Declutter before you sell!

In my experience as a real estate broker, when a home is neat and tidy, there are MANY advantages for the seller. Buyers want the feeling that a new home brings new, organized habits and spaces.  

Potential buyers want to envision a cleaner, more streamlined household, according to Jerry Stockwell, a senior Vice President with Stribling & Associates in Manhattan. In a recent article he further explained that buyers want the feeling that life will be better in a new home.  That is an important perspective to consider.

Sellers can organize their spaces as they prepare to sell to help their potential buyers envision an organized life in their new home.  
Sellers also benefit from the organization and purging of some especially troubling areas like the junk drawers and the pantry.

Here are two decluttering projects I recently took on in my own home... remember, we just moved into this new home in the last year, and I am already talking about decluttering.  It happens fast!
FIRST PROJECT:  The junk drawer. I can't the stress of a messy junk drawer where I can't find what I need so I tamed mine by getting a divider.

NPR did a great piece on "What your Junk Drawer Reveals About You".  Click on the link to read the article, and find my favorite quote from it below. 

"Various places on the Internet, such as The Junk Drawer Project and House Beautiful, showcase people's messes and miscellanies. We found a few images of junk drawers on Flickr. And if you don't have enough junk of your own, you can purchase a Junk Drawer Starter Kit on Ebay."

Fascinating.

SECOND PROJECT: The pantry. We have a walk-in pantry which quickly got out of control. With some different style bins and containers we created a more appealing and organized space. Check it out!

And I warn you not to check out this search of pantries on Pinterest.  Fine.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

As a seller, why do this? 

1) The photographs will entice more people to look at your home. Better pictures = more traffic = more opportunities for an offer. 
2) Short on space? Buyers will be able to see the space you have clearly and your home will appear more spacious. 
3) You will have less to move and packing will be quicker since you have already cleaned out the clutter.