Below are five universal truths to keep in mind when selling your home.
It’s Not About You – The goal is to make potential buyers fall in love with your decor and style but to let them easily see how they can apply theirs.
Less Is More – Strip down your stuff to beyond what you think is appropriate. Give viewers as open a canvas as possible.
Creating a First Impression - A pretty front door, a healthy lawn, flowers in bloom, and a lack of weeds could be worth thousands of dollars.
Make Things Spotless – Do a fresh cleaning. Pretend it’s tasked-over once again.
Lighten Up – People prefer a bright home. Consider painting dark walls or cabinets. When showing your home, turn on all the lights and open the shades.
Moving Joyfully
While moving from one place to another can be full of challenges, with a fresh perspective and some effective strategies, it can actually be a very positive experience!
The following three perspectives are always important, and especially helpful during such a huge time of change:
Set an Example
Change is difficult, but we are not afraid of discomfort. If we model for our children throughout their lives that we ourselves are not afraid of being uncomfortable, they will follow suit. It’s very healthy to make comments such as, “Lots and lots of packing to do today…Looking forward to it,” or “I wonder how the new beds will feel.” A curious tone without fear of the hard work or of the unknown sends great vibes to children.
Be Empathetic
All feelings are normal. As loving parents, we often try to talk our children out of their feelings, which can mistakenly make them feel like something is wrong with them for having these feelings. When your children say, “But I don’t want to move,” a simple understanding statement such as, “That’s so normal,” can go a very long way. If your child says, “It’s so much work to pack,” try helping them see that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed (or feel anything at all) with a short answer like, “Yes, it really is.”
Be Positive
No matter how hard a challenge is, we always have the tools inside of us to get through it. Let your children know that it will feel different and possibly even strange at first. “The first few days will feel especially strange. Then it gets easier and easier, and about a week in, you’ll feel very relaxed.”
In order to send positive messages about the changes, you can also show your children that you feel confident that you will all be okay with any surprises that arise. Why? Because you know that you will always have the tools! Make curious comments such as, “I wonder if we will figure out how to use the new stove on our first day or if it will be tuna sandwiches for dinner,” or “I wonder who the new neighbors are.” If you say all this with a calm smile, you will be teaching your children that we don’t need to know the future in order to be okay right now.
If you take your watch off your wrist and place it on your other wrist, you will see that it feels awkward at first. That’s a natural part of change. What if you knew that if you push through that and continue to wear your watch on the uncomfortable hand, you’d somehow be helping to heal all the sick people in the world? You’d do it in a heartbeat. You are moving for a reason. Change is great. Without change there can’t be growth. If you are fully aware that discomfort is something you can first validate and then embrace, you can set yourself and family up for a very smooth experience.
Happy moving!