| Feeling a bit like a crusty old barnacle cemented to a | | | | and suggestions for me to tackle -- from painting the |
| rock? | | | | pink and blue bedrooms back to white, moving |
| Fear not! Spring is upon us and what better time for a | | | | furniture, taking down all artwork (which she later put |
| fresh start...whatever that might mean to you. I just | | | | back up but in different places), purchasing new |
| spent the last two months decluttering my home and, | | | | bedding, towels, soap dispensers, lighting, etc. The total |
| sad as it is to admit, I didn't even recognize some of | | | | investment was $2500 and the end result was |
| the items unearthed...and they were in my house! (So if | | | | stunning. |
| anyone is missing a large peanut-shaped covered dish | | | | However, true to human nature, I quickly realized that I |
| with a porcelain squirrel inside, my apologies but it's | | | | loved the new look of my old digs...and I got to thinking |
| gone now.) I gave over 100 boxes of STUFF to | | | | that I would be a-okay if my home didn't sell because I |
| charity and recycled at least 50 boxes of paper and | | | | was so happy here! I could stay right where I was and |
| cardboard. | | | | enjoy my -- |
| And what else did I find beneath all that clutter, chaos | | | | My phone rang. It was my realtor. An offer had just |
| and dust? | | | | come in on my house. |
| A beautiful - and ridiculously large for one person and | | | | Most barnacles don't jump off their rocks. They either |
| two dogs - home, complete with gorgeous hardwood | | | | fall off when they die (and even then, sometimes not!) |
| floors, funky furniture and stunning artwork. Who | | | | or get pried off by forces bigger than them. |
| knew? When I first contacted my realtor four months | | | | After only 5 days on the market, my home was |
| ago about my dream of moving closer to the ocean, | | | | conditionally sold. I dare say the universe was gently |
| her first piece of advice was, "Declutter...as in starting | | | | prying me off my safe little rock. As goes the quote |
| now." Her second piece of advice was to consider | | | | by William Jennings Bryan: "Destiny is not a matter of |
| hiring, when the time came, a professional homestager. | | | | chance; it is a matter of choice...it not a thing to be |
| The de-cluttering concept I understood in theory | | | | waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." |
| (although practicing it was a different story); the staging | | | | Okay, okay...I'm moving already! |
| idea not so much. | | | | Three things you can do in the next three days - that |
| Alas, four months later, my home was -- literally -- | | | | just might help get you unstuck and back on track |
| hundreds of pounds lighter and my dream of moving | | | | toward living the life you love: |
| to Vancouver Island stronger than ever. My realtor | | | | * Declutter: start to shed those things -- furniture, |
| was flabbergasted at my de-cluttering efforts and | | | | clothes, files, dishes, beliefs, thoughts, feelings -- which |
| rewarded me with an introduction to a homestager | | | | are no longer working for you |
| who would 'dress' my home for sale. The homestager | | | | * Ask yourself: are you excited about the changes |
| whirled through my place, leaving a trail of orange | | | | you can make -- or are you content with the status |
| sticky notes tagging items that needed to be removed | | | | quo? |
