Spring Cleaning - Make Your Home Look Great!

Today is the first day of Spring - the perfect time to declutter your living spaces. Follow my tips below to help prepare your home to sell.


Kerry’s Tips
1) Clear surfaces - Remove everything from kitchen & bathroom counters. Items left on surfaces distract buyers and make counter space look smaller. Put away or pack knick-knacks on other surfaces like bookshelves & dressers.

2)Clean closets -Start your packing with your closets. Keep out only the items you currently use. Donate or toss items you haven’t used in the past two years. Clean everything off the floor so that buyers can see all of the storage space. Nothing should fall out when the door is opened.

3)Remove furniture - Get rid of pieces of furniture that are too big, bulky, or distracting for the room - put them in storage for now. Remember, you’re selling your house, not your decor. You want the buyers to envision their furnishings in the home. Regroup the remaining pieces of furniture so that buyers will understand the purpose of each room, or how they will use it themselves.

4)De-personalize - Pack all of your photographs, even those in frames. Personal items can be very distracting to potential buyers and can prevent them from seeing themselves living in your home. Also, take everything off of the refrigerator and pack things with names, family information, or souvenirs.

5)Organize kitchen - Serious buyers WILL look in your cabinets, pantry, & refrigerator. Throw away food that looks or smells unappealing or old. Wipe out cupboards and stack dishes neatly when you put them back. Wipe down the inside and outside of the refrigerator & freezer and neatly replace your food items. Arrange pantry spaces and cabinets as if they were visible book shelves. Buyers want to see that there is plenty of space for all of the things they need to store in their kitchen.

6) Minor Fixes - Repair minor things like loose door handles & leaky faucets. Even minor items in need of repair can dissuade a buyer from purchasing a particular home.

7)Finishing touches - Get rid of any odors, wash windows, put out crisp-looking linens, keep lawn and landscaping trimmed and free of weeds. You want prospective buyers to know that you have taken care of your home.