I had to rent my house for extra income, and it forced me to declutter. I'm happier because of it.
- I decided to rent my house out for extra income and hired a photographer to help me stage it.
- Through her eyes, I realized how much clutter I had.
While I would not classify myself as a hoarder, I have trouble letting go of things, objects, and memorabilia. I didn't realize how much of an issue this was until recently when the once-lucrative Airbnb I ran out of my second home was in trouble. I was no longer turning people away, but struggling to get renters.
With the decline in income, I was forced to reevaluate the space. Although I loved my little white house, I also needed to figure out how to make it more enticing to others. That's when I called a photographer.
A photo shoot for my Airbnb helped me see all the clutter
I found a professional photographer named Jennifer Muirhead, and with her help, I could stage my home so that I could finally see what needed to go. Even though I loved that artisanal pillow and water cozy, sometimes it is better to have a cleaner look. But how could I let go of all my precious possessions? For the shoot, we worked together to move things around and out of the way, and I couldn't believe the difference a few pivots — and omissions — could make.
Buying a second home had been a dream of mine, but affording two mortgages — one in NYC and one upstate — on my own has been challenging. I loved my house, but I was away often, either traveling or in the city teaching, and it felt right to try to rent it when I wasn't there.
At first, I had to turn people away, as in recent years, people have opted to go Upstate rather than fly abroad over the summer. However, as New Yorkers have started to summer in Europe again, getting people to rent in the country has been cumbersome. When I ran into a friend who had great success with his Airbnb, he recommended getting professional photos taken, so I aquacised.
I was hesitant to invest any more money in my home, but I'd heard good things about this photographer and decided to give it a go. We hit it off right away. To my surprise, not only did she carefully take pictures, but she also spent a considerable amount of time helping me rearrange furniture to stage my place. She also helped me see that certain items needed to go to make things look more streamlined.
She wasn't the first guest who made a few suggestions. I can't think of a time when someone has come to visit me in my 975-square-foot home, jam-packed with my beloved tchotchkes, and hasn't found themselves offering suggestions for rearranging things or actually getting up and moving furniture with me.
It never seemed to me like I had too much before. So what if there were piles of blankets — shouldn't that just make it more cozy? Apparently not. As we got to know each other, Jen helped me see what I should highlight, and what I should simply put away, and what I should get rid of. It was awe-inspiring.
Moving a hutch a few inches one way completely opened the kitchen. Hanging pictures in groups could actually open up space. And putting my endless neon hand weights in the closet could make the bedroom clean and comfortable.
After the shoot, I was able to let go of things I didn't need anymore
Throughout the process, she let me look at the viewfinder of her camera to see what I liked and didn't. I was surprised that through her lens, I could see things differently. There were, in fact, too many pillows and tchotchkes. When I mentioned that it looked cluttered, within seconds, she placed the obtrusive items away, and it was then that I realized less is actually more. Viola.
"You can put all this back after I take the pictures," she said.
But I soon realized that not everything in my life needed to be on display. Putting my mini creams in a drawer was better than having endless white circles on my dresser. Moving an ottoman didn't mean it couldn't be moved back if needed. I felt so free.
Since she left, I have been continuing the decluttering process, albeit slowly. I have even contacted some agencies to donate the excess. I hope I can get more renters to experience my newly spruced-up home. Either way, I feel more at ease and love my new, less cluttered home. It is truly picture-perfect now.