Home Staging Decluttering Recommendations
Blog post by Kathleen Murphy, Professional Organizer and Founder and Director of Organizing Options®, Montreal, Canada.
Decluttering is essential before your real estate broker considers your home as photo-ready to be listed on the market.
Home stagers can spend over 80% of their time on decluttering a home before the extras are considered, such as freshly cut flowers or a new welcome mat.
Homeowners who’ve lived in their home for 20, 30 or more years probably have a bit of “clutter blindness” on how their home will look to a prospective buyer.
“Clutter blindness” affects people who have lived in a clutter-ish situation for so long that they can’t picture their home looking any other way.
If you've ever been to an IKEA showroom, you may have noticed how spacious the makeshift rooms feel, even when they are rather small. This is due to an absence of clutter and the depersonalization of the showrooms. There are no clutter-obstacles and minimal personal memorabilia displayed in these rooms. This is a guiding principle for a photo and market-ready home.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Remove Personal Items
Family photos: Removing lots of framed family and vacation photos will give potential buyers the chance to imagine their own family photos throughout the house. Yet having just a few can give a feeling of warmth.
Personal care products: Remove shampoo bottles, used bars of soap, and other personal care products from sinks, bath tubs, and shower stalls, and tuck them out of sight. Remove hair brushes, hairdryers, make-up, and medications from countertops – always better not to display your product choices and health ailments.
Pets and related items: Remove all traces of fur, pet toys, dog beds, pet food, and of course your furry friends ahead of a buyer visit. Many people have allergies or are scared of dogs and cats.
Fridge: Clear off the magnets, notes, photos, and drawings. Keep the fridge décor-free for your home visits.
Children’s toys: Contain them in a toy box, a storage box, or on a shelf, not placed on furniture or on the floor.
Minimize the Excess
Do not worry about the empty space in your home; buyers will want to visualize their stuff fitting into the rooms.
From the garage: Having indoor parking is a bonus – declutter the garage. This is the time to declutter everything possible that you no longer want, need, and won’t bring on the upcoming move. Remove garbage, recycling, toxic materials, unused sports gear, broken BBQs, toys, garden supplies, furniture, and old tires.
From the closets: Do not overcrowd the closets. For example: clothes, hall, linen, and kitchen pantry. If every space is packed tightly, it’ll give the impression that there is a lack of space. Best of all, remember to have fun, which is more than possible with proper planning and professional resources.
Contact:
Kathleen offers such services as home staging, move coordination for seniors, and decluttering & organizing consultations to private clients in-person in the area and online.
Kathleen Murphy,
Founder and Director of Organizing Options®, Est. 2004
Downsizing and Move Organizer for Seniors
Montreal: 514-402-0709
Toll Free: 1-800-790-7585
kathleen@organizingoptions.com
Certified Professional Consultant on Aging®
Certified Home Stager, Home Staging Expert®
Certified Virtual Organizing Professional™