When a real estate client considers selling a home, often a realtor or someone on their team will walk through the house with the client and give suggestions on how their home might appeal to the highest number of buyers. These ideas usually include decluttering, cleaning, and making some changes or improvements to the space. A realtor knows a potential client will always be more interested in a clutter-free home than one littered with knick-knacks, piles, stacks of books and papers, and over-crowded gallery walls.
What if you were to make these changes before you thought about selling, reaping the benefits of your hard work and not just potential buyers? Later, if you do decide to list your home, you will be one step ahead of the rest.
The following are three changes you can implement now to create more enjoyment of your home. Remove the clutter, reduce the amount of furniture and decor, and give your home a deep clean. There may also be repairs and improvements you should consider, but the aforementioned ideas are an easy and affordable start.
Remove the Clutter
Clear kitchen counters and islands, bathroom counters, and other surface spaces. Store items in a drawer or cabinet. Baskets and boxes also work well to store items and reduce the amount of small clutter. Chunking items together gives the appearance of less and will make your home feel more spacious.
Clear the refrigerator of papers, magnets, photos, and other objects.
Clear out the shower stall or bathtub of all items except for those things you use every day.
Reduce the Amount of Furniture and Decor
Pack up items you do not use regularly. If you can not bear to part with the objects right away, put them in a box. Eventually, if you do not miss the items, consider donating them to Goodwill or another non-profit organization.
Reduce the amount of items hanging on your walls, and knick-knacks and other items on your shelves. If you are unsure of which items to leave and which to put away, consider rotating them. For example, leave some paintings on the walls and after six months to a year, switch out the paintings for those in storage. This will add variety to the appearance of your walls, and your home will feel more spacious and less cluttered.
Reduce the amount of furniture or objects you have in a room. Remove big bulky pieces that take up space. Once you have removed furniture you do not need, rearrange your pieces to see if you cannot make your room appear more spacious.
Do a Deep Clean
Rent a carpet cleaner from a hardware store and give your carpets a deep clean. Wash your windows, and wash your drapes and curtains. Air out and freshen your space. Clean those areas you do not usually clean.
A Fresh Start
The start of the year is the perfect time to make adjustments to your life and your house. We would love to hear about what changes or decluttering suggestions make a difference in the life and enjoyment of your home.
The Michael Stoltzfus Group is located in Lancaster, PA and serves the Lancaster County and Central Pennsylvania area. We work diligently to help home buyers and sellers like yourself achieve their home goals. With extensive experience and knowledge of the area, the real estate team at Michael Stoltzfus Group will provide friendly and professional support for your entire real estate transaction.
Contact us online where one of our professional team members will respond via email or call us today at 717-380-3367.