Packing before your home even sells may seem like jumping the gun, but it can be a practical solution. For one, getting started early never hurts. Secondly, packing up some of your items can make cleaning and staging your home much easier in the long run.
Here are some tips to help maximize your productivity when packing before you truly begin to leave your home:
Start Before Listing
Once your home is listed, you will begin to receive inquiries and viewing appointments. Trying to manage showing your home while in the middle of a transition can be a moderately awkward situation.
Instead, homeowners should consider beginning to pack before they even list. During the process, they can have the opportunity to clean their home and organize it. A shinier home looks better in listing photos, and removing clutter can help homeowners spot problems like water damage or stains before a buyer can.
Leave Approximately Half of Everything
A little-known trick realtors use is to stage a home with half of the stored items removed. Doing so creates an optical illusion that the spaces are bigger than they actually are. Leaving belongings also helps buyers visualize their own storage needs better rather than looking into an empty cabinet.
Because of these factors, homeowners should not get too carried away when packing early. Try to remove unneeded items like seasonal clothing or excess knick-knacks and spread the other belongings evenly throughout the rest of the house.
Depersonalize
This tip may hit some of our more nostalgic readers right in the heart, but home buyers do not want to see personal mementos when they come view a home. Instead, they want to imagine themselves there. You can help fuel their imagination by removing around 90 percent of your personal photos and keepsakes from the home. Bare spots can be decorated with more neutral accents that complement the room.
Think About Staging
When you begin to move out belongings into a storage unit or storage areas, try to leave behind elements that would help you stage your home. For example, homes with a moderate amount of furniture look better in listing photos and during viewings. Keep the couches and chairs that make a room look comfortable, and consider rearranging to maximize the “flow” of the space to look both roomy and inviting.
Clean, Declutter, Consolidate
Take advantage of the freed up space by cleaning behind nearly everything. Also, pore through those junk drawers and mercilessly toss out old business cards, coupons and those screws you never could find a home for. You can also begin to pick out items that would be perfect for donating or including in a yard sale.
Getting these tasks out of the way early will make selling your home easier and give you a head start on moving the rest of your belongings out. For expert movers, Kamloops residents can use our helpful services for both packing and moving needs.
More Information
If you would like to see other packing tips please see our Packing Tips page or stop by today. We would love to be a positive part of your moving experience.
