When your house is on the market, you should be prepared for potential buyers to look everywhere – and we mean EVERYWHERE! They will open all your cabinets, snoop in all your drawers and open every door (you know you would do the same). So it’s important to make the storage spaces in your home presentable to the masses. Here are our top tips for tackling your closets:
pack away out-of-season clothes
Our rule of thumb for closets is to remove about 1/3 of its contents so that the closet does not appear cluttered. Ample closet space is a huge bonus to potential buyers and they are are assessing whether or not their belongings will fit in the house. One easy way to pare down your closets is to get a jump start on your packing and remove any out-of-season and unused items by packing, donating or throwing them out. And that doesn’t mean to stuff them in another closet. To the extent that you have adequate basement or attic storage, it’s great to move packed belongings to these areas. However, if you are bursting at the seams all over, it might be a good idea to invest in a pod or other storage solution until the big move. Pay attention to the vertical space of your closet as well and keep floors and shelves clear and open.
INVEST IN SPACE SAVING HANGERS AND inexpensive STORAGE SOLUTIONS
It feels frivolous to invest in matching hangers when we all have SO many from the dry cleaners and new purchases, but I’m here to tell you otherwise. No need to spend a ton of money on a fancy closet storage solution, but a set of thin, matching hangers can do wonders for the closet. Not only will the hangers create more space, but your items will appear neat and tidy. Hanging shelves for sweaters and shoes are also great to keep items off the floor. And if you have shelves above your rods, grab a few matching bins or baskets to group your stuff by category, like belts, hats or gloves. You don’t need to be ‘Home Edit’ organized, but presenting a clean and clutter-free closet goes a long way with buyers.
CLEAN TOP TO BOTTOM AND add a fresh coat of paint
Once you’ve cleared everything out and decided what stays and what goes, give your closets a good thorough cleaning from top to bottom. And just like most of the walls in the house, closet surfaces can really take a beating. If your time and budget allows, we recommend you paint your closets with a fresh coat of light and neutral paint. For larger walk-in closets, you can bring in a lamp to brighten the space or even a small area rug to add some visual interest. But regardless of the closet size, at the end of the day we recommend that it be clean and clear.
ORGANIZE BATHROOM AND LINEN CLOSETS TO BE VISUALLY APPEALING
The home’s bathroom and linen closets should also receive a thorough cleaning and decluttering. This means parting with all those extra products that you’ve collected over the years and donating your old, dingy towels. Check with your local animals shelters regarding towel donations as they are typically in need of old towels and blankets. We also suggest that you purchase some matching, inexpensive bins or baskets and group like items for storage. Again, no need to go overboard with an expensive closet system, but a few well placed baskets of products and a clean stack of towels shows that you care about your house and encourages your potential buyers to care about it too!
