Are you getting ready to put your New York City apartment on the market? Organized and clutter – free homes sell faster and at a higher price.
Decluttering will make the space look bigger (always important with NYC apartments) and it will depersonalize the space which is another key element in preparing your home for sale. The objective is to create an inviting and open feel which will allow buyers to easily envision themselves in the space. Below are 3 must do things to do before putting your NYC apartment on the market.
Declutter – Remove bulky pieces of furniture and any extra tables or chairs. Get rid of that pile of New York Times, New Yorkers and other periodicals – we know you have them:) Also, if you have piles of unfiled papers – go ahead and file them now. Avoid packing them away – you don’t want to arrive in your new home and open a box of paper clutter. Too much stress.
Make sure to declutter countertops – remove bulky appliances, gadgets and extraneous items from the kitchen counter and all personal items from the bathroom – soaps, toothbrushes, saline solution, medicines, cleansers, moisturizers, shaving cream, it all has to go. Bare countertops serve to depersonalize and make the space look bigger.
Depersonalize – Remove knick-knacks, pack away personal photos, trophies, memorabilia from your favorite sports teams, opera singers or Broadway shows – whatever your passion or hobbies, they may not be the same as your buyers so reduce the noise and pack everything neatly away. Oh and make sure to take down those cute baby photos, postcards and birthday cards from your refrigerator! The objective is to create a blank canvas for the buyer to easily project his or her own life onto the screen.
Organize – Prepare your closets, pantry and kitchen cabinets so that they show beautifully when buyers look inside – and buyers will look inside. They need to know what the storage space is like in order to determine if it meets their needs. So here’s how to do it. For the kitchen…remove mismatched glasses, dishes, bowls and mugs. Keep sets together neatly lined for glasses and dishes neatly stacked. Keep the space sparse with plenty of breathing room. For closets…use a boutique sensibility. Use matching hangers and keep hanging space sparse. For shelves, put things away in large, matching decorative boxes. It will give the space a clean and spacious feel.
Deep Clean – Once you’ve decluttered and depersonalized the space, do a deep clean. Wash all windows, sills, blinds and screens inside and out. Clean light fixtures, fan blades and light bulbs and replace burnt out bulbs. Vacuum and spot clean upholstery, lampshades and curtains. Spot clean walls, switch plates and doorknobs. Closets, cabinets and appliances should be immaculate.
When preparing your home for sale, things can happen at lightning speed. One thing I recommend to clients is to start early and use this as an opportunity to edit your belongings before you move so you arrive at your new home with only the things you need and love!
If you need help organizing and decluttering your home for sale, click here to see how we can make your life easier!
