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Going, Going, GONE!

By
Home Stager with Dressed for Success

 You're moving. Do you really want to pack, schlep and unpack everything in your house?  Are there things you can part with now?  Your home will look more organized, more spacious and more inviting if you remove the unwanted items. Buyers want to imagine that their new home will be organized, that every item they own will have its own spot in the house. 

Asking the Difficult Questions:

  • When was the last time you used it?
  • When will you need it again?
  • Why would you need it again?
  • Who might ask for it?
  • What would you need it for?
  • Is it easily replaceable?
  • What's the worst thing that would happen if you got rid of it?
  • Is it beautiful, useful, or loved?
  • Is there some other way you can remember it - Take a picture of it, frame it, scrapbook it

Not sure what to part with?  Here is an exercise for you: Empty all of the contents of your kitchen utensil drawer into a box. Over the next month, when ever you take one out and use it.  Put it back in the drawer.  At the end of the month, anything left in the box, get rid of it! (Don't forget to keep that turkey baster that you know you use twice a year)

Put out several boxes to hold your items.  Sort them into the following categories:

  • Keep - Items you know you love and use
  • Give away - Items that you can part with, give away to charity
  • Trash - Items that can't be repaired or used by others
  • Not sure - Really not sure you want to part with it?  Put it in here and come back to it later.
  • Sell - Valuable items you can consign, garage sale or ebay
  • Return - Items that need to go back to the store, or you've borrowed from friends and family

Comments (6)

Stefan Scholl
Buyer's Broker of Northern Michigan, LLC - Petoskey, MI
Northern Michigan Real Estate
Great advice, Alyse, and Happy Clutter Awareness Week!
Mar 23, 2007 01:55 AM
Maureen Graziano
Third Eye Home Staging - West Islip, NY
Hi Alyse - Great blog.  I agree, I grew up in a cluttered home.  I am the biggest "thrower outer".  I can't stand hoarding.  It is definitley a mental sickness!!!! People should use moving as a great way to get rid of "too much stuff" and help to simplify their lives.  Lets face it, in this country, we all have way to much and could probably give half away and still have too much!!!!
Mar 23, 2007 02:06 AM
James Frazier
James Frazier Personal Development Coach - Rockford, IL
Sage advice and a great technique for starting the process of cutting down. I have done this in a slightly less organized manner. I did have different piles for tossing, keeping, giving away, and selling (I always think that I am going to have a garage sale-never happens but it is a nice fantasy)and then when I am finished I go back through the keep box and force myself to give away additional items. I keep telling myself that a better use of this item would be for someone else to get it rather than it sit stored in my house unused.
Mar 23, 2007 03:05 AM
Leslie Godbold
WZGM AM1350 Independent Asheville Radio - Asheville, NC
Motivation Speaker, Radio host "Positively Living"

Nice infoirmation for my staging clients.

Another reason to use Home Stagers now...So you will be more organized in your new home.

Thanks Alyse

Mar 23, 2007 03:13 AM
Teri Eckholm
Boardman Realty - White Bear Lake, MN
REALTOR Serving Mpls/St Paul North & East Metro

Great ideas...Kids rooms and kitchen cupboards are the worst!

 

Mar 23, 2007 06:25 AM
Penny Province
Province Staged Properties - Denver, CO
Province Staged Properties
Thanks Alyse, this is a great blog--just full of fabulous ideas and information to pass on to our homesellers.
Mar 23, 2007 06:43 AM