Want to Sell Your Home Fast? Organization is Key.
If you are looking to buy or sell your home, Virginia is a great place to be. But before you can do either, you first have to ask yourself the question: am I ready? Selling 101 says to be considered prepared to sell, your home must first pass the “Eye Test” – in other words, you need to make it visually attractive inside and out. And the best way to nail your Presentation is through Organization!
We get it. Organizing a house that has been thoroughly lived in for many years can strike you as a daunting task. Clothes and knickknacks and appliances all have a way of multiplying on you in covert CIA-style ways that you do not realize until you decide it is time to sell your house. But do not let the task at hand dissuade you! The power of an organized house will have an effect on you, your family, and your buyer. And as a bonus, it will make your moving experience that much easier.
So, to help get you started on your path to organization here are a few tips and tricks:
Un-clutter: This is where it all begins. Organize items according to: Keep, Maybe, Donate, and Trash. Everything being kept must have a proper place. If you are donating, find a donation drop off center and take a drive. If it is trash, put it in the bag and don’t look back. “Maybes” can be tricky, so collect the pile, put in a box or bag and then revisit in the coming month.
Label: Make an “inventory” sheet of all the items you put in boxes and bins. Either tape to outside of the box or place on top so you can easily access. This will save you time when you are looking for that one item that you are not sure ended up in which box!
Plan: Don’t believe the movies: organization is not an overnight success story. It takes patience and a system to pull off effectively. Set up your organization around rooms and tackle in bite-size portions. You will be way more likely to find enough motivation to organize a bedroom versus the entire upstairs.
Go Paperless: Old magazines, junk mail, bills, newspapers, homework assignments, etc have a knack for piling up in certain corners of the house – kitchen counters in particular. Collect the papers, sit down, and go through the piles, either recycling, shredding or trashing all of the non-essentials. For the tech-savvy, scan your more important documents and save the digital file to your computer or portable hard drive.
START: As Ben Franklin said: “Don’t put off for tomorrow what can be done today.” Get moving and get some momentum. Start tackling your organizing tasks now, so that when it is time to move you have everything organized.
We at Homes Re-Imagined are passionate about helping you sell your home. We want to be a resource for you, providing you with the tools and tips you need to educate yourself about such an important process (in fact, check out these earlier posts on Selling Your Home Quickly & Lucratively and Essential Tips for Selling Your Home). When the time comes and you find yourself ready to sell your home, feel free to contact us, Homes Re-Imagined, here. We will be ready and willing to help you with all of your real estate needs!