The Last of Marie Kondo: A Savvy Seller’s Guide
Nearly every home has received its Marie Kondo touch over the last few months. As real estate agents, we have applauded Kondo’s philosophy and easy steps to make your home the organized, uncluttered sanctuary that each buyer wants to see while searching for their dream home. Her wide-spread success in sharing her vision has made quite the impression on homeowners everywhere. The one flaw, her process is one of bringing your home back to basics for the purpose of enjoyment, not for the purpose of selling it to a buyer in waiting. There is a difference.
Here are a few ideas on how to apply the Marie Kondo method while selling your home:
Living vs. Showing Layout is not the same thing.
Using your home is different from showing your home to potential buyers. Think critically about how you use certain spaces and how they can be used by the next owner. If your space has been utilized for something other than its intended purpose, consider returning that room to its original glory. Do you have a playroom off the kitchen which was really meant to be a dining room, but just worked better for your family this way? Do you have a study tucked in the corner of the master bedroom while your third bedroom is used for storage? How about all that storage in the garage while the cars are parked on the street? Bring your home back to its original layout. Return your master to a peaceful sanctuary by removing any sign of work from it, replace the dining room and get the cars back in the garage…you get the picture.
Get your prized possessions out of the way the savvy seller way.
The Kondo method teaches you how to rid yourself of unwanted and unnecessary clutter, but wait, is your clutter unwanted and unnecessary? Many homeowners inevitably move when they outgrow their home. Is it really cluttered or do you just need additional space for your growing family? Perhaps your clutter is prized and needed tools of life. You can keep all of it! Perhaps just at your new, larger home. If your new home is not ready to receive it, consider this savvy seller trick: Send your belongings on “vacation”. BinSwap is a nifty service that allows you to store your belongings monthly in large secure bins with a free drop off or delivery monthly. Step one: pack your things and let Binswap store it for you. Step two: Once you are ready to receive it in your new home, have it delivered for free. Easy and low cost, every seller’s dream.
Treat yourself.
Your new home will likely get special treatment, a new rug, a new couch, etc. Treat yourself now. While in the selling phase, haul away the old outdated and well loved pieces and replace with shiny, plush, new pieces of furniture which doesn’t detract from your home’s value. Did you know that you can have heavy load pickups for free through Recycle By City? You can receive $50 for appliance pick-up too! Tip: When buying a new appliance, ask if they’ll pick up your old appliance when delivering the new one. Many national brand appliance stores have these types of recycling programs.
Get professional input.
Contact your local real estate professional for a free consultation and property walk-through. We are more likely to spot the best use of the space in your home, we can provide honest feedback on what to keep and what to send off on vacation during the sale process and can put you in contact with all our trusted industry partners, from cleaners, movers, organizers, contractors and so much more.