Truth time: how many of you started perusing the blog I recommended last week and found yourself still reading HOURS later? I know, I know! This whole blog-lifestyle (both the reading and the writing!) can be a huge time-suck if you’re not careful, but I’m still committed to perusing and recommending blogs that will actually save my clients’ time. And time, my friends, is a very precious commodity when you are buying or selling a home… especially when you’re selling! If you didn’t have time to read last week’s recommended blog, make yourself a cup of iced tea and commit a few minutes to checking it out. It really will make decluttering your home seem like a doable task.
I’m going to continue writing for my home-selling clients this week as I introduce a new blog/site called “The Inspired Home.” Now that you’ve decluttered, you’re ready for phase 2: making your home super appealing to buyers so that it sells quickly and for top dollar. While decluttering is a vital first step, it’s just that: a first step. You also need to take a good hard look at your home and figure out what’s working and what isn’t. Some clients like working with a professional stager, but if that’s not in your budget, this blog might help you do your own staging. In fact, Melissa Michaels, owner of “The Inspired Home” got her start in the blogging/design/decorating world because she refused to believe that a tight budget meant she couldn’t have a nice home and her inexpensive DIY tips can be a lifesaver to friends and clients who are working hard to get their home “sale-ready.”
There’s really not a bad page on this site, but if you’re looking for a good starting point, check out the “How to Organize and Clean” tab. There’s an awesome “top ten” organization tips post that is virtually a step by step list for organizing your home. I’m slightly obsessed with her “bag a day” strategy and think it could be easily modified for a bag (or box) per ROOM. Imagine tackling a room (instead of the whole darn house!) a day as you’re preparing to sell your home. It’s all about making these chores manageable and accessible.
Another great post pertains to speed cleaning. I’ve written about this before, but Melissa does a better job of consolidating and explaining the concept of speed cleaning. She advocates following a daily routine to get yourself in a simple rhythm of daily tidiness – you know… things like making your bed as soon as you rise, running a load of dishes before you walk out the door and cleaning the kitchen nightly. Once you’ve got that routine down pat, it’s easy to zip through her speed cleaning tips for a sparkling house. She focuses on the all-important rooms, too – the kitchen and bathrooms. I’ve never met this lady, but I’m pretty sure she’s got a little “Realtor” in her. She knows that a clean kitchen and a sparkling bathroom makes a home seem well cared for and extra special. And often, it’s that “feeling” of a warm, welcoming and tidy home that makes the difference between a buyer falling in love or walking away… Follow Melissa’s advice for cleaning and organizing and I promise you’ll always be ready for a last minute call from yours truly saying that I’ve got a last minute showing and need you and your sweetie pies to exit stage left toot sweet!
There’s certainly more to getting your home ready to sell than decluttering, organizing and cleaning. That’s why this site’s “How to Decorate” tab is a true treasure. The author’s already organized this tab into easy to access categories. Click on the “decorate by room” tab to take a sneak peek into her home, room by room. I adore her uncluttered and airy style. And, even though I’m not planning on selling my own home any time soon, I am desperate to follow her advice and create a “Bed and Breakfast” ambiance in my own master suite.
Next week I’ll give my home buying clients some blog love, I promise. But, if they’re chomping at the bit and just can’t wait, they should also give “The Inspired Room” a chance. While I think it’s a fantastic site for clients who need help updating, organizing and staging, it’s also a fantastic site for client’s facing new homes and blank slates. In the meantime, pour yourself another glass of tea and enjoy a walk through “The Inspired Room.” I think you’ll find the blog more than lives up to its name and that you’ll walk away from your computer energized and INSPIRED!
