If you’re in the process of trying to sell your home, you’ve probably already taken care of the big steps, such as decluttering and working with a real estate agent to list your house online.
Sometimes showing your house can be difficult when you’re still living there. Routinely having people walk through your house can make it feel like you’re constantly having your space invaded.
If you’re hoping to sell your house quickly, there are several smaller steps you should do before each showing. You want your house to look as pristine and appealing as possible.
1. Wipe down the kitchen
Even if you’ve already given your house a deep clean, your kitchen is one of those rooms that gets dirty quickly. Ensure there aren’t any lingering crumbs from your last meal on the counter. To help cut down on smells, you will want to make sure the trash can is empty. Also, ensure there aren’t any dishes in the sink or dishwasher. Potential homeowners might want to turn the faucet on or peek inside your dishwasher—they won’t want to see your dishes!
2. Freshen up the bathroom
Bathrooms are hard to keep perfectly clean, but you’ll want to pay some attention to yours before a showing. Put your toothbrush and any other toiletries away. Wipe the sink and shower down, and make sure there isn’t any hair lingering around the room. If your bathroom has a unique feature, such as a jet tub, potential homeowners may spend some time checking it out—and they won’t want to see any signs that you’ve used it recently.
3. Get rid of any small personal belongings
Even if you’ve decluttered your home, there is still a chance personal belongings such as purses, books, or toys could be lingering about. Remember, potential buyers will want to picture themselves living there—they aren’t going to want to see your shoes lying next to the door. Find homes for all those small items, such as tucked away in a drawer. Ideally, your floors and tablespaces will be void of any sign that someone is currently living in the home.
4. Make it smell pleasant
Many homeowners have the habit of spraying air fresheners right before the showing. You’re actually going to want to avoid doing this because it creates a fake aroma in the house (sometimes, people take this as a sign that you’re trying to cover up a smell, such as cigarette smoke). You also don’t want your house to smell like cleaning chemicals. Instead, place fresh flowers around the house to create a natural aroma. If you don’t have flowers, burn a candle or use a diffuser.
5. Put dirty laundry away
If you’re in the habit of letting laundry on your bedroom floor or have piles of dirty clothes in your laundry room, ensure the laundry goes away before the showing. Dirty clothes are unappealing to look at. Put dirty clothes in a hamper (or, better yet, wash them and put them away!). Don’t let your clothes in the washer or the dryer. If the washer and dryer are being sold with the house, potential buyers might want to look inside.
6. Clean the floor
Potential buyers won’t want the floor to crunch under their feet, nor will they want to spot piles of pet hair lying around. Always sweep or vacuum floors before a showing. If you don’t feel like getting out your main vacuum, cordless electric vacuums are an option. Cordless vacuums are lightweight, can reach under furniture, and are easy to pull out when you need to vacuum quickly. Also, if there’s anything sticky on your kitchen floor, make sure to wipe it up.
7. Take a walkthrough
Tour your house as though you were a potential buyer. You might notice small things, such as a piece of slightly misplaced furniture. If you find something that seems dirty or awkward, take care of it before the showing. While it’s hard to get a home completely spotless while you’re still living in it, you still want your house to be as clean as possible.
Final thoughts
Sometimes houses sell quickly, sometimes they don’t—it all depends on who is looking to buy and whether your house is a good fit for them. However, if your house looks clean and well-taken care of, it will look homier, and it could catch the eye of a potential buyer.
