Welcome to the 6 Week Pre-Listing Challenge - thanks so much for joining us! If you are planning on listing your home (or you just want a really good, organized and fresh-looking home) this challenge is for you!!!
We have broken down some pre-listing jobs into 6 weeks for you so that your home will be ready to list before the competition of the Spring Market really takes off. We suggest reading each blog all the way through and then going back and using it as a to-do list.
But first, there are a couple of things to do prior to Assignment #1...
1. Take before pictures throughout your home so that you can post your progress on #heartandhomechallenge - this hashtag will not only keep you accountable, but seeing other people's progress will also keep you motivated! Even if you don't think you'll share them, take the pictures for you to see your own progress. You might be so proud you'll end up sharing them after the 6 weeks are over, even if you don't think you will right now!
2. Grab your phone right now and book a handyman/handywoman for week 4 to make repairs around your home. Booking them now will keep you on task, as you know you've got to get through the first 2 weeks so that you are ready for them. They also are hard to book these days, so the sooner the better that you call them and line them up. You can tell them you are getting your home ready for the market and need small repairs done. If you are handy and don't want to call someone, that's fine. But this is a task that needs planning in advance so run and do it now! **
Week #1: De-Clutter & Purge
We put this one first because you could take an entire weekend and work non-stop to get this one done... however, doing it that way can be overwhelming, so we recommend you do 1-2 rooms every week of this challenge! If you space it out it won’t seem near as daunting a task. Divide the rooms into chunks - examples would be doing bedrooms together, closets together, main living area, basement, garage, etc. By spacing the de-cluttering process out, we are willing to bet you will even look forward to your morning/afternoon of purging by week 3 or 4!
So… Here's What To Do:
Step One
Pick a day of the week to do this task, and try to do it as a routine for the next 6 weeks. It doesn’t need to be an all-day task, more like 2-3 hours (depending how big the room is or how much there is to sort through).
You want to find a time and day that works best for you - some people like to have their family there to help, sometimes it's easier to get rid of things if family members aren't there. For example, my daughter loves this kind of thing but my son wants to hang onto everything he's ever owned. It just depends on your family members! But make sure everyone is on board to either be home or not so that you can get your work done.
TIP: We recommend de-cluttering the room that is the most daunting first. Why? Partially because it is Week 1 and you are highly motivated, partially because doing this is your only assignment this week, and partially because it always feels easier once you've gotten the biggest job out of the way!
Step Two
Make 4 piles/bins/boxes:
• one for Keep
• one for Toss
• one for Donate
• one for Keep For Staging.
We will say it until we're blue in the face, but the Keep Pile should NOT get stored at the property that you are wanting to sell!
If you have a friend or family member’s home you can store your boxes in temporarily, that's an option. Personally, we prefer and recommend using a storage unit. They are relatively inexpensive (since you’ll only be using it for a few months), and (for us) we don’t feel like we're imposing on anyone else’s space (especially if the timeline goes longer than expected).
Not having your garage or basement filled with boxes could bring in more money for you in your sale, as you look like you have tons of room for storage!
Step Three
Go through the closet(s) in the room and use the 50% rule. Pick 2 seasons and use only those (the current season and next one coming up). So for right now, it is January as we write this. So we suggest packing away your fall items and your summer items (this includes items like bikes, pool gear, etc.). Be sure to pack those summer items near the front of the storage unit so that they are easy to get to if you end up listing later than intended - but when you pull those out, be ready to pack all the winter gear away (this includes hockey bags and sticks, snowmobile gear, etc.)It's called the 50% rule because you want each closet to be 50% full or LESS.
Remember, your goal is to make your home look clutter free, spacious, and like you have no problem finding a place to store everything. Walking into a home that is organized and free of clutter leaves SUCH a good first impression!
** Pro Tip - set a timer for yourself to go through things. This way, you can be ruthless and get the job done - without overthinking or going down memory lane for too long!
Step Four
Give us a call if you live in Prince Albert and area and have us to come see your home sometime in the first 2-3 weeks. We will be your fresh set of eyes on the place (we'll discuss this more later on) and act as your Accountability Partner!
When you are done the challenge, have us back to see your progress. We can also give you an update Market Valuation - maybe some of the changes from this challenge will help increase your home's Market Value!
If you don't live in the Prince Albert area, you can ask us for recommendations for a realtor in your area, or maybe you already know one!
Conclusion
So now you have your task for Week One! We are so excited for you to go through and start de-cluttering.Remember: if you find something you forgot you had, did you miss it? Do you truly need it? In the wise words of Marie Kondo, does it spark joy in you? If not, get rid of it!
Don't overthink, have fun, be ruthless with your stuff, and think how great you will feel when the job is done!
Any questions, please feel free to reach out to us anytime! We absolutely love this kind of stuff and are very happy to help!
Week 2
