Put away your tsotschke collections!
This tip could fall under the general umbrella of de-cluttering but I want to be more specific and tie it to your collectibles. And I’ll be completely blunt here: the buyers think your beloved stuff is just JUNK. In fact, continuing with the bluntness, don’t believe them when they tell you it’s beautiful. They’re just being nice. They walk outside and tell me it’s junk. That may be harsh but I’m not here to give you pony rides in May sunshine, I’m here to tell you how to successfully sell your house.
No offense to you personally. I have numerous dachshund tsotschke laying about. One is a plastic toy with a slinky in the middle. Others are neat glass sculptures I found at thrift stores. Still others are gifts people have given me. However I do understand that they only mean something to me (and possibly a few other dachshund freaks, but really, what are the odds they’ll show up?) and potential buyers are unlikely to find them as delightful as I do.
So pack that lovely junk away. Don’t worry, you’ll see it again some day. In fact, the quicker you sell your house, the quicker you’ll see your junk.
The dedication you’ve given to collecting 6,000 Precious Moments statues is admirable but it’s distracting and uncomfortable for buyers. (There is also an argument to be made for the idea that you don’t want your things broken or stolen anyway.) A pristine, de-cluttered house gives buyers a good feeling. You want them to walk of there, full of warm fuzzies, and turn to their Realtor and say, “I LOVED that house!”
photo credit: zebrastripes
