@stamps-realty.com


Info about the author:

Tori Stamps, MA, JD is a Franklin TN REALTOR® providing impecible service and attention to detail when you are looking to purchase and/or sell real estate in Williamson County, TN - including Leipers Fork, Franklin, Brentwood, Thompsons Station, Spring Hill and all other surrounding communities.  Please visit me at www.Stamps-Realty.com or  www.LeipersForkRealEstate.com for all your real estate needs.

If you're on the fence about buying a home in Franklin TN or its surrounding Williamson County TN communities, now is the time to buy.  Today's market is providing some great deals!  Now is the time to take advantage of the economy while interest rates remain at an all time low.  For more information on homes, estates and farms in and around Franklin, TN and its surrounding communities, you can search the MLS free of obligation at http://www.leipersforkrealestate.com/search-mls.asp.

Tori Stamps, MA, JD - Principal Broker/Owner - Stamps Realty, Inc. - 615.512.5485 cell

Copyright © 2009 By Tori Stamps, MA, JD.  All Rights Reserved

Comments (51)

Diana Corcoran
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Hudson Valley Properties - Rhinebeck, NY
Rhinebeck Real Estate
Tori: I use this approach also.  I call it "early packing" and say "you have to pack it anyway so let's jump start your sale with a streamlined home!  It seems to work most of the time.  The next thing I do is after they begin to pack I suggest a small storage unit for the packed boxes telling them it is much easier to continue the job if they have more space to continue their work.  This gets stacks of boxes that are in corners of the room or basement out of the house and makes it even more streamlined.  Diana
Mar 23, 2007 01:09 AM
Robert Hammerstein -
Christie's International Real Estate - Hillsdale, NJ
Bergen County NJ Real Estate

Tori,

In addition to this, we've had customers thank us for recommending these things because when they do have to do their final packing to move, they're amazed at how much stuff they still have to pack.  Especially when there are children in the home.  Good post because it's extremely helpful points for the sellers to note!

Lisa Hammerstein

Mar 23, 2007 01:31 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Great post, if only life were so easy....but it's a much better way to put it and hopefully they'll take the advice the way you chose to word it!  It really is all about perspectives, you've just changed the dreaded "decluttering" into pre-packing!  Love it!
Mar 23, 2007 01:53 AM
Stefan Scholl
Buyer's Broker of Northern Michigan, LLC - Petoskey, MI
Northern Michigan Real Estate
Thanks for the idea, Tori.  And by the way, Happy Clutter Awareness Week!
Mar 23, 2007 01:54 AM
David A. Podgursky PA
THE PODGURSKY GROUP @ Re/Max Direct - Boynton Beach, FL
THE PODGURSKY GROUP - Make the Right Move!

I like this idea as well... I think that it is always good to have a self storage facility on your referral list...

plus you never know when they'll have someone coming in town and renting short term while they meet someone to help them find a new home!

Mar 23, 2007 02:13 AM
T. Christopher Hill
RE/MAX TRICOUNTY - Robbinsville, NJ

  Tori , nice post and you spelled it out so very well. i have been using the term "pre-pack' for years and it is very effective. You can also give them the name of any local place where they can get boxes,packing tape etc. for low cost . Put the seller to work right away. i tell them to fill up the garage if they can to make the mover job easier. Another great sidebar to the dialogue is that if they balk and hesitate.........just how motivated to sell are they really???   Chrishill@remax.net

kepp up the good work

Mar 23, 2007 03:30 AM
Gina Dougherty
Fusion Design Consulting - Redondo Beach, CA
Home Staging Redondo Beach, CA- FusionDesignConsulting.com
Tori, this is great advice, it is the first step of Staging- you are a natural!
Mar 23, 2007 03:30 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

It is hard for buyers to see past others belongings.  Sometimes they just stand around caught up in the family photos. certificates, etc.  As a home stager, I recommend prepacking and depersonalizing! That makes it easier for the prospective buyers to picture themselves in the home and less like they are invading another's space.

Kathleen Lordbock

Re$ale Design 

Mar 23, 2007 03:59 AM
Keith Jeppson - Salt Lake City Real Estate
Everest Realty Group - Holladay, UT

Great advice Tori.  I always recommend prepacking and depersonalizing as well.  I recently  receommended a client rent a storage unit to put their stuff because it was so cluttered.  Sadly the storage unit was broken into and much of their personal history was stolen. 

Be careful what you recommend. 

