Wondering how to get a headstart on your spring listing? Turn your snow days into productive days by taking time to declutter important spaces in your home. Not only will you be taking a giant first step towards your spring cleaning goals, it will also make your to-do list feel less overwhelming when it comes time to put your home on the market.
To help you determine where best to start, and how, we’ve narrowed it down to four big ticket items that you can work on in the coming months to reduce clutter and prepare you for successful showings during the upcoming busy spring market.
Tackle Those Kitchen Cupboards
Decluttering your kitchen pantry and cupboards and then keeping them that way can be a daunting task, which makes it a great item to get a head start on. To prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed, remember you don’t have to do everything in a day! First, determine what you no longer need. Old pots and pans, expired spices and pantry items, and unused or duplicate appliances are a great start. Once you’ve done some initial clear out, you can focus on cleaning and organizing what’s left.
If you haven’t already, invest in some functional storage solutions. Items such as food bins, spice racks, and pantry organizers can help each area of your kitchen stay looking streamlined and tidy through winter and into spring. As a bonus, many of these items are long-term investments you can take with you to your new living space.
Closet Space
An overabundance of clothing and shoes can make even the most spacious closet appear small and uninviting. As this can be a time-consuming task to complete for all the rooms in your home, now is a great time to get started on working to make space in these areas for easy organizing and staging later on.
A fairly simple, but major, first step is determining what you no longer want or need, even if it’s just for the short term. Vacuum pack bags and under the bed storage bins can help you easily store away seasonal clothing and shoes that you may not need until the summer months. You’d be surprised how much more spacious just this task alone will make your closets look! If you’re tackling a linen or bathroom closet, keep these same tips in mind when it comes to clearing out items – such as toiletries – you may no longer use. The same tips for organizing your kitchen cupboards apply here! Storage solutions such as bins and baskets will go a long way.
Basement Organization
It may be easy to overlook your basement, but don’t! Whether your basement is finished or unfinished, it’s a usable space that buyers will be interested in seeing at it’s best. Since decluttering this area has the potential to be a time-consuming process it’s best to get a game plan going early.
If you use all, or any, of your basement for storage – focus on this area to start. Consider utilizing an alternate storage space, such as a storage unit, to free up room and reduce clutter. If there are items you need to keep in the home, make sure they are stored neatly in storage bins and boxes in an appropriate area that allows for buyers to be able to tour the space without having to walk over or around your belongings. If your basement is finished or partially finished, keep reading for tips on how to prepare for staging.
Depersonalize & Prepare for Staging
Depersonalizing is a big step in preparing to list. It may be hard to take down that gallery wall full of your favorite family photos, but remember – you want buyers to picture themselves living in your space. Take some time this winter to put yourself in your potential buyer’s shoes and walk through your home with an eagle eye. Doing this early will help you determine what’s next on your to-do list. For instance, if you decide to declutter your walls and take down picture frames or wall decor, your walls may later need to be patched up and freshly painted.
In addition, it’s also a great time to consider how you want to stage your home and what you may want to put in a storage unit. Consider the size and current placement of not only your decor, but your furniture as well – decluttering main living spaces such as your living room is incredibly important. If you’re working with your real estate agent and/or a professional stager, start having brainstorming discussions to get aligned on if specific, larger items should be moved.
More questions on this process? Contact us! We’re happy to help as part of our services.
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