Krisztina Bell is the owner of No Vacancy and Virtually Staging Properties.
Every week, we ask a real estate professional for their Short List, a collection of tips and recommendations on an essential topic in real estate. This week, we talked with Krisztina Bell, the owner of No Vacancy and Virtually Staging Properties, for her tips on decluttering any room in a listing.
Successfully de-cluttering any room can be easier with a few well-placed space-savers. There is also a variety of tricks for getting rid of clutter in rooms, closets and on bookshelves. Here are my seven tips for decluttering any room in a home:
7. Make it Positive – Cleaning and organizing is a daunting and boring task for many clients. The key to successful decluttering is making the process more enjoyable. Make the suggestion that they play favorite music, or invite a friend over to help out.
6. Avoid Being Overwhelmed – It is true that most of us (agents and clients alike!) have too much stuff stored in too many places. Have your clients break down decluttering projects into small, manageable tasks that can be completed in a timely manner.
5. Remember Function – It is common to find that, after decluttering, items simply moved from
one room to another. Make sure your client visualizes each room in their home, and have them establish what that room will be used for.
Then, only store items that are relevant in those areas.
4. Size Matters – Going through closets and dressers can be time consuming. However, remind your client that the reward is worth the effort. Eliminating clothing that no longer fits is a great way to increase space and organize closets and drawers.
3. Hang it Up – Hanging clothing items is a great way to see what clothes are available, and where. Your client should hang up clothing, and organize shoes in a hanging rack for easy access and organization.
2. Store Rarely Used Items – The kitchen is a great place to accumulate clutter. Have you client spend some time organizing kitchen items and utensils, keeping day-to-day items easily accessible while storing rarely used items out of sight.
1. Set a Routine – Finally, your client should stay organized with items such as mail, newspapers, magazines and car clutter, which can be difficult. Your client must avoid the temptation of simply placing those items on the dining room table or kitchen counter, as they are more likely to get lost or end up in a clutter pile.
Krisztina Bell is a real estate agent, professional home stager and the pioneer of “virtual staging” that has provided more than 10 years of experience in the real estate marketing business. Krisztina’s niche market is being a resource in teaching and helping agents nationwide and globally transform any vacant property listing into a beautifully staged home through her two Atlanta based companies, No Vacancy and Virtually Staging Properties.