How to Not Suffer from Crowded House Syndrome

Are you suffering from ‘crowded house syndrome’ and now you’re ready to sell your house?

Aside from working at home, teaching at home and entertaining at home, you’re way past feeling like the walls are closing in on you. At times, you’re not sure if you feel like the house is getting smaller—thanks to your “new normal”, or was it always easy to overlook the obvious? Maybe, just maybe, this whole time, you were living with “crowded house syndrome”.

What in the world is “crowded-house syndrome”?

Before you start getting worried that it’s something that needs to be diagnosed by a doctor or someone with a special designation, take a deep breath. It’s a fancy way of saying, you might live with too much of what makes you feel comfortable (all at one time) in one room or several rooms.

Have you noticed after a trip to the grocery store or a simple backyard barbecue that you’re abnormally agitated when you walk into the house? Do you find that furnishings and other items tend to fill a space quickly with no where to go and you want it all gone…like now?

Then, it’s time to take a step back and evaluate what it’ll take to get the most out of your house whether you’re planning to sell it or stay for awhile longer.

Why homesellers want to resolve “crowded house sydrome”.

If you’re the homeowner who cringes when you think you could never get your “crowded house” to look magazine-worthy on a limited budget, there’s good news to settle your nerves.

Believe it or not, most homebuyers don’t expect to walk into the living room of an Architectural Digest luxury property. (Unless they’re in the market for a luxury home, of course.)

Homebuyers simply want the best bang for their buck. Today, they’re willing to pay a little more to avoid time-consuming, weekend-warrior projects.

Yes, you have reasons to keep your weekends free for family and errands. It’s almost tempting for any homeowner to leave the house as-is. Here’s the thing, if you’re serious about selling your house, this is not the time to get discouraged.

You may risk your house falling into the “reduced price” zone. And that’s no place to be if you have goals to sell at top price. When you brought your house, you didn’t intend to give it away to charity, right? Well, keep reading for clues to maximize the equity in your house.

Freedom to Move

Allow for ample flow through the home’s floor plan. In other words, you might have to store an extra sofa chair or other large furniture pieces to encourage movement from room to room. With freedom to move through the house, homebuyers feel more inclined to stay in the house longer to get acquainted with how they could be living day-to-day in the house.

What Doesn’t Belong

Examine each room and determine what does not support the overall décor in the space. For instance, your box of Kleenex facial tissues might come in a cute decorative box and appear pretty to you. However, a nervous buyer may unconsciously get turned off by the house due to concerns about cold and flu viruses.

Let go of the extras

Eliminate extras in a room like a treadmill or a mini fridge. If the items do not show the room’s intended purpose, it may confuse buyers. Also, larger furniture like an armoire or a sectional sofa may cause a room to appear smaller than it is. Evaluate whether those items can be used in another room or if they need to be stored early.

Watch your art

Limit wall art to a few pieces, depending on the size of the room. Hang wall art that’s proportionate to the size of the furniture. For instance, an eight by ten painting hung over a large sectional sofa draws the eye away from the valuable selling features in the house like a picture window or fireplace.

Got to go green

Resist the urge to show off your green thumb. Too many plants grouped together in rooms will distract buyers. While it’s encouraged to place greenery sparingly throughout the house, take care to place one or two plants in a room to provide subtle color and complement the décor. If you’re an indoor gardener with a green thumb, ask a friend or neighbor to keep your extra greenery and “plant-sit” for you until the house sells.

Finally, following these steps will get you off to a good start to create a home you’re excited to live in, or a house that buyers will find valuable from the start. You’ll have more energy and enthusiasm when you walk in the door and when you hear about the compliments (and excellent offers) from potential buyers.