When we put your Alameda home on the market, there will be many potential buyers and brokers wanting to view it to see if it will meet their needs.  Together, we will create a plan to present your home in the most attractive way possible, but there is one step that makes a huge difference in the overall look--getting rid of clutter.

While this seems obvious, it is often a very difficult thing to do, because of the emotional attachment that family members have towards the items in their various rooms.  However, it becomes necessary because it is important that buyers can envision themselves in your home.  It needs to be as open and inviting as possible to achieve this goal.

Here are some simple, and inexpensive ways to get the job done:

1. Remove As Much Furniture As Possible From Each Room--Keep only the furniture that fits your home's design, and your initial plan when you moved in.  Take time to decide what needs to be done in each room to make it light, open and inviting.  There is a wealth of information online and in design magazines to help you create this vision.

2. Remove All Personal and Family Items From Each Room--Keeping in mind that the home should be about the potential buyers, and not you, remove posters, trophies, exercise equipment, old magazines and stacks of books, children's toys, or anything else that takes up table tops or precious floor space.  Especially look at your pet situation.  Remove scruffy pet beds, pet toys, torn blankets, kitty litter, etc. from view, at least during the days of the tours. 

3. Don't Jam Items Into Basements and Back Rooms--While there is a temptation to put clutter in out of the way rooms, it discourages home viewers from seeing the real size and shape of your home. 

4. Set Up A Time To Declutter:  Make this a family project.  It will not work if one or two people dictate what has to go.  Start with the family rooms first to get into the swing of things, and then move to the individual rooms.  Set out 4 boxes for each room.  Label them "Keep", "Donate" "Throw Away" or "Sell", and then get moving! With a little bit of preparation time to allow everyone to consider their needs, it can move smoothly.  A super motivation is to set aside the funds from a family garage sale for a special trip or event. 

With a lot of the clutter gone, it will be a pleasant surprise all around when you can actually return to your original home floor plan and design, and show it off, once again.

 

 

 

 

Posted by Bruce Wagg on

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