An Unlikely Hero That Will Sell Your Home

So many times when homes are for sale, people forget that some areas of the home need a little more attention than others. Think about it for a minute, what’s the room that gets cleaned the least in your home? Now, I’ll bet you answered; “the garage.” Garages are an oft-overlooked area when preparing a home for sale.

The garage has simply become the old catch-all area for accumulated junk and things that you just can’t bring yourself to throw away. You know what I’m referring to, clothes from 12 years ago, that collection of 1970’s disco cassette tapes of artists you thought we going to “take off,” who knows, there might even be a car in there somewhere!

The Garage Project

Garages can be a huge undertaking and an emotional one at that. In cleaning out a proper collection of “stuff,” who knows what forgotten treasures you might run across? The idea here is to get rid of things that aren’t being used. The best idea is to set aside a whole day to dedicate to the cleaning of the garage.

First things first, everything comes out. Everything. Think of Marie Kondo but more intense. Sort everything into three piles, one goes to the garbage, one goes to goodwill or a similar organization that can use old clothes and such and the third pile is the keepers. No, your walkman that you carried all throughout high school and doesn’t work anymore is not considered a “keeper.”

Once everything is out of the garage you can set about cleaning it. If this is the first time you have really cleaned it, this could take a while. If you haven’t used it in the past 6 months and you can’t visualize a time where you’ve said, “I really wish I had that out of tune piano that I was going to refurbish right now,” then toss it. Give the floor a good sweep and if necessary maybe pressure-wash anything that is holding a stain.

At this point, your cleaning of the garage could be done, or if you are a big thinker and a Pinterest lover, there are some options such as garage organization systems that are tremendous for keeping things neat and orderly and add some value to a home as well. Usually, these consist of a wall-mounted rack system and incorporated storage shelves and bins. Hopefully, when this exercise is complete, your garage will be as attractive as the other rooms in your home and will be a good selling point when buyers come to have a look at your home.

Garages are often the bane of our existence and our spouse (or it’s clawing at the back of your mind on your own) often reminds us of the time 2 years ago when we said we’d clean it. Most homebuyers want a spacious garage, especially in states that have a lot of snow or rain. When selling properties, it’s important that every part of the home shines. Homebuyers will take one look at your garage, be jealous, and will just have to buy your home. Happy house selling!