Putting your home on the market can be an extremely stressful process. Being at the mercy of prospective buyers, trying to keep your space clean, and hoping other people will see the positive aspects of your home can be a daunting prospect. But with a few simple routines, you can make sure your home is looking it’s best so it will be off the market before you know it!
In our post last week, we discussed how to stage your home with color. This week is more about how to organize and clean your space so that buyers can imagine themselves living there.
1.) Declutter
If you do nothing else, declutter! It’s the single most important thing you can do to make your home look bigger, cleaner and ready to be moved into. Make sure you get as much as possible out of your living areas, but don’t overlook spaces like closets and cabinets. When people are doing a walk through, they will open doors and look in places where guests might not, so you won’t be able to just shove your stuff out of sight. Now is the time to do a thorough edit because not only will your home look better, but you’ll save yourself money by not moving things you don’t want anyway.
We have a step by step course to help you declutter and organize, purchase it here.
2.) Do A Deep Clean
Keeping your space as clean as possible is essential. Obviously, the regular cleaning tasks need to be taken care of. Vacuuming, dusting, and general tidiness need to be maintained. But unless you’re an exceptional homeowner, there are things that get overlooked in every day living. Try to view your home with a critical eye and look at details like baseboards, window tracks and vent covers. Dirty grout, discolored caulk and scuffed up walls can make your home look shabby and dingy so make sure you take care of the little details.
3.) Aroma Therapy
First impressions matter and a bad smell can be an immediate deal breaker. Refrain from cooking anything that has a strong odor like garlic or fish when you know you have a showing coming up. If you have pets, consider that while your home may smell fine to you, you may be used to it. Make sure your rugs are clean and your furniture has been deodorized. There are a ton of products on the market to combat soft surface odors, and we recommend the ones that neutralize odor. Flowery scents can be entirely overwhelming and may cause the prospective buyers to wonder what you’re trying to cover up.
4.) Remove All Personal Signs
Part of making a house a home is to put your personal touch on things. Family photos, mementos and knick knacks all make your space unique to you. Which is great when you’re living there, not so great when someone else is trying to imagine living there. While you may think your kid’s artwork is adorable (and it undoubtably is!) it may prevent a childless couple from seeing themselves in your space. The objective is to make your house appealing to as many people as possible. So pack up those photos on the fridge and box up your tchotchkes…they’ll be ready for you when you get to your new home.
5.) Curb Appeal
As we said above, first impressions are incredibly important. The walk-up to your house should be pristine. Make sure kids toys, yard equipment and pet supplies are all put away and out of sight. Additionally, your entryway should be clear of any clutter whatsoever. Remove shoes, coats and seasonal items that might be placed there out of convenience.
There’s no question that moving is one of the most stressful things you can go through. But ensuring that your home is in it’s best possible shape is something you can control. If you need help packing up, you can read our post with a list of our favorite moving supplies. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask!
