I just suggest they start boxing up what they can and store it in the garage.

Work with what you have...All involved will acknowledge it. So will results

Offer them to sell it, donate it or lease a locker for them for storage.

Explain how the price of a storage unit is insigificant compared to the price hit they may take on their house if it cannot be uncluttered and shown in its best light. 

Emily Wojtowicz I like some of the others ideas of bringing another professional in, if that's an option it could help.  I have also found suggesting investing in the correct kind of furniture works, like shelves toy chest, a desk with good drawers ect. 

Bring a stager along next time to talk to them.

Time for a frank discussion. It is the mission to sell, so suck it up!

     Keep the kitchen and bathroom counter tops clear.  Organize the stuff.  Hide tools in the car trunk, other "stuff" in the attic. 

        Get rid of anything possible, per Jeff Pearl's answer on this page.

Perhaps bring in a professional organizer to assist you.

Price, and ask them to get rid of everythng they aren't taking with them. Yard sale, estate sale, auction, donate to charities or homeless.

That's not an easy task Emily Wojtowicz 

Preparation will lead to the best results.

I try to get them to pack up the things they don't need. In some situations it doesn't work. Although I do have some buyers that see the value and make it happen. 

they hire an organizer and do what they say or list with someone else

I won't do it Emily. It is embarrassing and a reflection of me.

This is something to be explained to buyers agents before they view the home. 

Seeing what they absolutely need to live and what can be put away.  Telling them the cleaner it is, the greater liklihood it'll sell faster and at a higher price.

It's the nonsense "I have kids excuse ...."

Have to do it if you want top $$ - don't care, then buyers won't give your house the time of day.

If I might say, the Realtor Mag that just came out has a good topic called 'Say This, Not That ...' that has a bunch of good answers to these questions. Page 26

The trident approach I use is price, accessibility and CONDITION. Once we agree upon the first two the third is paramount to success. Listing is one aspect and selling another, to do that you MUST make your home the #1 contender in the marketplace. Failing to accomplish that will cost you thousands of dollars.

Emily Wojtowicz If they want to get top dollar for their home, they will have to keep it in tip top shape for showings.

Emily,

You just go with the flow, and do your best to help them store their stuff so that it is invisiblle at certain times of the day.  A

Find a place to move to now, or forget about selling, or plan to sell at a discount.

Emily explain that they are going to be leaving lots of dollars on the table if the home is not in 'parade ready' condition.  I'd also show a few MLS photos of cluttered home vs well prepared homes and let the pics tell the story of what happens. Chances are the cluttered home is on the market longer and will have price drops...in a normal market. Not a hot market like Denver BTW.

If they are unwilling or unable to present it properly, the price will need to attract enough attention so the clutter will not matter.  

Explain when you have a showing you need to make a good first impression.

I am having this discussion with a seller now who is 90 years old and has accumulated a lot of junk . He is getting someone to do a garage sale and then will call Salvation Army for pick up and throw out the rest. He is moving to retirement community so only is keeping a few items . It's just scheduling everything that is time consuming. I told him I would not list until house is cleaned out .

That is a sensitive issue to some, especially the homeowner. How to explain that items that are sentimental value to them on display might effect the sale of the home, people do not want to see clutter, or anything that can distort the vision of how they would like their home to be on the interior. You would have to nicely say that the home has better chance of selling with most unnecessary items packed and put into storage and also making their own transition and move much much easier. It is a win win situation to start preparing early. and Have it "show ready". Even "Move in Ready."

live without those items for a few months.... or put them out of sight every day!!!!