So now that you’re stuck indoors for the foreseeable future, you may be wondering how you are going to fill your time. If you have plans, or are just considering putting your house on the market when this is all over, now is the best time to get it ready! What better way to pass the hours and be productive than preparing your house for sale? While some checklist items may be obvious, there may be a few to-do list boxes you aren’t sure you need to check. Here is a list for you to get your house ready for sale!
Start Outside
The sun is starting to shine and nice spring weather is on its way. Take advantage of being outdoors and take in the fresh air. Enjoy the sunshine and take your time sprucing up the outside of your property. If you have a pressure washer, clean your siding or stucco, decks and sidewalks or driveways attached to your home. Freshen your curb appeal by giving the lawn its first mow and take care of any debris, deadfall and old perennial leaves that you missed in the fall.
Make Any Repairs
Take care of whatever repairs you can that don’t require an unnecessary trip to the store. Swap out old lightbulbs, fix that window that keeps jamming shut, and patch up any dents or scrapes on your indoor walls.
Make Your Home Inviting
If you have any paint on hand, give your front door a fresh coat and add a new floor mat (curbside pickup from a local business perhaps) to make your home feel approachable. If a potential buyer doesn’t feel welcome approaching your home, they likely won’t want to live in it. Did you know that most buyers make up their minds in the first 8 seconds of seeing and entering your home? Make it count!
Declutter Your Home
This is the best time to realize how much you actually use items in your home. If you’ve been stuck indoors for several weeks and you still haven’t used an item, add it to your donate or toss pile. Not only is this great to help prepare for sale, but it will help your mental health while you are stuck inside. Clearing clutter is extremely beneficial for many reasons, and it will make your move that much easier.
Clean & Organize Your Home
After you’ve decluttered, it is time to (deep) clean and organize… and then clean it again! When someone tours your home, they want to feel like it can be theirs. If your home is scattered with items and there is barely room to walk around, it will be hard for them to picture themselves living there. Having your items cleaned and organized will also help you when it is time to pack and move on!
Eliminate Odors
You are probably craving fresh air anyway, so why not spend those sunny days with every window in the house wide open! This will help eliminate any residual odors you aren’t aware of and it can help keep air flowing while you are using chemical products to deep clean your home.
Reach Out!
Call me, text or email! Even with simple photos, I can give you tips to prepare your home, minimizing in person visits as much as possible!