Moving is number three on the stress list behind death and divorce. If one is not careful, moving can lead to numbers one and two!
That’s why when selling a home, it’s critical to think about moving and purging unwanted items in the beginning of the selling process. Staging is critical for achieving maximum selling value. The more clutter you get rid of, the more open a house is - making it easier for a potential buyer to picture themselves living there. We all hang on to stuff and having an action plan to get rid of excess/unwanted items will not only make for receiving a better price, but also for a better moving experience. Here are a few tips...
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Have a weekly plan
Dumping the entire house all at once isn’t realistic. But you also need to be in position to accept a great offer with a short moving window. That might mean 21-30 days. Therefore, divide the job of dumping before you put the house on the market and even right after. The primary bedroom and primary closet one week. The kitchen another week. The garage the next week, etc…
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Primary Closet
When it doubt, throw it out! Buyers always want to make sure there is enough room to have their belongings fit in your closet. It’s also probable that due to style changes or shape changes that you might be throwing away half your clothes. Try on your clothes and if it doesn’t fit, plan to purge. If you lose some unwanted pounds, then you’ll buy yourself a gift of a new wardrobe. If style has changed, it’s time for your unwanted treasure to become a more needy person’s treasure. Put the clothing you are keeping on a suede beige hanger and distribute everything carefully by color categories. If the end Buyer says, “they are so neat – the sellers must be accountants,” the price they pay for assuming you will take care of any problems will go up.
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Kitchen
The kitchen should be as open as possible. Duplicate appliances, things on the countertop, and dishes you are not going to use – get them moved out. This will all make your sweet kitchen something to savor.
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Living/Great Room
Dump older furniture that you aren’t going to keep if the style is too old. Same goes for large cabinetry and old televisions throughout the house. If you aren’t going to move it later, then what’s the difference if you throw it out now? Hoping that the Buyer will pay extra for it is improbable.
All of these strategies will make your mover love you and your move less stressful. It’s work you will need to do anyways but by doing much of this ahead of schedule, the moving company knows exactly what is coming and going and you don’t have the stress of worrying about it. Here are some additional staging strategies for a Florida home.
