“What do I need to do to prepare my house to sell” is a question I hear at almost every listing. The question of “cleaning” is always part of that discussion. This week I came across a great article from Angie’s List that can help you as you prepare your home to sparkle.
- Rent a storage unit before home staging.
If you don’t use something every day, pack it up and take it to the storage unit before you clean and stage your home. The less you have in your home, the less you have to clean around. - Dust everything when house cleaning for staging.
When cleaning house while preparing to stage your home, your baseboards should be near perfect; same for ceiling fans and light switches. A clean front door, washing machine, even a bed frame can all be little things that go a long way when it comes to presenting a tidy home. If you do it right, it will look like someone turned up the brightness of your lights. - The home staging smell test-cleaning.
Invite someone who doesn’t live in your home to walk in the door and take a big sniff. Whether it’s pets, your favorite cooking spices or air fresheners, all sorts of odors can make your house off-putting to buyers. Find the source and eliminate it. - Take a serious look at your walls before staging a house
Vacuuming walls with the correct attachment can really spruce up a house. If doors are dirty, clean them … or even paint old interior doors and change doorknobs if necessary. - Cleaning can make the bathroom a showplace.
Your toilet should shine after you’ve cleaned the bathroom for a home showing. Pop open the caps behind the seat that cover the bolts and clean thoroughly. Clean all dust from around that area. Scrub around the base of the toilet, carefully wiping any residue. The tub and faucet should look as clean as those in the bathroom of a top-rated hotel. No residue should be felt anywhere. - Staging requires a sparkling kitchen.
Look at each cabinet knob. Scrub all cabinets, starting at the knob; focus on getting all the little smudges off. Clean all your appliances thoroughly.
This seems over the top, but “stage” your refrigerator and pantry. Make sure all surfaces are cleaned and wiped. Organize the food items neatly; all spices need to be in carefully placed rows. If your kitchen is clean and orderly, it’s easier for the new owners to picture themselves cooking there. - Examine the floors before your home staging cleaning.
This is where calling in a professional can go a long way. If a pro isn’t in the budget, mop thoroughly, preferably with steam, paying special attention to corners. If the carpet is dirty, at the very least vacuum thoroughly and then rent a cleaning machine at the grocery store and maximize your carpet’s potential. This means taking your time and vacuuming again when done. - Just like getting in shape, there are no real shortcuts to the hard work of cleaning and preparing to sell your home. Knowing how to approach the massive task will give you confidence and help you to move on. If you would to know more, please give me a call at 214-769-2947 and I would love to help.
Beth Brake Owner/Team Lead
Performance Driven Excellence
[reprinted from Angies List]