The 80-20 Rule (It will shock you to know)

You wear only 20% of what you own. 

When selling your home, you will want prospective buyers to think that your closets are big enough for them and their clothes.  It is imperative that your closets not be jammed to the rafters.  I am sure that you have seen those decluttering shows where the person has gone from being unable to see into the closet to having a closet with clothes on hangers and neatly organized.  How on earth did they go from a bazillion items to so little.  Here are a couple of tricks that were used and that you can apply yourself. 

1. You wear only 20% of what is in your closet on a regular basis.  That means that you can safely eliminate 80% of your closet and not go naked in the streets.  In the 80% there may be a couple of items that you have to save for sentimental or celebration reasons but the rest can be given away, sold on consignment, traded with friends (but not for more clothes) or packed until you arrive at your new home.
2. What do you really wear?  Take all your hangers and face the hooks in one direction.  Each time you take something out and return it to the closet after wearing it, face the hanger in the opposite direction.  After a few months, you will see what clothes you never wear - the hangers are still going in the original direction.  These are the items you can give away or sell.
3. Put your remaining clothes or nice hangers and spread them apart on the rod so there is space.  The wire hangers from the dry cleaners have to go.  Buy a few boxes of matching wood or white plastic hangers.  When on the rod , the same style of hangers lends continuity and also visual space.  A Buyer will be so happy to see how big the closet is.

Reduce the 80% to increase the value of your home.

Valerie Zinger  email: vzinger@royallepage.com  (613-723-5300)

Royal LePage Gale Real Estate,  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada