Whether you are making room for a new addition to the family or downsizing, de-cluttering is a must. We know how difficult it can be to decide what to keep and what to ditch. First, you have to understand just what kind of clutter is piling up in your home. Here are the 4 most commons types of clutter and how to tackle each:

Clutter Without a Home

Some of your clutter isn’t actually clutter; it just doesn’t have a home. It could be mail you haven’t opened yet or books that are piling up because your bookshelf is overflowing. This type of accumulation is going take a few extra steps because it’s not about a ditch or keep pile.

 

You have to be a little bit more strategic in creating storage space. It may require buying a few storage bins, but it will be worth it to see everything in their rightful place. Clear and labeled plastic containers work for most items in the home whether it’s a temporary or permanent solution to your clutter.  Try to place your containers where they make the most sense. A small container for the mail should go wherever you normally drop your mail off when entering your home. A larger container can be placed next to the shelf for any books that won’t fit.

 

Aspirational Clutter

This type of clutter is the stuff that you buy in hopes to someday use. It’s just like the coffee table book you keep on display but have never sat down to read. Whether it’s the set of golf clubs collecting dust or the skiing wardrobe for that vacation that never seems to get booked, we are all guilty of making aspirational purchases.

 

If your purchases have started to pile up and you’re not using them, it could be time to find them a new home. Ask yourself questions like: Am I really interested in golf? Do I really plan to go skiing? Am I actually going to use this or that? If you say maybe or no to any of these questions, you may want to put them in the ditch pile or try to sell them.

 

Bargain Clutter

You may have guessed from the name, the type of clutter we’re referring to – bargains. If you can’t resist the urge to buy when there is a good sale and often find your purchases stacking high, you may have some bargain clutter. It can seem easy to justify a purchase when it’s on sale, but that doesn’t mean you should bring it into your home.

 

The best way to tackle this kind of clutter is to go through all of your items and determine what you actually need. If you don’t need it, put it in the ditch pile. Next time you see a sale, think long and hard about whether you are buying just because.

 

Sentimental Clutter

If you’re afraid to throw out your old baby blanket or your child’s first pair of shoes, you could be holding onto sentimental clutter. This is the hardest clutter to get rid of because there is an emotional attachment to these items.  Deciding what to throw out and what to keep may stir up some emotions.

 

Carefully choose just a few items to hold onto as mementos. Which items bring you the most joy? Always remember that getting rid of things is not getting rid of the memory. Determine what is really meaningful and what’s just stuff. It’s understandable to want to keep old love letters or birthday cards, but they don’t have to take up space. Take a digital scan and create a folder on your computer or a hard drive. You can reclaim your space while having the option to go back through them if you want to take a walk down memory lane.

 

You should also think about if the size of your house and whether the items that are filling it suits your lifestyle. Some of our clients, for example, are ready to downsize. With kids out of the house, they are typically looking for a home that is just for them. On the other hand, some of our other clients have outgrown their home as their family grows, so decluttering can help in the packing and moving process. Whether you’re interested in something bigger or smaller, Karen Cannon, Realtors can help you find something that is perfect for you.

 

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs,  and North Atlanta. We live, work, and play here, and our agents are hand-picked for their connections in the community. Our clients know about homes coming on the market before anyone else.  And our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

 

If you are thinking about selling your home, or are interested in moving into Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or the surrounding areas, call us at 770-352-9658.

As technology evolves, so does the selling and buying experience. Now, there are more immersive and interactive techniques being used in real estate. At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we always have our ears to the ground with the latest technology that can enhance and improve our clients’ buying and selling experience. When 3D Virtual Tours became available, we hopped on board to offer this enhancement as a part of our service, and we have seen great success ever since. We offer a truly immersive experience so that buyers can feel like they are in the home. If you’re a skeptic, we’re here to tell you there are some great benefits to using virtual tours to attract buyers.

 

It captures potential buyers in remote locations

Let’s face it; moving to another part of town can be hard let alone another state! Virtual tours open up the opportunity to capture buyers from all over the world. With our 3D Virtual Tours, we have a specialist that uses a unique 3D camera to capture every single angle of your home for buyers to later explore on our website. It’s a virtual walkthrough that buyers can enjoy no matter where they are and no matter the time of day.

 

It gets more eyes on your home

One of the goals of having virtual tours available is to find buyers seriously interested in your home quickly. The virtual tour is like an “always open house,” and the client can spend as little or as much time in each room as they want. The longer a client spends looking through sections of your home, the more they can imagine themselves owning it. Studies have shown that virtual tours get 49% more qualified leads and get 40% more clicks than listings without.

