O Clutter, Where Art Thou?
In my personal experience as a home buyer and my professional experience as a REALTORĀ®, a kitchen can be the deal-maker or deal-breaker. We looked at several houses, and in almost all of them, I'd frown and tell myself and my husband, "At this price, I can't afford to gut the kitchen." And let's face it, the kitchen is important for most people. It's where so much of "life" happens. It's where friends and family often congregate. And it's usually one of the most cluttered rooms in the house if we're not expecting company.
Let's start with the dishes that are either next to the sink, soaking in the sink, or in the drying part of the sink. And raise your hand if you're guilty of "soaking" something in the sink because you don't feel like scrubbing it and putting it up right away; I am guilty. It's where coffee makers hang out, and the paraphernalia that goes along with it. It's where busy calendars, coupons, artwork, and old Christmas cards are banished to eternity on the side of the fridge.
But Jennifer, you say, surely people don't leave dishes in the sink when they're listing their home. Friend, I wouldn't have mentioned it if I hadn't seen it myself!
Remember what I've said about selling a home? It's more about selling a lifestyle. So guess what?We don't want to see yours. I'm not going to show you the before picture, but just know, that real people lived in this home and cooked and ate in this kitchen. Real people came in and set their mail down on the counter. Real people had an air fryer and other kitchen items and used them daily.
But that's not want buyers want to see. And by the way, isn't this kitchen gorgeous? There is NO WAY I was going to let anything draw attention way from this stunner. I don't take EVERYTHING off the counters, but in my opinion less is more.
So I'm always disappointed when I see people list their homes and no one has counseled them or helped them to let people see their home in a decluttered state. If you are thinking about listing your home and need help getting your home ready to market, I can help and it's a value-added service I include with my real estate services. It can be overwhelming thinking about where to start. I can help you!