7 Steps to Depersonalise Your Home Before Selling
Depersonalising your home before selling is an important step in preparing your house for sale. All personal and memorabilia items are to be packed or stored away. Potential buyers will now be able to visualize themselves and their personal effects living in your house and so be encouraged to make an offer. This will also give the property stylist a “canvas” to work with, preparing your home for those important online listing photos and a sale.
Tip #1 – Prepare yourself emotionally
Letting go of your home is not easy.
Putting away your photos and memorabilia can be an emotional experience.
To help you through this remember the goal – you want to show your home well and prepare it to appeal to the home buyers’ market.
You want to sell fast and get the best offer.
Tip # 2 Ask for help.
Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash
Go through room by room.
Ask yourself this question – “would other people want this in their home?”
Ask for advice and help.
Your Real Estate Agent, friend and Property Stylist will be able to give objective input.
Tip #3 Remove personal photos and family portraits.
Photo by Lasse Møller on Unsplash
Take down all family photos, portraits and pictures hanging on the walls.
This includes those on countertops, shelves and cupboards doors.
Oh and do remember the refrigerator too. A favourite spot for all those travel magnets, children’s art and reminder notes.
Remove all reminder or to do list boards.
Tip #4 Start packing
Go through each room thoroughly.
Decide what you really want to take with you to your new home.
Depersonalising is an opportunity to declutter.
Unwanted items can be donated or discarded.
Pack away ornaments, showcase items, trophies and framed certificates.
Label the boxes according to rooms and contents. You will glad you did. It will help you when unpacking at your new home.
Tip #5 Declutter shelves.
Shelves become focal points. Use them stylishly to attract interest. Not as a storage facility.
All shelves are to be cleared, dusted and wiped clean.
Thereafter choose only a few decorative items to create an appealing organised display.
Add a few room appropriate books. i.e children books belong in the children’s bedroom. Recipe books in the kitchen.
Ensure book covers are not damaged. Remove covers from the hardcover books, or cover them with white paper to add interesting appeal.
Pack away all family portraits, trophies, certificates and other items.
Tip #6 Toys, sporting and exercise equipment
Store away as many of these items as possible. The garage or off-site storage container.
Toys should not be lying around. Put them in a toy box. Ensure the lid shuts and does not remain partly ajar because of an overload of toys.
Go through each room analytically. Are the items in the room, room-specific?
Tip # 7 Remove items that may offend
You need your house to attract and interest as many buyers as possible.
Remember, potential buyers can range from a variety of ages, backgrounds, cultures, races and religions.
Try to remove any items that may offend parents of young children, or certain cultures or religious groups.
If you are unsure about a certain item, rather remove it…..