 

There are times when only one partner is available to view a listing in person. The 3D virtual tour allows both parties to get a feel for the home. In addition, if a buyer is interested, but wants others to weigh in on a home, the 3D tour gives them the opportunity. Whether it’s a parent or a spouse, they can view the home at their convenience which can help move these along in their decision making.

 

It showcases your home in pristine shape 24/7

Showcasing a property is just a part of the home-selling process. Your home has to look great whenever we showcase your home to potential buyers, and some sellers find this to be a hassle. While showing a home in person will most likely still happen, the 3D virtual tour allows buyers to step inside of your home, virtually, whenever they want to and for as long as they want to. It also offers a floor plan and dollhouse view that allows the seller to virtually place furniture to give them a visual idea of what the home would look like furnished. The seller won’t feel as rushed as they normally would for say an open house or a showing because it is on their time. Having that added time allows the buyer to decide if they are serious about buying. If they are, they will reach out to us to either make an offer or see the home in person.

 

We provide 3D virtual tours for every listing as well as home staging, professional photography, and videography.  We also provide unique and targeted social media marketing tactics. As we mentioned before, the goal is to get serious buyers interested in your home. The 3D tour introduces buyers to the home. Whenever they’re ready to view the home in person, we always have an agent available.

 

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and North Atlanta.  We live, work, and play here, and our agents are hand-picked for their connections in the community. Our clients know about homes coming on the market before anyone else.  And our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

 

If you are thinking about selling your home, or are interested in moving into Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or the surrounding areas, call us at 770-352-9658.

Source: Matterport

While we love the beautiful colors of fall and the family-friendly festivals here in Atlanta, we can’t help but think that winter is quickly approaching. As fall prepares us for the frigid winter temperatures to come, we often head to our closets and basements to pull out the boots and heavy coats.  But it’s also time to prepare our homes to bear the weather, too. Winter can be very unpredictable and can wreak havoc on not only your home but your wallet, too. Here are 6 maintenance tips you can do this fall to prepare your home for winter:

Clean Gutters and Downspouts:

Once most of the leaves have fallen, clean out gutters and downspouts (hire a helper if you are not comfortable on a ladder). Clogged gutters during rainstorms can cause water to pool and damage your roof or siding.

Check Safety Devices:

At least once a year, do a top to bottom review of your home’s safety features. This is also a good time to gather the family together for a review of your fire evacuation plan.  

• Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors; replace batteries as needed.
• Check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher and replace if needed
• If you haven’t checked your home for radon, fall is a good time to do so — as the weather gets cooler and windows stay shut more often, radon is more likely to become trapped in your home.

Care for Trees and Shrubs:

While we admire the beautiful orange, red and yellow leaves, they won’t last long. When they do start to fall, they can quickly blanket your lawn. While you’re raking them away, inspect the trees close to your home or power lines and give them a good trim, if needed, to prevent falling limbs from causing a power outage.   If you have trees near power lines, be careful! Call a professional if you are concerned.

Check the Exterior of Your Home:

While you are outside, take a walk around your home to look for any signs of damage to the roof, siding, and foundation. Spotting any damages early can help you plan financially and schedule repairs prior to winter. You should also check for any tiny gaps that little critters might be able to crawl through to keep warm. Fill those holes and cover large gapes securely to keep wildlife out.

Protect the Pipes:

While we may be in the south and freezing temperatures are few, we still need to protect our pipes when those frigid temperatures come.  Protect your pipes from freezing temperatures (below 32°) by shutting off water to exterior faucets. Be sure to drain hoses and store them indoors.

Schedule a Chimney Cleaning and Heating System Maintenance:

If you have a fireplace in your home, make sure that it is cleaned, maintained and working properly now before you turn it on in the winter.  And before turning the heat on in your home, make sure to change out the filter in your furnace. If you notice anything not working properly, connect with an HVAC professional prior to winter. Be sure to add a chimney cap if you don’t already have one — it will stop critters from crawling down your chimney!

Don’t get overwhelmed by these preventative maintenance tips. You have a few months to tackle everything on this list; take it one step at a time.

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and North Atlanta.  We live, work and play here, and our agents are hand-picked for their connections in the community. Our clients know about homes coming on the market before anyone else.  And our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

If you are thinking about selling your home, or are interested in moving into Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or the North Atlanta area, call us at 770-352-9658.