As a buyer’s agent, I show hundreds on houses every quarter.  Consistently, I see the same mistakes made by home sellers in the over-customization of their home decor.  Here are the top seven things that always show up and cause distractions in homes.  Are you guilty?

1.  Olan Mills Family Photos. In 1989, you received that phone call for a free sitting fee for a family portrait.  Weeks later, you went in to see the photos and fell in love with so many.  Two hours and $189 later, you have that huge 11×18 bronze frame family portrait over the dining room buffet that hasn’t moved since you proudly hung it.  Gotta go!

2.  Your Wedding Remnants. That gold framed wedding photo over the master bed, your shadow boxed dried bouquet, the pillow you had made from your engagement photo that now sits on the living room couch and the multitude of 5×7′s of reception photos on every bedrooms’ dressers. Gotta go!

3. The Hall of Schoolhouse Fame. In 1986, Tommy and Susie had their photos made with their arms crossed on Tennessee Homecoming 1986 quilt and wheel. In 1987, the school photographer brought in the pink and blue laser background. In 1988, Susie teased her hair extra high with Aqua Net and wore her acid washed jeans for a high glamour shot with a white background. Now, as you look down your home’s main hallway, you find the memories from kindergarten to cap and gown. Gotta go!

4. The Display Cabinets. You won that Princess Di Beanie Baby in that eBay war. You were able to collect every plate in the Wizard of Oz series. All the ladies at your church gasped over your impressive “Precious Moments” collection. Everything is perfectly displayed in oak, up-lit cabinets. Gotta go!

5. The Trophy Heads. Congratulations on killing Bambie’s father on your third hunting trip. Way to go on the big bass that you snagged on the guy’s weekend out on Dale Hollow Lake. Especially, props on finding the perfect spot either in the family room by the fireplace or even better yet in the stairwell as you walk down on the opposite wall. There’s nothing better than a potential buyer looking an animal in the eye as they try to view your home. Gotta go!

6. The “You Always Have A Home” Room. Tommy, his wife and two kids now live in Louisville, but you still think that he might need his room back one day. You’ve left all the baseball trophies, the field day green participation ribbons and even his Kathy Ireland poster behind the door. Gotta go!

7. The Gifts. Your secret pal at work slowly bought you all the “Home Interior” wall clutter you were collecting. Your Aunt Louise hand-sewed that quilt hanging in your bedroom when country blue and mauve were the hottest colors. Susie took that photography class when she was going through her questioning lesbian stage, took all those “artsy” photos from her Asheville trip and even made the frame for you. Gotta go!

(Hat-tip to two of my favorite gals from Clinton High School, Jackie and Jennifer for letting me snag your fabu acid wash photo.)

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