Getting photo ready

[Hadestown]

Got to spend this weekend clearing clutter

This is our bedroom. Dh thinks I should pack away all the books and just put a small ornament on each shelf? I think it’s ok.

Also should I clear off the dressing table?

The thing is no one is going to decide not to buy your house because they prefer grey towels to teal ones. Your new bathroom is lovely but you do notice the bath mat etc when you look at the picture.

However, the reason to add plants etc is 1) to brighten up the photo and 2) it's just about the overall atmosphere when someone looks round a property quickly.

The less personal and more hotel-like it is the easier they can imagine their stuff in it. But you don't want it to look too bare hence neutral things like a fluffy towel and a plant make it looked lived in but not someone got interrupted having a shower.

Plants are cheaper than flowers eg herbs in the kitchen, a succulent in the bathroom. These and a fluffy white towel from Tesco are small change compared with reducing your house price if it doesn't sell. Or borrow some plants from a neighbour just for the photos.

The market is really difficult at the minute, ‘people like it or they don’t’ is ok in a seller’s market but not in a more challenging one. If you want or need to sell you’d be best off doing the small stuff now. Sticking a box of china figurines in your car is worth the effort. There is no area of country where a load of stuff on the windowsill makes a house look more attractive in a photo. And people aren’t suggesting really drastic things either. Your bedroom would look better if you removed the dressing table altogether, for example.

People in our area do expect to see china figures

But where too? The shed is full. The only place to move stuff too is other rooms? I can take a few boxes of books to my parents house & put most of the stuff on my dressing table in a drawer but that’s it.

So you’re telling us - and more importantly everyone who comes to view the house - that there isn’t enough storage for a regular family to live there without having lots of belongings stacked up and scattered about on show.

Do you see why that won’t be a good thing when selling?

People are giving you the benefit of their experience as both buyers and sellers here, and you’re dismissing everything with a “we still have to LIVE here!” attitude. Your buyers don’t want a house which you still live in, they want a show home which they can effortlessly slide into and have a nicer home than the one they’re in. Generally that doesn’t include evidence of someone else’s work, hobbies, baths etc it means clear and neutral but not boring (why would you change teal towels for grey?! Teal gives a pop of colour - obviously the towels need to be clean and fluffy so they don’t smell damp or look used for viewings, but the colour isn’t an issue!)

I honestly don’t know why you bothered posting.

I guess we are not a regular family. We have thousands of books & music & run businesses from home. Everyone who comes to visit remarks on how big the house is and how much storage there is. How many houses for £215k can fit for a grand piano plus two other pianos in comfortably?

Books in display isn’t clutter.

And yes, being able to live for the next months is more important.

I asked about towels and whether to swop a few things around. That’s fine. I won’t post again.

Allthe houses we viewed had books and ornaments and stuff I was suspicious of those that didn’t as I then had to imagine where stuff would go.

Well I tried to dress the shelves but I think it looks odd. I think it looks much better with books in (which is what they were originally built for in the first place.

Totally empty they look strange.

I’m going to put books back in there. Tidier of course (they needed tidying).

Those shelves look much better now. Do you not actually need to move? Just with you saying loving normally is more important, it sounds like you don’t. It might be better not to even try if you’re not prepared for the changes you will probably have to make for a few months.

It’s actually quite odd that people comment on the amount of storage that you have. I have never heard anyone randomly mention that. I suspect they may be commenting on the amount of stuff you have.

We are moving from a 3 bed to a 5 bed. The garage will be converted into a dance studio/gym so we can reclaim the conservatory as a conservatory. The new house has a separate dining room which will become a library and instead of our current converted garage we will be getting a sound proofed music studio where the current owners workshop is now. Ds can have two bedrooms instead of one, so the second can become his own workspace. It’s a problem at the moment if he wants to work at the same time as Dh.

The kitchen in the new house is a lot smaller than we have at the moment but eventually we hope to extend it.

See what you mean about the shelves, it's because they're so deep. Maybe one layer of books at the back and then the objects in front? (If you're not fed up by now!)

No you’re ever so different because you have books and musical instruments.

So you’ve already found the house you want? You need to make all the effort with the preparation then. I think this is going to be harder than you think.

The vendors are planing to retire to a cottage somewhere but probably not until the Spring. If we want to move in earlier they will spend the Winter at their property in Spain but realistically we are looking at February.

I’d prefer not to have to get a mortgage on the new house but it’s all approved subject to surveys if we don’t sell quickly.

You're going to have to empty the shed when you move so why not start clearing it out now to create some temporary storage of stuff that is cluttering up the house?

Well, I actually like to see things like books on shelves.
Some of the 'minimalist' presentation I see on property programmes just has me asking the question - 'but where would we put all our stuff'.
If I see a house without any signs of books or musical instruments etc, I am left thinking 'would it fit in?'
Whereas a lived in house makes me realise that, yes, we would fit in there.

That’s exactly how I am.

I’ve looked at several houses and thought but they have no stuff. Where would my books go, could you get a computer and digital piano in here. I’ve even seen kitchens with no toaster or music crowave and thought is there room/ enough plug points.

Re: emptying the shed. It has the bikes, (used daily) garden furniture (though it’s temporarily back out ready for the photos, lawnmower etc in. All stuff we will need to keep the garden nice. It’s bespoke in that it was built by a joiner to make effective use of an awkward space.

If I put books and papers in there they would go mouldy anyway.

