You may have heard of “de-personalizing” your living space, but what does it mean? More and more home sellers are catching on to the growing trend of professionally staging their homes to sell, and there’s a particular emphasis on de-personalization.
Thankfully, it's a relatively simple process: you clear free space in the house and open up more room for visitors and open house guests. That’s one of the goals of this strategy, but there’s so much more to know about the benefits of getting rid of your personal items before showing the home.
So, if you’re ready to sell on the Minneapolis real estate scene, read on for all you need to know about de-personalizing your space and setting up your home for success. Let’s get started!
De-personalizing your space: the basics
The advantages that come with removing your personal items are many. However, it may seem counterintuitive to some home sellers. At first glance, you may believe that the goal of home staging is to make your visitors and open house guests feel welcome and comfortable. So, you may think the best way to accomplish this is to make the property feel “lived-in” and a hospitable place to spend your time. However, in most cases, the reverse is true; buyers want to see a blank space where they can envision their own lives.
In short, de-personalization is a method of presenting your Minneapolis home in a way that allows guests to imagine themselves living there. Instead of arranging and designing the interior in a way that seems inviting and comfortable to you, the more effective option is to clear as much space as possible with minimal but still beautiful details. Doing so makes it much easier for guests to visualize their own items within the space, enjoying their future lives.
This tactic not only benefits your buyers. It also relieves the stress from you as the seller. You only have to worry about staging the interior in an inoffensive, welcoming, and neutral fashion.
Why should you remove your personal items?
The number one reason to take down your personal items, family mementos, and photos is to help buyers imagine the home as a blank slate that’s open and ready for them to fill with their own family memories. Your goal should be to stage the house in a manner that’s neutral, warm, and inviting to all buyers.
It’s always a good idea to let your agent take the lead during showings and open houses and to take yourself out of the equation. If you and your family’s name and photos are displayed all over the place, buyers might have a difficult time thinking that you’re truly willing to say goodbye.
What other kinds of things should you remove?
You shouldn’t be aiming to clear out every single piece of art, literature, or visually interesting object from the home. Instead, be selective. For example, you can leave up a neutral, beautiful piece of landscape art, but it’s a good idea to remove any items that could be considered distracting or polarizing.
Here is a summary of some common items to stow away if possible:
- Highly valuable objects, jewelry, and family heirlooms
- Family photographs
- Refrigerator magnets
- Kids’ playground equipment, toys, clothing, and shoes
- Sports logos, memorabilia, or trophies
- Religious items
- Diplomas and certificates
- Small trinkets or art objects on display shelves that might fall and break
- Cash, coins, checkbooks, and credit cards
- Firearms and weapons of any kind
- Small portable pieces of technology, like phones and tablets
- Garage door remotes or controls for smart devices
- Prescription drugs or medicine
- Pet items (beds, litter boxes, toys, and food and water bowls)
- Food from the fridge and freezer that’s not being used for welcoming guests
- Any other readily accessible valuables
Other essential actions to take
By removing all your personal objects from the list above, you’re sure to be in a much better position to welcome your guests and to show the house in a more successful way. You’ll be ready to showcase a gorgeous, inviting, neutral space that buyers are sure to fall in love with.
In addition, there are a few other things to keep in mind when it comes to decluttering and de-personalizing your property. First, remember to clear out all the walkways in high-traffic areas of the home. Clear off the stairs, walking paths, and hallways to allow guests to flow easily from one space to the next. This will improve buyers’ experience and help them visualize the functionality of the space, rather than awkwardly navigating around all your belongings on the floor.
Finally, get rid of any evidence of pets in your home. While it’s true that some prospective buyers love animals just like you do, pet odors and pet hair are often offensive to many people. In addition, odors may not even be noticeable to you since they’re part of your everyday life. Have a professional carpet cleaner visit for a thorough deep clean to ensure all pet hair, dander, and odors are removed from the space. It’s also a good idea to place aromatic flowers near the areas where your cats and dogs sleep or spend most of their time.
Get in touch with a local real estate agent today
Hopefully, this guide to removing personal items from your home will help you smoothly welcome your open house guests and stage your property in a way that’s inviting to all.
If you have any questions about setting up your home for success, or if you’re ready to learn more about the Minneapolis real estate scene, reach out to an expert today! Contact trusted Realtors Laura Tiffany, John Brekken, and Jennifer Liang at the
Laura Tiffany Group for more information and to get started toward all your real estate goals. This
exceptional team is ready to guide you every step of the way.
*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock
