DECLUTTER An Often Misunderstood Request Made To Sellers By Listing Agents

DECLUTTER An Often Misunderstood Request Made To Sellers By Listing Agents

When you ask your Realtor what you need to do to prepare your home for sale, chances are the first thing she suggests is to declutter. Unfortunately, many Sellers assume that if they do their regular weekly cleaning this will do the trick. Buyers are currently more picky than ever. So, this equates to expectations of picture perfect rooms when looking at homes. Here are a few suggestions;

  o   Kitchen - Literally remove everything from the counter tops and kitchen table except for a few decorative items. Clean, I MEAN CLEAN, the stove top, microwave and oven until they sparkle. Make sure the floor is clean as a whistle and is clear of shoes, toys or anything else that straggles in.

  o   Living Room/Den - Once again, literally remove everything off of the mantel and bookshelves. Replace the items with just a few decorative pieces and some good smelling candles. If there are pillows on the couches and chairs puff them and place them as though Martha Stewart is coming to visit. Remove blankets and TV tables. And of course, nothing should be on the floor. Just a freshly cleaned, nice smelling floor.

  o   Bathrooms - I guess by now it goes without saying, so I'm assuming you have removed that Tinker Bell tooth brush holder and Dora toothpaste from the counter top. The counters and sinks are sparkling clean, but yikes, the tub is clean but the caulk around it looks gross. Get a single edged razor, paint scrapper or carpenters knife and carefully remove all of the caulk. Simply follow the instructions on a good bath and tub caulk and voila, you have a completely new and clean look.  Don't try to re caulk over the old caulk!! Oh yea, new toilet seats are inexpensive and can make a great deal of difference in the overall look.

  o   Bedrooms and Closets - Without a doubt these are the rooms that need help with good smelling candles or air fresheners. After all, this is where most of us keep our smelly shoes (maybe you can temporarily put them in an outside storage room). Make sure that the bed linens are freshly washed and the bed is made to look like it's fit for a king. Remove personal photos and replace with decorative pictures. You can find inexpensive framed pictures at Tuesday Morning or Kirklands. Closets show best if they are organized like your Marine sergeant will soon be examining it.  

I know this all sounds a little overwhelming but if you get the whole family involved you can tackle decluttering within two weekends. Good Luck!!

Author: Peggy Font
Phone: 225-603-5547
Dated: May 30th 2013
Views: 717
About Peggy: ...

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