Organizing your home for sale can be a great way to help it sell quicker and at top dollar. It also allows you an opportunity to prep for your move by paring down, boxing up or just removing.
But organizing your home for sale is different than everyday organization. How so, you ask? Professional Organizing is about getting the most out of your space for how you and your family use it.
Organizing for a sale is all about how the space CAN be used for anyone. If you keep that principle in mind, it will help in your decision making.
As a professional organizer, here are a few of my favorite tips to help you get started.
Clean Surfaces
Many times we place things on counter tops for ease of use, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. This may work great for you but may lead others to believe your home does not have enough storage.
Clear off that space. This will give you a head start on packing up too.
Highlight the Home's Best Features
Every home has some great features that need to be highlighted.
Do you have high ceilings or lots of windows? Show them off by paring back heavy curtains or add some artwork to draw the eye up.
Do you have a hanging bar in your laundry room? Great, clear it off and leave 2 or 3 empty hangers.
Streamline Furniture
Mismatched, oversized, or lots of furniture can be confusing. Remove furniture and other items that take up too much space or block the flow of the room.
You want to show off the rooms features and use. Having that extra recliner may work well for you but it could confuse potential buyers.
They are looking to see how their furniture will fit and where the TV will go, so make it easier for them. This can also be a good excuse to part with some of that old furniture.
Tell the Story of the Room
Often we use rooms for multi functions. The guest room becomes the office, the dining room becomes the playroom.
Think about what the true function of the room is and what people are really needing. If you have 4 bedrooms but one becomes the office/playroom/man cave, then pick one theme.
This will allow the potential buyer to clearly picture the space for their needs.
Neutral Spaces
Furniture and accessories that are too personalized (to your style/taste) do not help others visualize their items in the same space. Pare down some of these in each room to have it feel more neutral.
For example, you may love a certain style of accessories. Pare them down to only a few and use them to highlight the function of the room.
Remember, this is your home but we all have a tendency to showcase it with a bias – our lens and preferences are unique to all of us. You want every potential buyer to see it as THEIR home too and you only get one chance to make that first impression.
Putting It All Together
Getting started is the hardest part but if you take it one step (or room) at a time it is less overwhelming. Asking friends or family for their perspective as you go can be helpful as well, as it’s always good to have a fresh set of eyes when you’re accustomed to looking at your space everyday.
And when you feel you’ve taken it as far as you can or you just don’t have the time to do it yourself, you can always hire a company like HBS Junk Removal with deep expertise in professional organization and decluttering spaces to help you achieve your goals for the space and get that home sold faster!