Mar 23, 2007 04:43 AM
Christy Powers
Keller Williams Coastal Area Partners - Pooler, GA
Pooler, Savannah Real Estate Agent
I love this. It is so much better than the word declutter and it gets them into moving mode. Great Idea!!!!!
Mar 23, 2007 05:19 AM
Betsy Talbot
Married with Luggage - Seattle, WA

Hi, my name is Betsy and I'm a recovering Pack Rat.  :)  I was HORRIBLE.  Not until I met my husband the organization king that I mended my evil ways, and now I would not go back.  We have moved 3 times since getting married, and in all 3 instances every single box was unpacked within a week and pictures were on the walls.  Moving in is moving in completely!  The reverse is also true when getting ready to list the house - keep an open box in each room, and as you are talking on the phone or have a few minutes here and there each day, start packing.  It isn't overwhelming if you do it that way, just one box at a time.  You'd be surprised how many you can get packed in a day with that attitude.  At least if you are a recovering pack rat like me.  (and how much you will throw away when you realize you never used that thing and don't want to move it to your new lovely home)

Really, it is all in how you say it.  Great post!

Mar 23, 2007 05:21 AM
David A. Podgursky PA
THE PODGURSKY GROUP @ Re/Max Direct - Boynton Beach, FL
THE PODGURSKY GROUP - Make the Right Move!

Betsy... I am a pack rat too... but my excuse is that I grew up in a place where we had basements - no such thing in South Florida so my garage is chock full...

and not with my car which I don't think fits in it anyway!

 

Mar 23, 2007 07:13 AM
Joan Snodgrass
Midamerica Referral Network - Kimberling City, MO
Way to go!  Sure you aren't a closet psychiatrist? What a nice sneaky way to say 'declutter'. Pre-pack it is!
Mar 23, 2007 08:57 AM
Angie Vandenbergh
Crye-Leike, Realtors - Memphis, TN
A Crye-Leike Blogger
I really thinks that is a great idea. Makes people feel good about what they are doing and what you are telling them instead of telling them they have too much junk that will deter people. Most people love their homes and won't understand why everyone else doesn't love it just the way it is. Plus it would help out with the move. A little at a time. I like it.
Mar 23, 2007 09:43 AM
Tracy Santrock
Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC
Raleigh - Cary Broker

What a great way to ease your clients pain in a gentle manor and still achieve your ulitimate goal.....

to sell the house!!

Mar 23, 2007 09:55 AM
Ryan Hukill - Edmond
405home @ ERA Courtyard - Edmond, OK
Realtor, Team Lead
Wow Tori, that's a great way to motivate your sellers to do something that otherwise can be seen as a negative. It's amazing what changing a word or two can do to someone's outlook isn't it? Thanks for sharing... I'll be using this one!
Mar 24, 2007 04:12 AM
Irene Potter
ZipRealty Residential Brokerage - Maple Valley, WA
Creating moving experiences in real estate
I've been saying this to my clients for a while now, too. It's a really polite way to get the bric-a-brac stowed early. "Since you're going to be packing all of these items anyway, why not get a little bit out of the way early?" You can also appear as more of an advocate because you are protecting their breakables and other items of value.
Mar 24, 2007 05:46 AM
Christopher Webster
EXP Realty, LLC - Columbia, SC
Columbia South Carolina Real Estate For Sale

I agree! We as americans in today's society, have way too much STUFF. I recently came up with my own thoughts. What if a tornado or hurricane came? Would we be able to pack all this STUFF? No, so get rid of things! I give to women's shelters and burnout victims alot.

 

 

Christopher Webster
Remax Southern Shores
100 Hwy 17 South
North Myrtle Beach,SC 29582
(843) 249-5555
(843)450-1915 Mobile-Chris

chris@myrtlebeachhomeandloan.com

 http://www.chrisw3007.remax-carolina.com

 http://www.myrtlebeachhomeandloan.com
 http://www.soldthebeach.com

 

 

Mar 25, 2007 10:53 AM
William Collins
ERA Queen City Realty - Scotch Plains, NJ
Property and Asset Management

Tori,

Thanks for the post. I love the idea. I have since joining Activerain, including the introduction of a stager to help the owners with prepping the home for showings.

Mar 27, 2007 12:02 AM
Judith Reppert
United Country Countryside Realty - Mount Vernon, MO

"Pre-packing" is a great concept.  When we decided to sell our last home, we bit the bullet and decided to do some serious pre-packing, renting a storage unit to hold all the excess stuff. 

Our house looked so much better!  In the last few months before moving, we enjoyed living there more than we ever had.

And staged so nicely, it sold quickly, allowing us to complete our cross-country move to the next house.

Oh, and the pre-packed stuff?  It's still mostly packed & stored in a shop building.  Now I need to move on to the "giving away" part.

Great way to phrase the staging recommendation for your sellers.

Sep 16, 2009 06:29 AM