How A Buyer Sees A Junk Room: And What To Do About It

Posted on: 31 March 2015

One of the best parts of being an "empty-nester" is the ability to use your children's rooms in any way you want. If you have used one of them as a junk room, then you are one of many who have claimed this rite of passage into this new season of your life. However, if you want to sell your home, buyers may see this room and think that you're just messy. This guide explains how to clear out that junk room and prep it for potential buyers to fall in love with.

Step 1: Pick Up Some Materials

Before clearing out any area, you'll need to be prepared, and the junk room is no different. Pick up the following materials before you get started:

  • several plastic containers with three different colors of lids
  • marker
  • labels
  • masking tape

Step 2: Set Up a Staging Area

Choose an area of your home that you can create a lot of space in with ease. Some ideas include your garage, large family room, dining room or patio.

Move large items to the side to expose as much empty space as possible. Designate sections of the area for various items that you'll pull out of the room. Place some masking tape on the floor in front of the sections and write these words on the tape:

  • keep
  • give away
  • trash
  • sell

Step 3: Pull Everything Out of the Room

Enter your junk room with boldness and determination. Carry everything you see out, and then place the items in the designated areas. Don't think too much about something. If it has sentimental value, place it in the "keep" pile. Items to keep for this reason include your children's drawings, awards and photos.

If you have items that you haven't used in a long time, place them in any of the remaining piles, depending on whether you feel someone can get some use out of them or if you think you might be able to sell them in a yard sale. Some of these items include:

  • crafting materials
  • clothing
  • old paintings and decorations
  • electronics

Step 4: Fill the Bins

Grab one of the bins and begin filling it with the items from the junk room. Use the same color lid for each section (except the trash section) to help you identify them. Place the names of the sections on labels and put the labels on the front side of the bin.

Step 5: Remove Items From the House

Toss the trash section or take the recyclable items to your nearest recycling center. Take the "give away" bins to your local donation center or thrift shop. Take your "sell" bins to the garage until you have a garage sale, or you can go ahead at this point and list them for sale online. Store the "keep" items neatly in a closet or other storage area.

Step 6: Arrange the Junk Room Into a New Room

Decide whether you want potential buyers to see an office space, bedroom or entertainment room and set it up accordingly. You can find some inexpensive furniture to do this, or you can use some items from another room in the home. This helps both rooms look less cluttered.

It will take you about a day to transform your junk room into a room that attracts buyers. They need to be able to envision what their life will be like should they decide to buy. A home without a junk room provides this vision so that you can obtain the offers you're hoping for. For more details, speak with someone from a company like Remax Glenn Knutson.

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