Decluttering is bad advice

Decluttering.  It's the first thing that just about every book on staging your house to sell talks about.  I'm sure that we can all recite the basic steps of staging in our sleep:  declutter, depersonalize, neutralize.

Honestly, I'm not in love with any of that advice but I especially think that to advise a client to declutter is the worst.

Think about it…the word clutter means “a collection of things lying around in an untidy mess”.

Ok, that's cool.  I get it.

Piles of mail.  Clutter.  Clothes on the floor.  Clutter.  Books and files strewn on a desk.  Clutter.

But in our industry–stagers and Realtors, alike–we use the word clutter, and therefore, declutter so carelessly and apply it in a broad brushstroke to everything.

Too many accessories on top of the piano.  Clutter.  Too many dishes in the glass front cabinets.  Clutter.  Too much art on the walls.  Clutter.

Imagine if someone came into your fairly neat home–devoid of piles of mail or clothes on the floor–and told you that you needed to declutter?

Would you be confused and maybe even a little bit offended?

Would you find yourself becoming a little defensive to further recommendations?

Oh, my friend, I totally would be!

We have to remember, our clients are already feeling vulnerable when we enter their houses and as professionals. We need to do our very best to deliver our information professionally, but kindly.

I don't know how many times a client told me how nervous they were that I would “pick their house apart” and were so relieved when I didn't.  Sure, I sent them a seven-page report of recommendations but they never felt like I was judging them or their houses.

We don't have to be the “bad cop”.  We can be more thoughtful about what we say but still get our point across.

Decluttering is not what needs to happen.

Here's what I mean…

My team and I never use the words clutter or declutter to describe our client's things or what they need to do with them.

We actually don't use the word declutter for two reasons.

First, it is not an accurate description of what needs to happen.

What needs to happen is packing or pre-packing.

Second, we need our clients to be physically and energetically moving forward.  Cutting the tie between them and the house they are selling.

In order to do that, we cannot have them feeling protective of their house or defensive about our recommendations.  We need them to take actions that will keep them moving toward their goal of selling fast.

Packing, donating, giving away items away that they don't need to stage, or aren't moving with, is what they need to do.

So, I encourage you….the next time that you work with a client…get them packing, not decluttering.

And, if you want to learn more about my staging process, download your FREE copy of the e-book, “Sell Your House In 72 Hours” here to get you started.

xo,

Lori