You would be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t heard of Marie Kondo. The organizing consultant and Netflix star broke onto the scene this year with her highly prioritized method of organizing that includes sorting possessions and getting rid of what no longer brings you joy.
Home sellers have taken notice, and have started prepping their homes for sale with Marie Kondo in mind. In fact, there’s a new term called “Konmari Showings” that incorporates her methods into preparing a home for sale. And it makes sense.
Consider this: most home buyers have an extremely hard time envisioning themselves living in a home that is filled with other people’s possessions. This is especially true of personal effects like family photos, highly specific decor, antiques, and more. If you are considering listing your home for sale and could use some assistance in clearing out the clutter, here’s a closer look at how the “Konmari Method” could benefit you.
All About Categories
Instead of compartmentalizing your home into locations like most people do as they declutter, Kondo’s method sorts items by category. Think clothes, then books and paper, and move onto other miscellaneous items. The idea here is to look at your items objectively. And asking yourself, “Does this item still bring me joy?,” helps you sort items with sentimental value from those that are simply taking up space in your life.
Make Room for Staging
Did you know that 85% of staged homes sold for 6-25% more than unstaged homes? This is according to a 2018 study by Home Staging Resource (HSR). By decluttering your home, you can make room for staging to help increase your sales price. Stagers are pros at bringing in furniture and decor that appeal to the masses. You want potential buyers to be able to envision themselves living in your home, and a mostly blank slate can be very helpful for buyers touring your home.
Declutter Before Professional Photos
You will need to employ the assistance of an impartial third party here, but it’s really important that you declutter before having professional photos taken of your listing. Lean on your real estate agent here for unobstructed guidance, and walk around your home together identifying items that may stick out in a negative way to buyers. You do not necessarily have to pitch these items out to the curb, but some may be better suited packed away and out of view.
Minimize Your Moving Madness
Packing up a home and readying it for a move can be extremely stressful, so minimizing your possessions can help cut down on the moving madness tremendously. This is especially true if you are moving a long distance, as most moving companies charge you for the volume of items and packing materials, both of which can be expensive. Kondo has a tried and true method for decluttering your life, and if you follow these steps, you will be on your way to selling bliss!
Kondo’s Six Basic Rules for Tidying Up:
- Commit yourself to tidy up
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle
- Finish discarding first
- Tidy by category, not by location
- Follow the right order
- Ask yourself if it sparks joy
If you have used the Marie Kondo method for organizing your home, I would love to hear how it went for you! And, of course, for assistance with all of your Pasadena real estate needs, please feel free to contact me.