Too much of anything is not a good thing. I just never thought I would put decluttering on that list, but today I am.
You’ve heard me stress how important decluttering is when preparing your home for sale. Get rid of the old magazines, free up some kitchen counter space, take down the wall of photos documenting every family member’s life from birth to high school graduation. Standard agent advice.
As we toured through this week’s selection of open houses, however, I saw decluttering and depersonalization taken to new levels that were so extreme the homes no longer felt welcoming and might as well have been vacant.
Bedrooms with nothing except a bed and night stand. No artwork. No pillows. No flowers. No nothing to make it feel inviting.
Dining rooms with just a table and chairs. Bare walls. No candles. No decorations. Just a cold room with a hunk of wood stuck in the middle.
While we certainly advocate clearing the clutter before your home goes on the market, taken to the extreme, the result can be the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.
Think warm. Think inviting. Think what the room will look like in photos. If you overdo it, you might be left with something like this:
It doesn’t exactly make you want to whip out your checkbook, does it?
If you need some expert guidance, we can refer you to a local home stager that can help you find that balance between too personal and way too stark. Give us a call at 504-327-5303 and we’ll point you in the right direction.
