It’s almost that time of year again, Summer Time. Everyone looks forward to summer, as a time to relax and enjoy. The days are longer, we have more time when we get home. Summer time is also the time when many people change residences and a time in which many homes are listed for sale.
If you are contemplating listing your home for sale, there are some things you should do prior. And I don’t mean interviewing 3 different realtors. Yes, you should do that. But I’m talking about sprucing up your home or “staging” it. Staging your home makes your home more inviting and gives it the illusion that the rooms are bigger than they actually are.
The first process in home staging is to rid your home of clutter. Clutter! Clutter makes rooms seem smaller and that is the last thing you want is for your home to look and feel smaller. The biggest culprit for clutter is furniture. People have way too much furniture and professional stagers have been known to whisk away about half of the owner’s furnishings. Don’t fret; and don’t discard the furniture being removed. It’s only being removed temporarily. Your furnishing can be stored it by renting a storage unit. However, before you go to the local self storage facility, wait to see what else needs to be removed and stored. That way you can see how much stuff there is to store and to determine the storage unit size you need. Costs vary according to unit size, therefore if you only need a 10 x 10 storage unit, you don’t want to pay for a 10 x 20 unit.
Furniture isn’t the only thing that clutters up a home, stuff is also a problem. We tend to collect lots of stuff; the longer we’re in one place, the more stuff we have. So clear off those bookshelves and wall units. Arrange a few books and knickknacks among the shelves so it looks open. Use medium to large pieces, so the focus will be on the items. Having the room look open will make the room seem larger.
Next, work on your sofa tables and end tables. Clear them off. Rule of thumb is to have 3 things on a small table, placed in a triangle with an object at each end. Vary height and width in your grouping of three with the largest object at the back. Try to keep objects grouped together by color, shape, texture or other unifying element.
Bedrooms and bathrooms are next. If your bedroom is like mine, you have lots of things on your dresser and must haves on the night stand. Things you need daily, place them in a cleared out drawer, out of sight. Again put only a few things on your dresser, maybe a large family photo, but not too much. In the bathrooms, clear off the vanities and sink areas. Again, things you need daily, place them out of sight in a cleared out drawer. Of course, don’t forget about the garage and the yard which is an important space for men.
Your walls are the next thing to de-clutter. Too much on the walls, closes up the room. Remove excess wall hangings. Arrange remaining wall art, so that it flows, place it creatively and make it stand out and show off the space. Break up that line, vary the patterns and groupings. Purchase some inexpensive mirrors and place in entry areas.
Many home sellers forget about their kitchen cabinets and closets. But closets are equally important to clear out as well. Incidentally, women pay close attention to cabinet and closet space. So remove things you are not going to need for a while. Again box them up for storage. Small kitchen appliances and other items used infrequently should be stored out of sight.
Now for the furnishings and stuff you are storing, wrap items so they don’t get broken. Box them up carefully. Label your boxes by room and item type so you know what’s in what box. Taking pictures with your phone and emailing them to you is also a great idea before taking them to the storage unit.
Your home is de-cluttered, so stay tuned for the next stage in the “staging” process.
