What can I do with all my stuff?
Okay, so you have finally decided to pull the trigger and sell your home. You are either downsizing, moving on up, making a lifestyle change or just decided to get out of Dodge.
Now, you walk around your home and look at all the stuff that you have accumulated over the years. There is stuff on the shelves, there is stuff in the closets, and there is stuff in the garage. What should you do with it?
It always amazes me how much stuff we all gather over the years, myself included. Everyone knows that de-cluttering your home is one of the basic of getting your home ready to put it on the market. But what do you do with all your stuff?
Option 1: Garage sale. This is an obvious choice but a lot of people don’t understand the right way to have a garage sale. You can either do it yourself or hire a company to do it for you. There are estate brokers or simple garage selling companies that will come out and do everything for you. Including the advertising, the gathering of all the stuff, organizing and pricing everything to running the show the day of the sale. Some local real estate agents can assist in setting up the advertising and setting up the signs for you on the day of the sale. If you need one of these companies, drop me an email.
Option 2: Donate you stuff. There are some fantastic charities that would love to take all of your extra items. Some of them will come to your house and pick them up, and other requires that you bring your stuff to them. It is always better to call them first and see what their rules are. Some of them will give you a receipt as a donation as well.
Option 3: Storage. A lot of people have a hard time either selling or donating their things. So storage is the best option. You can either rent a storage locker at a Public Storage type facility or you can call up a Pod company and they will drop off a storage bin to your home for you to fill it up. Then you just call them when you are ready, and they will pick it up, After you have moved to your new home they will drop it off for you to unpack. Be very careful with these bins. I have had a few clients that have had everything stolen from inside these bins in the middle of the night in the front of their homes. It is a good idea to park your large car right in front of the doors to these bins after you have locked it up. Also make sure that the bin is in a very well lit area.
Option 4: Your garage. Most buyers don’t look at the garage other than noticing that it is there. You can always pack up all your extra stuff and put everything in the garage until you decide what you’re going to do with it.
One of the most important things in getting your home ready for sale is minimizing all your clutter, your extra stuff. It can be very cathartic once you have made the moving decision to pack up those boxes, and do something with all your stuff. Have fun and start packing, and know that your chances of selling your home are far greater, once it has been cleaned up, organized and de-cluttered.
Please send your Questions or Comments to: Matt Epstein @ (818) 789-7408 or somatt@aol.com
