Page 68 - Selling secrets 5 18 2023

CHAPTER 6

DEPERSONALIZE, DE-CLUTTER AND DISCARD

In Chapter 3, “Staging with Purpose, we examined some of
the ways to stage your home so that prospective buyers will
be impressed by its spaciousness and can envision
themselves living there. Let’s look at some of the more
immediate steps you’ll want to take to minimize the
accumulation of day-to-day clutter or prepare for an
impending home showing.

An easy way to keep these steps in mind is to remember
them as “The 3 Ds”: Depersonalize, De-clutter, and Discard.

DEPERSONALIZE

Staging is readying the home to show to potential buyers;
you must encourage them to visualize living in the home
itself, but not in your home. Depersonalizing the home
involves removing your personal items, such as photos,
trophies, and collectibles. Knickknacks and wall decor are
also personal taste items that may distract buyers from
seeing the home as theirs. It’s not personal, but no
one—besides you—will appreciate your beer can collection,
antique kitchen accessories, overstuffed closets, VHS/CD/
DVD/vinyl record collections, and general clutter.

Simplify and neutralize your home as if it were a model
home in a new housing development, because that’s exactly
what it is while it’s on the market.

Pack and store your treasured items out of sight. Consider
monthly rented storage units until your home sells. Make

58