Get Rid of the Clutter
 

We all tend to store more STUFF than we need and we pack or houses with stuff.  Now that you made the decision to sell your house, is time to get rid of some stuff. You ought to start sorting; if you have things that you haven´t used in 5 years you probably don´t need it. But if you can´t; then put them in storage.  The closets should be uncluttered, same for drawers and cabinets.  By de-cluttering your home your house will give the perception of being a  bigger property than expected.

The rule goes that if you can´t see the baseboards at all, then the room has too much furniture. Clean open, well lit areas appeal ones imagination and that is what you want the prospect buyer to be able to do. You want them to envision their furniture in it, and to achieve that there has to open areas.

Some of the most important areas are the kitchen, closets and the living room.  But in reality the entire home is important. The kitchen counters should not be a display of appliances, put them in a cabinet and show counter-tops clean and shiny.  Remove notes and magnets from the refrigerator, wipe clean walls and smudges around light switches. Stack neatly your dishes and cups in your cabinets.  Prospect buyers will open all doors and drawers; everything should be neat and tidy.

Remove your knickknacks and stuffed animals from bedrooms, re arrange furniture to open the room and give more space. Clean windows, mirrors and doorknobs; let them all gleam!  Replace worn out or torn carpets and make minor repairs like cracked counter and floor tiles.

It´s said that smells create deeper memories, so let´s put some cookies in the oven or fresh flowers with exotic smells around the house or light an aromatic candle.  Nothing overwhelming, but faint and sweet. Set up your dining room as if you were having guests, show off your best china and a room full of light! Set your table with the best linens you have and hide the kitty litter or bake an apple pie.

Your closets should smell of fresh, not mold. Therefore one should put fresh linens with aromas. The garage another sore area of the house, and this may be the most difficult; but let it be a two or one car, and read well what I am saying; CAR GARAGE! No boats or Christmas ornaments or all the furniture you did not find a place to put. 

Put it else where, let the potential buyer imagine he/she is going to have this clean.

Whether you want to sell your home in Sarasota or anywhere else, know that homes that are well lit by sunlight, are uncluttered and smell good are sold first regardless of price or location. Make sure you don´t have overgrown vegetation in your yard, Sarasota homes tend to have this problem, and too much shade can obstruct the view. If your home has one of those magnificent views typical of Sarasota, keep the shades off! And let the buyer see the awesome sight.

Remember what made you fall in love with your home the first time you saw it and improve those features.