Do you remember the last time you or someone you know sold a car? There was some work to do before advertising it or taking it to the car lot, right? Not many car sellers leave all the wrappers, empty water bottles, or Goldfish left behind by the kids.
Why?
Because a clean car gives off the impression of being well-maintained.
You want to give the same impression with your Southern Maryland house for sale, too! But sadly, cleaning and decluttering a car about to go on the market is routine. Doing the same for homes is not, which is strange. Your home is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars more!
First, get rid of the clutter
Scientific studies show that clutter causes anxiety in people who see it. That’s not a good state for a potential homebuyer to be in! This should be reason enough to get rid of excess stuff in your home.
This process can be overwhelming if you have a lot of stuff, but it doesn’t have to be. Remember the old advice on how to eat an elephant — one bite at a time — and apply it to getting rid of the clutter in your home.
In this case, take it one room at a time. If you try to do your entire home in one day, you’ll get frustrated and lose the mojo needed to complete the job, according to professional organizer Nicole Anzia.
“It’s much better to spend a few hours — two or three — on one project or space,” she tells Apartmenttherapy.com’s Catrin Morris. “This way you’ll feel motivated to do more, not be burned out by the process.”
For those who burn out quickly, Anzia suggests doing one room at a time, “in 30-minute bursts … work for 30 minutes, take a half-hour break, then work for another 30.”
Depersonalizing comes next
While you’re getting rid of clutter, you may find that you end up actually doing a lot of the depersonalization process, too.
In a nutshell, depersonalizing a home involves removing anything of an overly-personal nature.
Think about model homes in Southern Maryland new-home communities. These homes are carefully staged to appeal to the broadest number of buyers, and they are decidedly depersonalized.
You want buyers to be able to imagine themselves living in the home, with their furniture and their belongings.
Some of what you should remove and store includes:
- Excess family photos
- Framed diplomas, degrees, and awards
- Extra toys
- Magazines and professional journals
- Craft items
- Anything on the refrigerator doors
- Anything that sits on the kitchen and bathroom counters that isn’t decorative
- Paperwork
- Anything of a religious or political nature
- Sports memorabilia
Depersonalization goes beyond removing overly personal items from the home. Consider repainting walls that are currently painted in a bright or odd color and getting rid of odors from cooking, pets, babies, and smokers.
Don’t go overboard in depersonalizing your Southern Maryland home, however. Leave some traces of your personal statement so that buyers get an idea of the lifestyle the home offers.
Leonardtown MD Homes for Sale and Real Estate Services in Southern Maryland. You now have a search engine to help you with your Southern Maryland home search! And I’m ready to provide you with a custom home valuation if you’re considering selling your home. Let’s connect to discuss how I can help you. Contact Kimberly Bean at 301-440-1309
Powered by WPeMatico
