The 3 "D's" :: Decluttering
A simple system for getting your home market ready is to focus all your attention on what Joshua and I like to call the "3 D's" of home staging ::
- Declutter
- Depersonalize
- Deep Clean
And the first step in a successful home staging process is to get rid of the clutter. Clutter is anything that makes your home (and rooms) look small, cramped, disorganized, busy or untidy. Clutter can be too much furniture, too many photos, piles of mail, too many accessories or even clashing paint colors. Clutter is anything that might distracts your buyer from seeing the good features of your home.
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Decluttering can be overwhelming for even the most motivated among us. As such, it's important to approach the process systematically; room by room, surface by surface, wall by wall, closet by closet, drawer by drawer, and removing anything that is not essential to the room’s function. And I've found using a "staging room" makes this process a lot easier.
What is a "Staging Room"?
Good question. A staging room is where you Choose a room on the main floor in the house, the room you use least. Most will find that a guest room, home office or den work best but pick a room that can be “out of commission” for a period of time. This will be your staging ground for purging items from other areas of the house. Go room-by-room. Finish one before moving to the next.
So you're starting with the living room? Perfect. Start to remove the times from your living room that need to go. The clutter, the extra furniture, the stacks of magazines, kids toys and that tattered love seat that never fit on that wall anyway. You know the one. Move these items and pieces of furniture to your staging room (or it’s rightful storage location in the house) until it’s just right. Deep clean, move on to the next room and repeat.
Seeing your vision through - how nice things turn look after the clutter is gone is rewarding. It will fuel your motivation and provide clarity - both mental and physical - to continue until all that’s left is the staging room. Remove those things from the staging area to their final, temporary holding place, the donation center or trash. It’s simple, quick and it works.
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