REMEMBER THE GARAGE!

Just like the inside of a house, the inside of the garage needs to look clean, spacious and well organized.  If you're selling, set aside time to stage your garage for maximum impact.

Many people understand how important it is to remove unneeded belongings from their home before it goes on the market, but unfortunately they don't realize that storing those extra things haphazardly in the garage creates a negative impression. About one fourth of all home buyers want garages large enough to hold three vehicles, and most want extra storage space, so a cluttered, dirty garage can be a deal-breaker.

Just like the inside of a house, the inside of the garage needs to look clean, spacious and well organized.  If you're selling, set aside time to stage your garage according to this plan.

1.    Take everything out of the garage, if possible.
2.    Thoroughly clean it, paying attention to spider webs and any oil stains on the floor.
3.     If the walls are painted now and are too dirty to simply clean, repaint them.
4.    Analyze everything and put it in one of the following categories: Discards, Donations, Sell, Long Term Storage, Short Term Storage and Frequent Use.
5.     Get rid of all the discards and donations. Have a garage sale, or sell your things on consignment or at someone else's garage sale. You'll be amazed at how much space this creates.
6.    Analyze the candidates for long term storage. If there's a lot, consider renting off site storage. You'll probably have a lot more inside the house that could be added to the things in the garage, making this option even more worthwhile.
7.    Now you're left with the items for short term storage and frequent use. Organize them by category such as recreation, automotive, garden, workshop, etc.
8.    Place everything from each category in one place where they will be most convenient to access.
9.    Store tools off the floor on hooks.
10.    Remove as much as possible from the floor and place neatly on shelves. Consolidate small items in cartons for a neater look.
11.    Store all chemicals and flammable items safely and out of the way.
12.    Make sure that the garage is well lighted and have the light on for showings. Keep the floor swept.
13.    Check the garage door opener to make sure it's working properly.
14.    Add a smoke detector.

Remember that when you sell your house you're going to have to do this work in order to move. By doing it before your house goes on the market, you'll not only make more money by having a better product to sell, you'll make the huge job of moving a lot more manageable. Think of it as paying yourself to stage your garage, because that's what it amounts to, and when you look at it that way, the job isn't so bad.