Read any Top 10 list of things to do to prepare your house
for sale and “Get rid of the clutter” is sure to be on it.
But how important is cleaning up really? Does your home have to
look immaculate, like it’s been torn from the page of a decorating
magazine? Can’t the average buyer look past a little clutter
and see the value of your home for what it really is?
The answer lies in psychology.
Clutter - a disorganized garage, an overstuffed closet, a
disheveled basement - can make people feel uneasy and even
edgy. In a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology,clutter was even linked to depression.
In addition, clutter can create a feeling of hesitancy, even inertia.
“At the sight of clutter people shut down,” says organization
expert Cathy Philips. “They don’t want to do anything”.
But you want a home buyer to do something - make you an offer!Clutter can also draw attention to the wrong things. Instead of
a big double garage, for instance, a buyer’s attention may be
focused instead on boxes, lawn equipment and bikes piled
in the corner. Clutter can instantly turn a great selling point
into a turnoff.
And if all that isn’t enough, clutter has the knack for making
everything seem smaller. A big spacious closet can look
downright claustrophobic when stuffed to the ceiling with
shoes, clothes and boxes.
So don’t underestimate the psychology of clutter. According to
research by HomeGain, getting rid of clutter ranks as one of
the best investments you can make in preparing your home
for sale, averaging a 594% return on your investment.
Looking for more ways to sell your home faster and for
more money? Call today.
Experts suggest that you put 30% of your things in
storage when preparing your home for sale. This is
unpractical for most people. But it does pay to
make your home look spacious and as uncluttered
as possible. So where to put the stuff? Here are
a few tips:
Store it. A friend’s basement or garage is yourcheapest alternative. There may be public
storage facilities located nearby as well.
Sell it. Have a moving sale? You can place anad in the local paper, or stick a few notices
around the neighborhood. Garage sales work
very well, too.
Give it away.
Many non-profit organizationsaccept used items such as furniture and
clothes. Some will even pick them up for you.
Dump it. Sometimes the best place for an itemis your local garbage dump or recycling depot.
Hanging onto things that are not really important
to you prevents you from enjoying the things
that are.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination
of non-essentials.
None of us owns a single, solitary thing
permanently. Each of our things flows through our
fingers temporarily, on its way to somewhere else.