Crowded countertops
We all want our homes to look like the ones we see on Instagram or in design magazines. Unfortunately, as tidy and neat as we would like to be, life gets in the way and throws all sorts of small appliances and other paraphernalia our way. Instead of clear kitchen countertops and bathroom counters, we’ve got piles of kitchen utensils and personal care products in plain view.
If you don’t want to lower your chances of finding someone to buy your home, don’t take any pictures until you’ve removed all the clutter off the countertops and counters, recommends Cande Green, a Re/Max agent, based in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas. Leave the items you usually use in the kitchen and get rid of everything else. In the bathroom, store your personal care items and anything else that takes up unnecessary space in a box or cabinet. The change will not go unnoticed!
Indoor houseplants
You might have a green thumb and fondness for plants, but home buyers will not be interested in your gardening skills, says IAHSP’s Norris. After all, no one wants to come home to a place looking like a rainforest.
Norris suggests giving some of your indoor plants to friends, selling them or even donating them. If the plants are weedy and unkempt, it’s best that you throw them away, compost them or find someone who can rehabilitate and take care of them properly. Needless to say, artificial plants need to go ASAP! Apart from collecting dust, they’ll make your home look old and kitschy. You can also give them to a nonprofit organization such as Goodwill and claim a tax deduction for charitable donations. On that note, see also Qualified Charitable Distributions Can Lower Your Taxes! Find Out How.
