7 Ways to De-Clutter your home.

Your home may be in good or excellent condition yet simple clutter will create a perception of confusion and disorder for those looking at the photos or virtual tour. The purchase decision is an emotional and intellectual response, based on a level of trust in your home. When buyers see clutter, they assume that the home has been neglected, with more to fix than meets the eye. Perception undermines your home's market value and appeal.

De-Cluttering is an essential part of the preparation in selling your home.This activity goes hand in hand with  moving. Before you put your home on the market, have a garage sale, throw some things out or box stuff up. Your move will be easier and you will create an open, spacious, simplified look that the buyers will love. If you need support, a local home staging service can work with your furniture and create a whole new look with a fee of some sort. When it comes to selling your home, less is truly MORE.

1. FRONT YARD

De-clutter starts in the front yard. Make sure your yard looks clean and less cluttered.
Remove toys and junk piles, pull weeds and make sure yard looks clean and presentable.
Do not allow shrubs to cover windows.
Coil all hoses.
Find storage for the boats and extra cars or park them elsewhere while photo shoot is going on or while your home is on the market.
De-clutter greenhouses, flowerbeds or planters.

2. ENTRY

The buyers first impression is critical and shapes their attitude throughout the showing.
Invest in a brand new door mat.
Stains and scratches and dirty spots distract and are a form of clutter, clean and or paint and eliminate as many of these as possible.
Pay close to the front door. Is it darkened, dirty or need refinishing? Fresh paint or stain will make a huge difference.
Consider having the house power washed or at least brush off the spider webs and other clutter by sweeping them away.
The foyer should be clear of shoes, coats or excess items on the wall.
Create a single focal point in the entry with attractive table or paintings.

3. Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home and plays part in attracting the heart of the buyers.
This is an active area that usually needs special attention.
Clean and or paint or stain cabinets if necessary.
New cabinet pulls are inexpensive item that can help tie the room together in terms of color and finishes.
No not have notes or excessive magnets on the refrigerator.
Clean counter tops completely and add back in a few decorator items, choose pieces that contribute to warm, elegant and or organized look.
Under the sink - organize and clean up the area.
Never leave trash containers out in the kitchen.

4. Living Rooms

Rooms should be sparsely furnished to appear larger and lighter.
The garage or an off-site storage unit can be used to hold extra pieces of furniture.
Move large pieces of equipment - drums - telescopes, exercise equipment to the garage or off site.
Do not allow furniture to block windows or doorways or traffic patterns through rooms.
Do not allow wires to cross traffic patterns, trip hazard.
Too many personal collections and or photographs are distracting to the potential buyers.
Buyers must be able to imagine their own family in the house, so choose 2 elements as a main point of interest in a room such as wood floors, a view, nice furniture or nicely made bed.
Bookshelves add a warm touch to a room but make sure they are not overloaded.
Place books so that they backs are even. Lay some horizontally and leave open spaces for art objects.
Open window blinds and leave on a few for pleasant lighting.

5. Bedrooms

The rooms should appear restful and serene. Sparsely furnished is best.
Use your best bed cover or invest in a new one.
Clear off bedside tables and add a few books or nice items.
bedside lamps add a warm ambience for showings.
Remove excess paintings or photos from walls.
In some cases, old curtains do more harm than good. Take them down and clean windows for fresh new look. 
Please put away all guns, or gun shells and put away in safe place. 
Never leave medicines, money, X-rated magazines, jewelry, guns or personal possessions of this type on display.
Children's rooms usually need to be simplified. Take down posters and box up most of the toys. Avoid an overcrowded look. Remember this is temporary because you are moving either to a bigger house/ downsizing your home or relocating to another area.

6. Bathrooms

Keep in mind you will be giving up privacy during the marketing period of selling your home.
Start by removing things off the counters.
Remove toilet brushes and cleaners visible and put away either in different room or under sink, with some sort of organization.
Put items that are used daily like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps, razors in a container and place the container inside a cabinet or drawer.
Decorate with bath items like designer soaps, flowers and bowls.
Invest in new towels to display or fold them carefully.

7. Closets

Organize your pantry with everything facing forward.
Remove excess food and containers.
Relieve your closets if they are stuffed. Pack up items not needed.
The laundry room often functions as a spill over room with junk on shelves. Clear as much out as possible and make it more simplified.
Create a simple background.
Often sellers have organized their homes to express themselves - their travels, collections, interest, favorite colors and unique taste. However, in selling a home the goal is just the opposite, create a clean, simple background for the different potential buyers would like to move into.

Remember that in selling your home, you want to make it where the buyers can walk freely in the home or in this case the Matterport can take the photos and create the tour just as if they are walking through the home without too much clutter.

Thank you and if you have any further questions, please let me know.

Samantha Mackey
SamAZPhotography
Matterport specialist and Photographer
[email protected]
520.907.1349