When a buyer walks into your home for the first time, you want them to be able to picture themselves living in the home. If your home is full of your belongings, odd and ends, family pictures etc. it makes the buyer feel like they are intruding on your space rather than being able to imagine themselves living there. One of the biggest reasons people move is because they need to upgrade to a larger space. If your personal items are filling the home, your prospective buyers may still feel crowded in the space and may not choose the home for that reason.

WHERE DO I START?

Determine Items you don't want to take with you.

Decluttering your home will help you keep the house tidy for showings, help make sure that you only move items you actually want to take with you to your new home and make unpacking easier. Go through your personal items and discard or donate items you no longer want or need.

Box Items you don't use on a regular basis.

After you've removed items you don't want to take with you to your new home, take a look at the items you don't use on a daily basis and box those items up and stick them in the garage. Remember that though buyers are usually respectful when they walk into a home that is occupied, they will still look inside the pantry and inside the closets.

ITEMS TO BOX UP:

Your summer or winter clothing
Kitchen items you don't use regularly
Office supplies
Children's toys
Books
Items in Storage Closets

AREAS TO TIDY UP:

Pantry
Drawers in Kitchen
Surfaces, counters and desktops
Bookcases
Closets
Storage areas

Once you've finished decluttering, it's time to deep clean the home. Keep in mind that buyers usually spend about 15 minutes in each home they look at and usually don’t go back unless they are almost certain your home is “the one”. Stinky smells, dirty floors, and dusty shelves usually don’t give a great impression and will likely cause your home to drop from first pick. So make sure you give your home a good deep clean before you show it! I always recommend to hire professional cleaners to do this for you rather than tackling it yourself. You have enough to worry about!

DOWNLOAD MY FREE HOME STAGING CHECKLIST HERE.