The best way to organize and declutter your home is to not let things accumulate in the first place. The most extreme version of this practice goes like this: for every new thing you buy, you should throw out or give away something old. But if you must squeeze more stuff into the space you have, CNN/Money offers a gallery of quick, inexpensive space saving ideas.
Getting your home in top shape to sell doesn’t necessarily have to involve expensive renovation projects. As this article in the Tribune shows you, inexpensive fix-ups and staging can make a major difference in your home’s appearance. For example, a fresh coat of paint throughout (done by yourself, to save money, of course) can dramatically affect the home’s feel, as can simple decluttering and top-to-bottom cleaning.
Design blogs and websites are springing up like Starbucks in a gentrifying neighborhood, but finding the good ones to help with ideas for sprucing up your home can test your patience. The Tribune points out the good ones, some of which have been featured here, including:
Unclutterer has a great idea for tidying up your kitchen for the holidays: donate all those extra canned goods hiding in the back of the cupboard. The same goes for wardrobes and coat closets too.
The New York Times has an interesting Q & A on alternatives to standard hardwood floors. One of the most creative options involves painting designs on the floor rather than installing costly inlays.
Apartment Therapy touches on a novel idea: sprucing up your place without buying a thing. Their list includes a couple so-obvious-I-can’t-believe-I-didn’t-think-of-it-myself ideas, but some simple decluttering and organizing can make a world of difference in a room without setting you back one penny.
Okay, we could kick ourselves for mentioning holiday anything this early, but Dwell’s Holiday Gift Guide is online now, featuring dozens of ultra-modern and stylish gift ideas for your home.
The Tribune also has a nice roundup of costs for common upgrades and premium finishes.
Looking to use some indirect lighting in your place, but you can’t install cans or don’t have room for a lampshade? Check out this crown bulb, a light bulb with one end coated in an opaque silver, so that it reflects light back toward the fixture.
The importance of first impressions applies to real estate as well. It may seem trivial, but the appearance of your home’s entryway can make a big difference in potential buyers’ decision-making. Many agents contend that buyers know within the first few minutes whether they like a place or not, and an unkempt front porch, door, or foyer could dissuade buyers who might otherwise love your home. Simple cosmetic improvements to landscaping and front doors, making sure your locks and doorbell work properly, and a neat and clean entry way can impress potential buyers and get them in the front door, literally, and give the rest of your home a chance.
You may take pride in decking your own halls for the holidays, but take care to tone it down if you’re trying to sell your home this holiday season. As with any time you’re staging your place to look its best for potential buyers, you want to reduce clutter and depersonalize your decor as much as possible so they can envision themselves living there, not peer into how you live. Holiday decorations — especially kitschy or overtly religious ones — are the most personal decorations of all. Just take it easy this year and remind yourself: if you can sell your place quickly for a good price, that’s the best gift of all.
Remodeling your kitchen probably has the biggest impact on your home’s value of any project. But it requires careful consideration. How much should you spend? How long are you planning to stay in the house? And what is the standard kitchen in the neighborhood like? You don’t want to spend all your savings on a state-of-the-art chef’s kitchen. Some experts recommend spending 10-20 percent of your home’s market value as a rule of thumb. Your choice of finishes and appliances should also reflect how soon you might consider selling the home. If you’re planning to stay for a while, feel free to really customize it to your tastes, but you think you might leave sooner than later, you probably want to stick with more standard, popular finishes, hewing close to those in your neighborhood so you can compete in the market.
With much of the leverage in the real estate market swinging to buyers, they have become more demanding in their lists of must-haves for potential homes. High-end upgrades like walk-in closets and stone countertops are essential in new homes, but different groups of buyers focus on different things. Many younger buyers are looking for more space for home offices, an attached garage spot, larger rooms, and multiple bathrooms. For sellers, the trick is determining your likely buyer and making sure your home has the necessary features before you put it on sale. You may not be able to add an extra room, but small renovations and a good job of staging can help put your home’s best face forward.
Staging a home is crucial to selling it for the best price. We have some quick tips for getting your home ready for showings here, and this article from CNNMoney goes into more detail. But who pays for that staging expertise? In the past, agents had been able to charge extra for those services, but now most agents (including us), will help you stage your home as part of the commission.
Not satisfied with the usual pastels, sages, and 14 shades of beige for your wall colors? Then check out Home Depot’s Team Colors, guaranteed matches for over 170 pro baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer teams.
