10 Things to Remove Before Showing Your Home

Most home sellers ask, “Do I really need to put my family pictures away?”.  The short answer is yes, but there are a few reasons for this. In general, buyers need to be able to visualize living there, so depersonalizing each room certainly helps. But there are also safety aspects to think about when getting ready to show your home.

10 Things to Remove Before Showing Your Home:

1. Excess Furniture – Consider removing extra chairs, ottomans, side tables, etc., anything unnecessary. Removing excess furniture will allow each room to appear larger and less cluttered.

2. Family Photos – Not only will removing family photos help depersonalize the home, it will also keep your family safe. You do not know who is walking through your home, so removing any identifiable pictures, awards, and certificates is always a wise idea.

3. Prescription Medication – Believe it or not, this is a known thing that happens. Make sure to hide all of your prescription medications in a safe place.

4. Laptops, Cell Phones and Jewelry– Anything of value, that can easily be swiped, should be safely stowed away.

5. Trash – To avoid lingering odors, empty the trash can in each room.

6. Important Files and Papers – Hide any papers that have banking info, or social security numbers, that can be used for fraudulent purposes.

7. Firearms – This should be a given. Protect yourself and others by securing any firearms.

8. Clutter – Nothing new here! Keep the home clean and clutter free. My advice is to invest in a few large plastic bins to store away extra belongings, then neatly stack them in the garage or basement. This is also useful for a quick clean up of kids toys, too!

9. Half of All Décor – Think about removing half of all decorative items such as pillows, vases, books, etc. Less is more!

10. Pets – Keep your pets safe and away from visitors. Also, not everyone is a fan of pets, so hiding away toys, litter boxes and food bowls is another great idea.

If you’re ready to start showing your home, take a little time to depersonalize and get it prepared. This will not only keep your family and valuables safe, it will help sell your home faster.