Marie Kondo is the award-winning author of the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Recently, she started her own Netflix Original reality television show in which she teaches individuals with too much clutter how to clean up their homes and their lives.
The concepts she teaches are not only thought-provoking, but they can also be revolutionary for those trying to sell their home. Clutter is the enemy when it comes to a good showing. Tidying up could not only lead to more interested buyers but could also raise your asking price.
Let’s take a closer look at how you could improve your home sale with a little cleaning.
The ultimate goal of this process is to tidy your home, declutter, and avoid major messes on a daily basis. Marie Kondo is a professional cleaning consultant who loves to clean, organize, and teach others her tricks.
Here’s a brief description according to her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:
“The KonMari Method encourages tidying by category—not by location—beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service – then let them go.”
It might seem a little sentimental for your tastes, but the concept of subjectively choosing the most important items and discarding all the rest stands true. As you go through each item and make decisions, you’ll increase space and avoid a constantly messy home.
Above all, Kondo says: “Remember, tidying up isn’t about getting rid of stuff. It is about creating an environment that sparks joy and improves your quality of life.”
While the KonMari Method is useful no matter where you live, it can play an important role in preparing your home for selling. Let’s look at a few ways that decluttering and tidying your home using this method will help your home sell better.
When a buyer walks into a home covered in personal photographs, kitschy items, and other personal touches, they have a difficult time imagining themselves in the space. They may finish the showing without the “wow” factor that brings in offers.
Clearing out personal space and limiting personalized décor will make more room for buyers to come through. Bare walls, on the other hand, may look intimidating and uncomfortable. Try staging your home with a few tasteful, generic décor items that dress up the space without overwhelming it.
For most people, their homes become messy because they have too many things. You don’t have to wash all your dishes each day because you have more waiting for you in the cupboard. You don’t have to wash and fold your laundry right away because you have dozens more in the closet.
By going through and identifying only the items that bring you the most joy, you’ll cut the volume of miscellaneous items in half. It’s much easier to keep your home clean when you have less stuff.
What’s all your junk covering up? Can people see the size of your closet if it’s bursting with your clothes and shoes? It’s possible that your clutter on the kitchen countertops is covering the gorgeous marble underneath or the stunning backsplash that was recently installed.
Your mantle, built-ins, and other beautiful home features will stand out in a positive way when you’ve uncluttered and tidied up. It’s much easier to see the nicer parts of your home when it’s not overrun with your personal items.
As you begin uncovering areas of your home, you’ll also start to see areas that need your attention. It’s better that these problems have been brought to light rather than trying to cover them up—that way, you can work on fixing them.
If it’s not worth fixing the problem before you sell, you’ll at least be able to show the potential buyers what the problem is. If they go into the contract with eyes open, they’ll see you as an open, honest seller and be more likely to work with you in negotiations.
Imagine the ease of moving out of your current home when you’ve eliminated all the items you no longer need! If you’re packing and moving by yourself, it will be a huge relief to have fewer items to pack up.
The KonMari method also makes it easier to organize your move. Because you’re separating items by category, you’ll be able to pack and mark boxes accordingly. When you move into your new home and unpack, you won’t be wondering where everything is.
Of course, a cleaner home won’t raise your property values. However, it can slightly raise your asking price, increase the likelihood that a buyer will meet it, and minimize the time that it takes to put your house under contract.
Experts agree that a cleaner, depersonalized home is key to selling it quickly. “When the home is on the market, no matter what time of day or night, it should be clean and neat,” New York City realtor Ellen Cohen told USNews.
Because you’ve spent time removing extras, your home will naturally stay cleaner, despite you cooking, showering, and making other messes. That way, if a realtor calls you with an hour’s notice for a showing, you can easily tidy up the last few items that are out and welcome buyers open armed.
There’s no better time to declutter your home than when you’re getting ready to move. You already have to go through everything you own when packing, so take a few extra moments to choose the items that spark joy, thank the ones that don’t, and then throw those items out.
As you get your home ready to sell, you’ll need a great listing agent by your side. If you’re in the greater Houston area, we can help. We have decades of experience in real estate, and we know what it takes to sell a home quickly and for the right price. For more information about how our realtors can help you, contact us today!
TREC Broker License # 9001367
CALL US