You’re selling your home and have booked an Occupied Staging Consultation. You’d like to get a head start before the appointment. How do you make the best use of the intervening time?
De-cluttering is top priority. De-cluttering before our arrival helps us appreciate the space and improves our recommendations. If we suggest any repairs or updates, it will be easier to clear the decks in preparation for the work.
We may recommend that your closets and cupboards need to be one-half to two-thirds empty. Items normally sitting on counters will have to be stowed there so you’ll need to create more free space than you think.
As William Morris, British designer and poet, said: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Most of us have things in our homes which could be eliminated by his criteria. If anything may be useful, but only someday or to someone else, donate it to a charity.
Pre-pack items which will not be used while you are selling. Examples are off-season clothing, seasonal decorations, photo albums, and supplies for a hobby you are too busy to enjoy at the moment. In the kitchen, pre-pack specialty baking pans, party supplies and small appliances which are not used practically every day.
As American Architect, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe said: “Less is more.” A few beautiful possessions with some breathing room will look better than too many displayed at once.
A collection is more than three of anything; they can be distracting. You want potential buyers thinking about themselves living in your house, not wondering about your collection. Keep out the best three pieces in case we can use them in staging, and pre-pack the rest.
If you have a collection of books, thin them out. Paperbacks can be packed away as can any books with titles that reveal too much about your personal beliefs, politics or religion. If you have built-in bookcases, you only need to fill half the shelf space. For staging purposes, the arrangement will be broken up with decorative items such as small sculptures, vases, pictures or plants. Seeing through to the back of the shelves makes the room appear larger.
Any additional time between de-cluttering sessions is best spent grooming the lawn, weeding the flowerbeds and washing windows. Catching up on deferred maintenance and making minor repairs is also a safe bet. Leave any pre-work requiring large purchases or permanent commitments to color or style until we have advised you. We know the preferences of your target buyers. Let us help you make the best return on your investment.