The Lure of a Fresh Start

Have you ever looked at your messy kitchen/bathroom, laundryroom, garage/house and thought… I should just blowtorch that, or failing that move? Well, maybe you haven’t, but let me tell you, lots of people have.  Insurance companies, and public prosecutors as a rule frown on arson, so option one is ill advised – really don’t do it.  But you’re not the only one who sometimes just wants to move and make a fresh start.  And that brings me to this post.

When people get ready for a move, a curious thing happens to them emotionally.  Just about everyone has images of a fresh start, of reinventing themselves.  It’s like New Year, in a way, everyone makes resolutions and promises. They’ll toss around statements like ‘we’re always going to clean up the kitchen before we go to bed once we’re in the new house,’ or ‘ we won’t let the mail pile up any more’, in addition to promises of ‘we’re going to walk on the nearby bike trail at least four times a week’ and ‘this time we won’t let the closets get out of shape, and to boot, the laundry room will always look like a page of an AFTER photoshoot in HGTV magazine.

When you sell your home, you are also , in a way, selling those dreams and hopes, and resolutions, and it is within your power to make your home look and feel like it will be possible.

By paring down the contents of  your closets, your basement storage area, your garage, your kitchen pantry and cabinets,  you are offering a glimpse at the possibilities that will come with the purchase of your property.  Do you have a kitchen desk?  Clean it off! Only keep a desk calendar, a few pens,  and  some pretty stationery at most.  Allow people the wholesome mental image of sitting at that very desk and penning thank you cards for the housewarming gifts they got after moving in this house. While you’re at it, take those magnets of your fridge, they just make your kitchen look cluttered.

Remove EVERYTHING except hand soap off your bathroom counters and neatly keep them under the sink.  Place a little flower arrangement, or a lovely candle next to some fluffy towels. Let people get that spa feel help them  envision themselves luxuriating in your perfect bathroom.

 

When you have a showing, or if preparing for a photoshoot, don’t just make the master bed,  but place a tray on it with a teapot, two mugs,  a small vase with a flower or three, some teabags. Even if you get this stuff from a dollar store, put it together with a cute cloth napkin,  and it’ll look like a million bucks!  One of our customers did it and I can’t find the picture, but I tell you, it looked fantastic!  It only takes a few seconds and you can change the ambiance from utilitarian – this is where you pass out at the end of a long and wearisome day- to – this is a refuge, a haven from a long day where you can recharge your body and spirit.  Place some Zen and relaxation minded books on the bedside table,  if you’re ambitious, and stage  it further.  Declare a feeling of relaxation, of vacation at home, that can come if people just had your house and your bedroom.

People have dreams, that is why HGTV, BHG, Country Living, Architectural Digest, etc are so popular.  People are buying dreams! If you’re into Tumblr or Instagram, take a peek at  the many pictures of beautiful country homes,  farm houses, etc . We all want a feeling of home, of content, stress free living, of peacefulness.  When you’re selling your home, remember  that you are tapping into those feelings for the potential buyer. It’s not just square feet, but also dreams and hopes.

 

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