Today is Boxing Day, celebrated throughout the world for centuries, although customs have changed over the years. In many countries, it is a day off for workers, when they receive a gift from their boss or employer known as a “Christmas Box.” In our country, Boxing Day is a big shopping day for after Christmas sales. It’s a great day to spend all of the gift certificates you received over the holidays!
In real estate, why not make Boxing Day a great day to pack your boxes? The spring market is sure to begin shortly, and if you are considering a move, there is no better day to head out to the UHaul store and pick up a stack of boxes and start the clean-out!
For those of you who have read my article over the years, you know how important staging a home is. A staged home is one that will sell faster and for more money. Period. If you are considering a move, start with staging. The most important thing you can do to stage your home is to declutter. Professional home stagers estimate that approximately 50% of a home’s contents need to be removed in staging to make a home look bigger and more attractive. It’s nothing personal – if you are moving, you are now in the business of selling a home. Get out those boxes and start packing (you can unpack it all again once you are in your new home, with a successful sale behind you!) Pack up anything you can live without for the short term.
Other important staging tips include
- Position furniture in furniture groups in the center of the room instead of against the walls – rooms will look bigger.
- Borrow furniture and decorative objectives from other rooms if needed to fill out the décor in a more empty room – remember furniture can be moved around as needed.
- Great lighting is important for a room to feel inviting. Allow 50 watts per 50 square feet in the room. Increase bulb wattage or add fixtures as needed.
- Unify color – if you need to repaint, try to paint adjoining rooms with the same color – the space will appear larger.
- Neutralize paint tones (which may include warm neutrals) to make your home feel fresh and updated.
- Unfinished projects can turn off prospective buyers – be sure you tie up all the loose ends.
So much to do with the spring market upon us, but today is certainly a good day to start with the boxing!