CHAPTER 7 The Three Ds
DEPERSONALIZE
Staging prepares the home for potential buyers; you should encourage them to visualize living in the house itself, rather than perceiving it as your space. Depersonalizing the home involves removing personal items such as
family photos, trophies, and collectibles. Knickknacks and wall decor are also taste-specific items that may distract buyers from seeing the home as theirs. Most potential buyers won't appreciate your beer can collection, antique kitchen accessories, overstuffed closets, VHS/CD/DVD/record collection, or general clutter. Simplify and neutralize your home as if it were a model home because that’s exactly what it is while it’s on the market. Pack and store your treasured items out of sight. Keep personal information and valuable items in inaccessible locations. Consider a monthly rented storage unit until your home sells. If renting storage is cost-prohibitive or impractical, confine the boxed items to one room. Sometimes sellers load up their garage, but that can make the garage space look pretty limited to potential buyers. Make your home a clean, welcoming, blank canvas, upon which any buyer can visually paint their dreams. It should NOT feel like your home while you show the house. I know it can seem a little weird while you're still living there but your home isn't supposed 42
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