You’ve decided you want to put your house for sale. Now you need to prepare it. There are several things you can do to get it ready to show. Buyers can get very picky, but if you properly prepare your home, you will be able to impress them and get a good value for the sale.

Once you decide to sell the house, you can start getting it prepared for the sale right away. Image Source: Maid Complete
Once you decide to sell the house, you can start getting it prepared for the sale right away. Image Source: Maid Complete

You must realize that buyers are looking to find a house that best adapts to their lifestyle. As much as you love the way your personality is reflected on every customized wall or flooring, you need to make sure that your house is appealing to a wide range of customers. That means that, as far as decor, you house is better off as neutral as you can get it to be.

1. Living Room

Start getting rid of all the things you don't plan taking when you move out. Image Source: Villa Visions
Start getting rid of all the things you don't plan taking when you move out. Image Source: Villa Visions

Start by organizing your home, getting rid of everything you don’t use very often. This is a good time to remove all the things that you don’t plan to take by the time you move out.

As far as the things you want to keep, place them in boxes and label them clearly as to what’s inside. Arrange your furniture so only the basic pieces and some accessories remain. Try to get rid of as much decor items as you can.

Dust your shelves and polish well all wooden and metallic surfaces. If there are scratches on the wood, try to apply some vegetable oil in the scratches. This is a trick that will make them less visible for some time.

Make sure your walls are clean and consider painting those that look the worst. Image Source: Surrey Cleaning Angels
Make sure your walls are clean and consider painting those that look the worst. Image Source: Surrey Cleaning Angels

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If your walls have nail holes, fill them with batter. If they’re looking a little worn down, consider painting at least the ones that look the worst.

Wash your carpets. A good steam cleaning will give it volume.

Clean all the upholstery so that they’re dust and stain-free.

2. Bedrooms

Keep bed lining clean and neat so buyers feel like they want to sleep in the bedroom. Image Source: Nbaynadamas
Keep bed lining clean and neat so buyers feel like they want to sleep in the bedroom. Image Source: Nbaynadamas

Bedrooms are a place for relaxing. So when buyers walk into bedrooms they want to imagine themselves in comfortable and relaxing beds, not in busy hectic mornings. This is why your bed should be impeccably groomed. Both the sheets and the bed itself should be in optimal conditions.

3. Kitchen and Bathrooms

Give attention to the areas that are used more often, such as kitchen and bathrooms.

Buyers will pay a lot of attention to these parts of the house in terms of maintenance. Again, polish all metal fixtures and clean the toilet thoroughly. Do the same with the bathtub and the sinks, so they’re all free of any sort of stains. Hide all personal belongings like toothbrushes and other hygiene items.

If you want to keep towels, make sure they’re all clean and organized.

Bathrooms say a lot a about how well the house maintenance has been. Keep it pristine clean. Image Source: Surrey Cleaning Angels.
Bathrooms say a lot a about how well the house maintenance has been. Keep it pristine clean. Image Source: Surrey Cleaning Angels.

Also clean all kitchen appliances getting rid of grease stains. If you get rid of as many utensils as you can, you’ll be able to make countertops look more spacious. Buyers really care about space and storage capacity, especially in areas like the kitchen.

4. Garden and Yard

Garden and the house facade are the first impressions buyers will have. Image Source: Verdy Paisagismo
Garden and the house facade are the first impressions buyers will have. Image Source: Verdy Paisagismo

The outdoors need to look great, too. After all this is the first impression potential buyers will get from your house. Trim your trees and get your lawn mowed. Remove any personal accessories or children’s toys. If you have a swimming pool , make sure it’s clean or closed.

5. Windows and Facade

Get your windows cleaned and fix any broken one. Image Source: Green Window Wash
Get your windows cleaned and fix any broken one. Image Source: Green Window Wash

 

Make sure your windows are in good shape. It’s very much worth it to replace all broken glass, and try to have them open and close properly. Give them a good cleaning. Clean windows are a great sign that the rest of the house had been well kept over time.

The house facade must look great, too. If it’s too dirty, consider power washing it.

Clean porches, entrance doors, and the driveway.

6. Overall

Get rid of mold and mildew. Use appropriate cleaning products to remove it. Homebuyers are very sensitive to stuff like that.

Avoid scented items like incense. But scented cleaning products are allowed and welcome, since they will just make it smell clean.

Always try to look at your house from the buyer’s point of view. If you can get your home to impress them and make it look like somewhere they’d like to live, odds are you will be able to sell it for a good price.