Good Ezines

Read any Top 10 list of things to do to prepare your house for sale and “Get rid of the clutter” is sure to be on it.

But how important is cleaning up really? Does your home have to look immaculate, like it’s been torn from the page of a decorating magazine? Can’t the average buyer look past a little clutter and see the value of your home for what it really is?

The answer lies in psychology, so read on to understand exactly what you need to do inorder to maximize your return on investment.

Clutter – a disorganized garage, an overstuffed closet, a disheveled basement – can make people feel uneasy and even edgy. In a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology,clutter was even linked to depression. If you are so attached to your collection and do now want to throw it away, rent a storage or take some of your stuff over to yoru friend’s garage for a couple of months.

In addition, clutter can create a feeling of hesitancy, even inertia. “At the sight of clutter people shut down,” says organization expert Cathy Philips. “They don’t want to do anything”. But you want a home buyer to do something – make you an offer!

Clutter can also draw attention to the wrong things. Instead of a big double garage, for instance, a buyer’s attention may be focused instead on boxes, lawn equipment and bikes piled

in the corner. Clutter can instantly turn a great selling point into a turnoff.

And if all that isn’t enough, clutter has the knack for making everything seem smaller. A big spacious closet can look downright claustrophobic when stuffed to the ceiling with

shoes, clothes and boxes.

So don’t underestimate the psychology of clutter. According to research by HomeGain, getting rid of clutter ranks as one of the best investments you can make in preparing your home for sale, averaging a 594% return on your investment.

To me it seems like this this one of the best things that a home seller can do to prepare his house for the market.

Items that haven’t been used for a long time are taking up space. Some may not even be usable. Throw these away. You may have items that are still usable, but not to you. Donate to Good Will, The Salvation Army or a needy family in your community. If you like yard sales, have one of your own. Yard sales can be quite enjoyable. You get rid of unneeded items, while meeting new and interesting people. You help someone else and can earn money to purchase something you really want. A focus on giving will help you detach from items you don’t really need.

For items that are needed or wanted, use baskets, boxes or other containers to neatly organize them. I’ve even used pretty flower pots to store small items such as cosmetics, pens and pencils, etc. Look around the house for items you can use for containers before buying something new.

For items that are rarely used, but you want to keep, buy plastic storage boxes and put them in a dry basement, garage or attic. Even space under the bed will work well as under-the-bed storage boxes are readily available. Hat boxes, decorative trunks also offer added storage.

Looking for more ways to sell your home faster and for more money? Call today.

For information about the Calgary real estate market, visit JoeSamson.com an excellent resource for Calgary houses for sale.