Whether you’re putting your home up for sale or are clearing out some clutter, check out our Yard Sale Checklist.
Posts Tagged ‘organizing’
It’s Yard Sale Season!
Introducing… Lynda Schmidt from Staged to Sell
STAGED TO SELL
As a professional home stager, Lynda Schmidt notes that many homeowners trying to sell their homes often make the same mistakes:
- too much stuff
- dated flooring
- dark rooms, or
- startling wall colours
Lynda works with homeowners and real estate agents who see untapped potential in homes about to go on the market. “The biggest thing is clutter, too much stuff,” she says, referring to the clutter as “visual noise.”
With rooms filled with collections, family photos, religious icons, furniture and toys, prospective buyers tend to focus on the stuff rather than the room itself. If that first showing proves negative, chances are the buyer will simply move on.
“Every potential buyer only knows what they see, not the potential (of the house).”
Buyers will also zero in on specific items like that defeated old couch in the rec room. “Even though the furniture shouldn’t matter, it does.” Use slip covers or remove the couch all together. Also, think of furniture placement: in a small dining room for example, placing the chairs at two sides of the table rather than on all four sides will provide more space.
It is most important for sellers to “de-personalize” their space by removing all personal items, anything that smacks of the homeowner’s tastes or interests.
“Painting has the biggest impact and is the cheapest,” she says. “And remove old, dated wallpaper.” Removing extra furniture can also make a difference: a small living room with a couch, loveseat and three or four chairs makes the room seem cramped and small.
Lynda suggests having the bedrooms and bathroom appear unused. Remove cleaning products as well as personal items such as shampoos and cosmetics. Kitchens are also an issue, as homeowners tend to keep everything–from coffee makers to spice racks–on the counters. Clear it off. “You’re selling counter space, not the stuff on the counter. “Empty and organize your closets too.”
Repairs should be done before the first showing. Every flaw–from having to remove wallpaper border to updating the kitchen flooring–will give the buyer an excuse to “chip away” at the price. This can mean the seller loses more in the sale than it would cost to do the upgrades.
When she is hired to stage a home, Lynda rents larger items such as furniture. She has her own warehouse filled with everything from candlesticks to art work to give homes some oomph — which could mean the difference between a quick sale and languishing on the market.
“A high percentage will pay more for a property they can move into without doing a thing.”
Lynda Schmidt is the owner of L.B. Schmidt Creative Services and was one of the first Home Staging professionals in Waterloo Region. She has been in the buiness of creative visual presentation for over 25 years. You can contact her at lbschmidt@rogers.com or 519-589-7456.
Everyone Loves a Good Hack!
Even though Dunja Lazic’s article is entitled “10 Time Management Hacks Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know,” these hacks apply to everyone. Try out a couple!
Ask yourself, “How can I be more productive?”
A Few Words About Storage Units…
“I have three storage units, and that’s no lie. Three storage units. All books.”
Junot Diaz, American writer
Spring cleaning is well underway in many households!
Do you own a storage unit? If your answer is “Yes,” do you know exactly what is stored there? Did you know that furniture is the most common item found in a storage unit?
Have you ever watched an episode of the reality show “Storage Wars?” The show chronicles storage units which have been abandoned–the contents of which are put up for auction.
While researching this month’s topic, I came across some statistics which may surprise you.
Joshua Becker tells us that “[t]he United States has upward of 50,000 storage facilities, more than five times the number of Starbucks. Currently, there is 7.3 square feet of self storage space for every man, woman and child in the nation.”
In late 2013 there were “… only 10,000 in the rest of the world” according to the Self Storage Association in Alexandria, Virginia. “About 10% of Americans have a storage locker compared to 1% of Canadians,” according to industry experts.
“For the most part, storage units were meant to temporarily absorb the possessions of those in transition: moving, marrying or divorcing, or dealing with a death in the family.”
What has been your experience? In my line of work, I would say this is partially true. I was just speaking with a client today about this very topic.
THE PROS AND CONS OF STORAGE UNITS
Pros
- temporary storage while staging a home for sale
- useful for people who are between homes when moving
- alternative to renting a larger living space
- less costly for a small business to store inventory
- many units have 24/7 access
- security of storage units
- climate-controlled storage can be better for furniture and heirlooms
Cons
- #1 – cost of storage unit – Often the long-term cost exceeds the value of items stored.
