Take Spring Cleaning To The Next Level And Declutter Your Home
As an agent, you may work with clients who want to move, but can’t because they’re overwhelmed by stuff. Imagine a recently empty nester who is looking to downsize, but they’re afraid to clean out their kiddo’s room and their attic is already filled with decades' worth of attendance awards and science fair projects. Clearing out the clutter will not only mean they have less to move, but it can be a cathartic step into their golden years. It will also help you position their home to the widest possible swath of buyers.
Dare we say decluttering can a path to de sale?
Questionable jokes aside, decluttering has many benefits regardless of whether it’s in a real estate transaction. Cleaning and clearing out space in our environment can decrease stress and anxiety; a study from the University of Utah even suggests that it can increase our confidence. With all of these benefits in mind, whether someone is moving homes or staying put, spring is an excellent time to declutter.
These tips will help anyone tackle spring cleaning and enjoy the space they’re in.
Divide It Up: Keep, Toss, Sell, Donate
When decluttering a space, the idea is to go think about whether items are worth holding onto or getting rid of. A good rule of thumb is to organize your things into four groups:
- Keep
- Toss
- Sell
- Donate
Create a pile for items you actively use and want to keep. Items that are in poor condition warrant a toss into the garbage or recycling. For things you don’t want anymore, decide if they’re worth selling based on their condition and current value. Hosting a yard sale is a great way to make some extra money and declutter your home. Those skis you’ve had in the garage for over a decade but have never been used? They’d fly off the shelf. If you do have a sale, you’ll inevitably have items left over. Those are good for your donation pile. You can donate all of your gently used items to your local thrift store or charity organization.
Invest In Storage Solutions
Even after selling or donating possessions, there might still be items that you want to keep but don’t frequently use. Consider a storage unit for things like family heirlooms, passed-down furniture, and seasonal items. You might not have the space for Great Aunt Enid’s dining set right now, but you may move into a larger home later. Or maybe you want to hand it down to your children when they get a house of their own. That’s perfectly reasonable. Since storage units are an additional monthly cost, determine how long you’d like to keep these items and a budget for that length of time. For items like family heirlooms, you could try and split the costs with other people who share responsibility or ownership.
Recruit Professional Help
Thinking about all the stuff you have to go through to even get this process started can feel daunting. If you’ve been parking in your driveway because your garage is the place where unused items go to perish, then it might be time to consider professional help.
There are plenty of professional services that can tackle the task for you. Depending on your situation, you can enlist the help of a professional home organizer or a moving manager. These experts quicken the process by managing cleaning projects and doing the heavy lifting. They also help you take an objective look at your, well, objects. According to the National Association of Realtors, the national hourly rate professionals charge is between $50-$100 an hour, depending on your location and project size.
Be An Agent Who Helps Your Clients Declutter
Being a true fiduciary means helping clients with every step of the home-buying or -selling process. This includes preparing their house for a showing or ensuring they will have an easy move-in process. Maintaining a network of professional organizers, cleaners, movers, and storage facilities on your B2B roster will be useful for many of your clients. Moving is hard to begin with, so having trusted resources to recommend is a great way to ease anxieties and show up for your people. As a bonus, this B2B network may end up being a source of referrals down the line.
Have you done a big spring decluttering before? What were some strategies you used? Let us know on our Facebook page. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more insightful articles.