Packing your home is stressful enough, let alone trying to pack while keeping your home in “sellable” condition! Here are some tips to help make your home look desirable while you gather your belongings for your upcoming big move. Declutter Your first step should be to get rid of anything you don’t plan on needing right now or will be taking with you to your next home. This will not only give you fewer things to pack, but it will easily free up space and eliminate any clutter. If there is a weekend day you know the house won’t be shown to a prospective buyer, you could even hold a yard sale to help with the decluttering process. Pack Smart You don’t want a bunch of boxes laying around while you’re trying to show off the space. Start by packing small sections of your house one at a time. This way, you can get things in boxes and out of the house to storage as soon as you finish each section. An easy way to “pack smart” is by putting away personal items first. You’ll get a lot of things packed at once and you won’t have to worry about it getting damaged during your selling period. Removing personal items also makes it easier for buyers to envision themselves in the space. A smart tip is to pack during “off” times of showings. Showings will typically occur during the day, early evening, and weekends, so dedicate time to cleaning and packing during the evening and night! This way, you won’t be in the middle of packing when someone wants to view the house. Keep Staging Pieces Staging refers to arranging furniture and items in a specific way that will be desirable to potential buyers. Things like throw pillows, blankets, area rugs, candles, towels, non-personal artwork, and lamps, are all great staging pieces that will bring life to your somewhat empty home. These items are also relatively easy to grab at the last minute, so packing them up won’t be too much of a bother in a hurry. By keeping staging pieces, your home will still feel “livable” no matter what stage of the packing process you’re in. Get Temporary Storage Space It can be tempting to move everything into one or two rooms—such as a basement or attic—but this won’t look very pretty in terms of selling. Instead, invest in a temporary storage unit close to home. This will get your stuff out of the house and eliminate clutter while being close enough to run over and grab something you may need. This can also ease your mind of needing to get your stuff out asap from somewhere, such as a friend or family member's house. You’ll be able to keep your items safe and secure until you’re ready to move! Keep a Master List of Boxes How many times have you packed up something only to find a few days later you need it but by then you’ve forgotten which box you placed it in? On the boxes, either write the items placed in it or a number -- if choosing the latter, make a list of the items of the boxes on a separate sheet of paper as a “master list.” While it can be stressful, packing while you’re selling is a smart move. If you wait to pack until your house gets sold, you might not know exactly when you’re going to need to be out of your home. It can cause a lot of stress, so it’ll be better to pack sooner.
5 Tips for Packing While Trying to Sell Your Home
Updated: Jan 7, 2023
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