TRADING SPACES: HOW TO CLEAN OUT CLUTTER AND OPTIMIZE ORGANIZATION BEFORE SELLING YOUR HOME

The one thing all home buyers agree they want in a new home?  Space.  According to the National Association of Realtors, even most satisfied homeowners still want larger closets and more storage space.  If you are preparing to sell your home this spring, this is by far one of the most important areas to focus on.  If you feel like you’ve already optimized all of the current space in your home, you might be surprised to find there’s more to uncover.  Creating the illusion of more space is also critical to a home sale – so getting ultra-organized will make a big difference.

The first step is to clean out the clutter, and it’s advisable to start from the outside and work in.  Consider your yard, and all of the seasonal items that don’t have a real “home” – and your garage.  Often, we don’t organize our garages because we don’t spend a lot of time in them.  They become the ‘catch-all’ place for everything from winter boots to snow shovels, to yard furniture, and everything in between.   

However, the state of a home’s garage is almost as important as the state of the inside of a home.  A home’s garage needs to be neat and organized.  It often illustrates to a home buyer how much storage space the house really has, and how livable it is for a family.  If it can’t comfortably fit two cars, yard tools, items like a snowmobile and lawnmower, plus the sporting equipment most families have on hand – it’s going to look small and cramped and remind a potential buyer of space issues.

Consider a company like GarageTek, which offers garage solutions such as walls that are made of PVC that have bicycle hooks and storage shelves.  Purchasing storage lockers for sports equipment, bins for garden utensils, and even chests of drawers for automotive tools is a good idea.  Anything you can do to cut down on the visual clutter is advisable.

If you are still cramped for space, purchase a small shed that you can install at the back or side of your property with little effort, and generally low cost.  Most garages – at least the standard two-car type, weren’t designed to contain all of the items a family really needs through the course of a year.  A shed is a great outpost for all the extra things that need a place to be stored.

Inside the home, customized closet systems are a great investment, but they can be costly. In bedrooms, start with stacked hangers, shoe organizers and bins for summer or winter clothes that can be stored in an attic or basement.  Anything you don’t need or won’t use immediately should be collected, collated and placed out of sight.  We often get used to the clutter around us, but a prospective buyer won’t often have the same perspective.    

The kitchen is another room that is often overlooked when you’re looking to tidy up.  Counter space should be very visible, so be sure to store food and snacks with extra bins and baskets.  Inside cabinets, use added shelving to create space.  Get rid of those odds and ends that aren’t used.

Don’t forget the bathrooms when restoring order.  A smart buyer will check every nook and cranny of the home, including bathroom closets, showers and baths and medicine closets.  If those important spaces are bursting at the seams, they won’t expect their own “stuff” to fit when they move in.  Walk through every inch of your home and look at it with an analytical eye.

The most obvious space that needs de-cluttering is your family room.  It’s probably the one place you’ve already spent time clearing out – but give it another round of rearranging.  Anything you can do to create more space by better displaying toys or hiding electronic equipment in a sleek entertainment center will help cut down on the visual stress.

Displaying attention to detail inside and outside the home will carry a lot of weight with house hunters.  Impress your buyers from every perspective, show that you can live comfortably there, and they’ll feel at home in no time.

Sheryl Simon is a Principal at Benoit Mizner Simon & Co., LLC with more than 17 years of experience helping sellers and buyers in the Weston real estate market.  With offices in Weston and Wellesley, Sheryl can be reached at (781) 910-3405 or Sheryl@benoitmiznersimon.com. Benoit Mizner Simon & Co., LLC * 450 Boston Post Rd., Weston, MA 02493 * 54 Central St., Wellesley, MA 02482