- storing items that are rarely or never used
- Out of sight is out of mind!
- vehicle rental cost to transport items to storage unit – if required
- security of storage units
Alternatives
- Declutter your home
- Organize your storage areas so they are efficient
- Store items with a family member or friend
- Store items in your garage or shed
Remember – “The more storage you have, the more stuff you accumulate.”
Alexis Stewart, American TV host
Take advantage of A New Leaf’s offer below in “Get the Deal.”
Get started and turn over another leaf!
Until next month,
Parameters
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Learn One Amazing Secret That Helps You Let Go
Are you ready to learn one of the best ways to facilitate letting go?
Parameters.
Set some boundaries or guidelines around your decision-making before you start the actual process of releasing things. Setting parameters in advance will allow you to move at a faster pace, decrease stress and reduce decision-fatigue.
Here’s one way you might use this concept. Let’s say you have decades worth of health-related newsletters. Some you’ve read and others you haven’t. While you know there’s a lot of interesting information in those pages, the information isn’t current. So instead of reading through every newsletter, you decide to activate a parameter. You choose that for any health newsletter that’s over five years old you’ll recycle it immediately without looking through the pages. By setting this date parameter, you’ll save yourself hours of reading information that isn’t relevant. Instead you can use your decision-making energy for more important choices.
You can use the parameter concept for other areas too. Let’s say your closet is overflowing. It’s a daily challenge to get dressed. There’s no space on the racks or shelves to move things around so you can’t see what’s there. You have an abundance of black pants and bulky sweaters, many of which you don’t wear. So instead of organizing the entire closet, you start with only those two categories. You opt to put some guidelines in place and decide that four pairs of black pants and six bulky sweaters are “enough.” Now it’s a matter of selecting which are your favorites. With your number parameters in place, it makes letting go easier.
Now it’s your turn to choose. Which parameters will make the letting go part of your organizing [project] easier? Remember that the more parameters you establish in advance, the less decision-fatigue you’ll experience, the faster you’ll reach your goals, and the less stress you’ll experience.
Linda Samuels, CPO-CD® is a compassionate, enthusiastic Professional Organizer who is well known for guiding her clients in a supportive, patient and nonjudgmental way. Based in Croton on Hudson, NY, she works with clients throughout the United States. Click here to learn more about Linda and Oh, So Organized!
Get More Done with Less Effort
It’s the beginning of a new quarter. Have you accomplished what you set out to do in 2017?
Don’t give up!
McVal Osborne reminds us of the basics in 5 Tips to Get More Meaningful Work Done With Less Effort.
Ask yourself, “How can I be more productive?”
Have you heard of a “Capsule Wardrobe”?
Spring has sprung! Easter weekend will be here in a couple of days. It’s nice to see sunshine and warmer temperatures.
Last month I talked about Minimalism. This month I’ll introduce the idea of a Capsule Wardrobe. Have you heard about this concept?
Wikipedia tells us “[t]he term ‘capsule wardrobe’ was coined by Susie Faux … in the 1970s to refer to … essential items of clothing that would not go out of fashion, and therefore could be worn for multiple seasons. The aim was to update this [wardrobe] with seasonal pieces to provide something to wear for any occasion without buying many new items of clothing. … [It’s] an especially important tool in a recession as it allows people to look good on a small budget. This is perhaps part of the reason that the idea has endured.”
Creating a capsule wardrobe is not complicated. Wikipedia provides some General rules for creating one.
Courtney Carver’s “Project 333 is the minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months.”
Here’s more food for thought. Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist tells us:
- The average American woman owns 30 outfits—one for every day of the month. In 1930, that figure was nine (Forbes).
- Americans spend more on shoes, jewel[le]ry, and watches ($100 billion) than on higher education (Psychology Today).
In “Get the Associate Scoop” below, Linda Samuels (an organizing colleague) shares her “Learn One Amazing Secret That Helps You Let Go.” Thanks Linda!
As you declutter your closet this spring, keep these statistics in mind. Is the capsule wardrobe something you would consider?
Contemplate the benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle.
Get started and turn over another leaf!
Until next month,
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