Maggie Gunther

3 ways the tidying maven can help you get it together and even “spark joy” before you sell or rent out your home

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In the summer of 2017, I read Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.” Rarely do things that claim to be “Life-Changing” live up to the hype, but in this case, it did. I was in the midst of selling my home and had already begun a massive purge. Like most people, I hate moving, and I really hate moving a bunch of stuff that I don’t use on a regular basis from one home to the next. I’ve even sold furniture on Craigslist simply to avoid moving it.

Despite a disdain for traipsing possessions to and fro, somehow I had accumulated a lot of items, many of which I felt obligated out of guilt to keep, but really had no love for. As Marie Kondo would say, most of the stuff I had been hanging onto did not “spark joy.” A friend sent me a copy of the book (which you can also get for kindle), and I dug in.

It was an easy read and put me in the right frame of mind to get to the next level of letting go – discarding things that had outlived their usefulness, giving formerly cherished items away to others, donating to worthy charities and even selling stuff on Craigslist and OfferUp. I quickly became a fan.

Tidy rooms look larger, airier, cleaner – and no one will report you to the producers of a reality show on hoarding.

Fast forward to 2019, and Marie Kondo is a Netflix sensation and the face who launched a thousand memes. Suddenly, friends and family from all over relate to my love for this pint-sized tidying angel from heaven and how helpful her method was for me when I sold my home.

Here are three ways applying Marie Kondo’s tidying process helped me, and can help you prepare to move:

Get Your Mind Right
Kondo’s tidying philosophy helps you drop the emotional baggage that items can carry. I was holding on to some things because I had assigned emotional value to them, not because I used them or even liked them. Kondo’s process helps you say thank you and goodbye to items that no longer serve you. Through the process, you feel free, like a weight is being lifted. A home sale, purchase or even just moving across town can be incredibly stressful. Tidying frees you up both mentally and physically for the next chapter.

Let Your Home Shine
Decluttering is Real Estate Sales 101. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the less junk strewn about, the more attractive your home looks in marketing photos and to potential buyers or renters during showings. Tidy rooms look larger, airier, cleaner – and no one will report you to the producers of a reality show on hoarding. A clear space also makes your property more likely to sell or rent out at a higher price point.

Go Small and Save
Having less stuff before a move also means having many more potentially money-saving choices when it comes to the size of your next home. Your options might now include living in a micro-unit, a studio, or even a tiny home. Perhaps you might be able to afford a smaller place in a better neighborhood. With less stuff, you might have room to either take on or be someone’s roommate, and save on your mortgage or rent. Any need to purchase storage space may decrease or disappear altogether. Even if you want a larger home, it won’t be full of things just taking up space, but things you love.

Looking to make a move in the Fort Lauderdale area, now or in the future? Contact me at maggie@debianchi.com.