Stockpiling And 4 Other Big Pantry Don'ts When Selling Your Home
Posted on: 18 December 2018
When you put your home on the market, you can expect people to look in all the closets, including the pantry. They are trying to get a feel for the size, to see if their belongings will fit in your space. Nothing turns off a deal faster than closets that are crammed to the ceiling full of stuff. Buyers make the assumption – fair, or not – that your closets are small. If you have to cram it all in, then they will, too. Bigger closets are probably one of the things they were looking for in their next home. The same can be said of your pantry. Here are a few pantry don'ts that you need to clear up before your next showing.
Stockpiling: Stockpiling means you stock up on certain items that you use regularly when they go on sale in order to save money. This is a genius move when you are on a tight food budget, but not so smart when your house is for sale. Eat it, give it away to friends, donate it to a food shelf, or pack it up, just get it out of your crowded pantry.
Toilet Paper: Shopping for food in bulk at a warehouse club is also a great way to save money. The problem arises when a potential buyer opens your pantry door to find 36 rolls of toilet paper staring back at them. You may be used to it, but buyers are just going to think it's weird.
Utilitarian: Buyers want to see an organized space when they open that door. They want to see cute baskets, see-thru cereal boxes, and labeled bins with snack items. They want to daydream just a little about living as organized a life as you do.
Crowded: Don't crowd all your containers, however. A pantry looks best with some negative space left around each row of items. This is visually appealing, but it also creates the illusion that your pantry is huge due to all the extra space on the shelves.
Label-less: Don't go label-less. Channel your inner Pinterest diva and grab a label maker. Label each shelf, bin, basket, or box. Again, your goal is to create such an organized space that buyers are overwhelmed by it and fall in love.
While it may seem strange that such a tiny space could have an influence over buyers, it is true. Experts have been tying organization to staging for many years when it comes to selling a home, and it works with great success.
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