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If you’ve been thinking about selling, it may be time to speed up that decision. Low inventory and low mortgage rates are still creating the conditions for a seller’s market this season. When homes hit the market, they generally go fast.
While this is great news for potential sellers, there’s something that may be in the way of being able to jump into the market — literally. We’re talking about stuff in your home. Whether you’re dealing with decades’ worth of memories or just the everyday pile-ups that pop up in rooms (and in closets), clutter can complicate the selling process.
For one, clutter makes it difficult to even think about selling due to just how overwhelming and time-consuming it can be to deal with. Second, clutter makes rooms feel smaller and overwhelms buyers so that even in a hot market, your home may not get what it’s truly worth. Third, clutter is just a pain to move.
The best solution to all of the above is the simplest: Put (most of) it in a storage unit and get it out of your way. To make it even easier, opt for an offsite storage pickup service. Typically, these companies drop off a big storage container to you and then pick it up when you’re finished to store it in their facility. Other companies simply pick up your boxes to store in their own offsite facility. When you need your stuff, the company delivers it to your new home.
Here’s an overview of a few of the more popular services:
PODS
You’ve probably seen the big PODS-branded white containers in driveways around your neighborhood before. There are different sized PODS available, ranging from ones small enough for a studio’s worth of items all the way up to a two-bedroom home. (If your home is larger, you may need to arrange for multiple PODS.) When you’re done, the company picks up the PODS container and stores it in one of their offsite facilities or brings it to your new place. Good to know: You may need to get a permit to “park” a PODS container.
U-HAUL U-BOX
Similar to PODS, U-Haul U-Box drops off standalone containers to your driveway so you can pack at your pace. You can arrange for the U-Boxes to be delivered to U-Haul’s offsite storage facility or your new home. However, the main difference is that U-Boxes are all standard size (U-Haul states that each can hold about a room’s worth of items.)
Clutter
The appropriately-named service doesn’t drop off a big container. Instead, they’ll pick up your packed boxes, furniture, and other items. Packing help is also available, where Clutter’s professional movers will basically do all the work for you. If you’re more of a DIY-type, you can also drop off your items at one of their facilities. Clutter catalogs your items with a photo inventory, so you can select exactly what you need when it’s time to arrange for delivery.
Makespace
If you don’t have a lot of items to store, Makespace may be a good fit. This company will deliver free bags for you to fill (or you can use your own boxes), pick up the items and then store them in their offsite facility. Like Clutter, they’ll also make a photo inventory of what you’ve stored. When you’re ready, just request delivery for the items you need. Good to know: Makespace will also take furniture.
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