Also all the Doulton figures etc wouldn’t be insured in a shed.

In the words of The House Doctor; minimise, de-personalise, neutralise. It's a means to an end not a life choice. Good luck

I’ve looked at several houses and thought but they have no stuff. Where would my books go, could you get a computer and digital piano in here. I’ve even seen kitchens with no toaster or music crowave and thought is there room/ enough plug points.

That is why you 'dress' the house to suggest how the areas can be used.

A microwave, blender, toaster on the counter, yes - but not piles of paperwork from school or visible bins that would suggest lack of space. A plant on the counter to suggest that natural light is a feature and that a kitchen is so spacious that there are square inches to spare for something that isn't purely functional.
A plant and a candle or two in the bathroom to suggest the same and also to convey a sense that your bathroom is a place to relax.

Dressing the house with suggestion in mind is better than leaving it exactly as you are using it for the photos because you can appeal to a broad range of tastes when you create little scenes using your belongings as props.

People who like books and people who like space will both find a well arranged bookshelf pleasing. People who like cooking and people who like a clean, neat kitchen with lots of counter space will like a kitchen where the usefulness of various zones is suggested and the rest is clear and clean.

Most people who are moving house are looking for more space or somewhere they can comfortably downsize to, so it's always a good thing to minimise the amount of your own stuff that is visible and maximise the suggestion of spaciousness when selling.

People all over the world can see your photos. You do not know where a potential buyer might be coming from. Therefore the idea that people where you live are expecting to see china figurines is a bit

I would redo the bookshelves. Put a few more books back, both vertically and horizontally. Use big books. The box (?) in blue with the three houses on it needs to be on the bottom shelf to anchor the tableau. Get rid of those figurines - bring them to your mother's house if their value might be jeopardised in a shed or commercial storage space.

There is nothing you can do about the pianos and equipment - but don't leave any paperwork out for the photos. Gather it up and move it to another room. You will be scurrying back and forth a but but it will be worth it.

You are trying to sell something based on a first impression and that impression is completely visual. So you have to pay attention to the impression that little details are conveying.

You need to seriously consider what other people will be thinking about your house when they see photos and view in person. At the moment you're just digging your heels in to keep it how you like it but that's not how houses sell to achieve their best price, which I assume is what you want since you talk about wanting to be mortgage free.

When I look at your bedroom photos, I see a small, dark room filled with distracting clutter. Nothing in there enhances the space, it all detracts from it. Lots of other people will see that too. You need to get rid of the clutter (books, ornaments, dressing table stuff) and dress the room to enhance it and show it off. Personally I'd get rid of the dressing table too, and change the bedding and curtains for pale colours to give an impression of more space and cleanliness.

People in our area do expect to see china figures - perhaps, perhaps not. I'm sure you've not asked everyone. As another poster said though, you don't know where your potential buyers may be from. Old fashioned stuff like that really gives the impression that the house in general will be dated, which may make people assume that there would be work to be done updating everything.

Your bathroom is ok but needs the day to day toiletries moving. No-one needs to see your half empty shampoo bottles or charging toothbrush, nor your scales or bathmat which actually make the floor space look cluttered. Again, ok for day to day living, but not a good way to dress the space for maximum appeal for selling.

Your bathroom is ok but needs the day to day toiletries moving. No-one needs to see your half empty shampoo bottles or charging toothbrush,

Of course they don't I never said I was leaving them there, they will be put away on the morning after ds has gone to school.

The dressing table I guess is personal choice. The person buying may choose to keep it or not. They may choose to get rid of the fitted wardrobes altogether or not. When we bought the house 17 years ago I had the room done and originally was going to not have a dressing table but quickly realised that wasn't a good idea.

If I see a bedroom without a dressing table I start struggling to imagine where one could go or if one would fit.

I'm also not buying brand new curtains for a room I'm not keeping.

There was a limit in what I could do in the space of 3 days. Ds's room needed gutting pretty much and that has taken most time along with the office. I'm not superhuman. I have to prioritise.

I've had a look at other houses currently for sale or under offer in my area in the same sort of price range and mine is one of the more spacious for the price. Most have either two reception rooms plus a kitchen diner or one bigger reception room and a smaller kitchen wheras mine has both. My kitchen and bathroom are a lot more modern than the others for sale although some do have slightly bigger main bedrooms. Whoever buys it will need to recarpet or laminate the conservatory and it is priced accordingly.

The internal and external woodwork has just been done and the kitchen worktops re-varnished and I imagine people will want to re-paint the kids bedrooms.

Also yes, the room does look dark in the photos. They were only taken on my phone, not the best quality camera in the world. In real life the bedroom gets loads of light (too much for me I have to close the curtains to give some shade as it blinds me)

I'm also not buying brand new curtains for a room I'm not keeping

But spending £30-40 on some new curtains here and there, or a pot of paint, could well save you accepting an offer several thousand ££ below asking. Spending a few hundred pounds in making your house look smart and light could be the best investment you ever made! Especially with bedding etc that you WILL take with you. I know it seems daft to put effort and money into a house you’re leaving, but if you’re serious about selling put some effort in and give yourself the best chance - you’ll easily recoup what you spend when you sell.

Honestly, believe me, in real life/professional photos not my crappy phone new curtains will not add thousands. £40 curtains will look cheap and nasty. The curtains in the living room downstairs are cream.

I had a professional painter and joiner in last week doing stuff that HAS made a difference to the look of the place.