"Clutter Control, Putting Your Home on a Diet" by Jeff Campbell is an amazing book to read. It's a easy read and it's extremely funny. I'm bringing up this topic, as a Real Estate Agent, because clutter is something that I deal with on a regular basis when working with my seller clients. The bottom-line is that a home does not showcase well and sell quickly if it's filled with the seller's clutter. It's an uncomfortable conversation to have, but it's very necessary to discuss with seller's the impact on the sale of the home if it does not go on a clutter diet right away. Jeff, in his book, gives some tips on what you can do, as a seller and homewoner, to control and eliminate the clutter. I will like to share this with you.
1. When in doubt, throw it out. You have to figure out that if something has been stuffed in a closet, basement, or attic for years without you using it ever, then it's probably something that you don't need. Sell it, give it away, or just throw it out all together.
2. Use it, or lose it. Jeff explains that the use it means the here and now. Do not use the excuse that I will need it later on.
3. Efficiency counts, so store things accordingly. You must come up with a system to store things that you will use, in a neat an efficient matter.
4. Handle some things once. For example, when the mail arrives-read it, toss it, pay it, file it, etc.
5. Recycle it. Give away your old magazines and books to a school library, hospital, or nursing home. Use old towels for rags, use Mayonnaise jars as containers.
6. Pick a number and stick with it. If you need 20 pairs of shoes, and 20 towels, and 20 figurines-then stick with that number of 20 and discard the rest.
7. Use a file cabinet. File cabinets are great to store photo's, important documents, old articles, kid's schoolwork, warranty information, receipts, tax returns, mail, and supplies like pens and paper.
8. Do Something. The fact of just thinking about getting rid of the clutter may cause some inspiration.
9. Find a place for everything. The fact that you have clutter probably means that you have an abundance of items that are not able to fit in a place.
10. Items displayed in the house have to pass a test. Because there is only so much space in your home, there must be a solid reasons why the items are in your home. The simple test is function or form. Just because someone put something in your home, doesn't mean it has to stay there. Go through your house and ask does this item function or does it have form-meaning do I enjoy seeing it as I enter a room.
For more ideas on how to reduce or eliminate clutter in your house before selling, please read "Clutter Control, Putting your home on a diet" by Jeff Campbell.
Thanks for reading my blog post.
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