Don't Take it Personally

You have an amazing collection of framed memories, you've hammered a million holes in your sheet rock to hang them, and now you have to sell your house. Eeeeeeeek! Hopefully you will read this blog before you get to this pivital moment! Here are some tips to help you depersonalize your family shrine:


If you have created a wall collage of family photos, here are some easy fixes to keep your frames displayed without having your personal photos distract potential buyers while they tour your home-

1. Replace photos with more generic photos purchased from an online source. Here are some shops on Etsy that have 4x6 photos for between 3.00 and 5.00 each. If you purchase more than one image from a shop, they will combine your shipping charges. Yay!

Shop at "The Gallivanting Girl" on Etsy

Shop "Ashes Imagery" also on Etsy

Explore other sources on Etsy by searching under Art: Photography: and then whatever subject matter you like. (Hint- at the top of the search results page, you can opt to search from Prices Low to High)


2. Hunt on Ebay for prints. You can find AMAZING vintage prints this way, and super cheap. Some trendy prints include botanical prints and specimen prints. Prints like this can also be cut from calendars and art books off the clearance shelf at your local book store. Buy calendars after the New Year to score twelve coordinating prints in one swipe.

littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com

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3. Use scraps of graphic print fabrics as the art. Cool scraps of vintage wallpaper are nice as well. Look for colors and patterns that compliment the rest of your interior. If it can fit in the frame, it can be art!

Heck, this would be cute any time! Not just for replacing family pics! designindulgences.com

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4. This is my personal favorite. If you have enough forethought, while you are capturing your family moments on camera, take a few moments to snap some pics of your surroundings as well. If you are at the beach, get some shots of the sunset, palm trees, a pretty shell in the sand, etc. You can find beauty in just about anything. Something as simple as an old fence row, a really interesting architectural feature on a local public building can all look amazing when framed in black and white! The nice thing about using these as alternative photos is that they will still have a very personal feel for you. AND this option is super cheap! When you print your family photograph to go in a frame, go on and select an alternative image to fit the frame at the same time. Mount the backup photo behind your personal one, and then when it's time to pull the ol' switcharoo, it will be a quick fix.

Replace pictures of the kids from your fishing trip with a picture of the boat dock. Still special, just depersonalized! 30.media.tumblr.com

Look for beauty in everyday objects. You won't have to go far to find stunning shots!   convoy.tumblr.com

If you have not yet created a memory wall, and hammered a million tacks into the sheet rock, consider mounting a few shelves on the wall to prop all of your frames on instead. Fewer holes in the wall may be more appealing to potential buyers.

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Instead of replacing images in your frames, you can just remove the frames and display other objects on the shelves while your house is on the market. Pottery Barn

Another way to minimize the amount of effort in preparing your home for sale is to keep your family photos limited to tabletop frames. Your realtor will advise you to depersonalize and declutter your tabletops, so this will kill two birds with one stone.

Pottery Barn

Let's face it; personalizing with family photos and momentos is essential to turning a "house" into a "home". When the time comes, there are simple solutions to depersonalize your space, but until then, embrace and enjoy every square inch of your home!