Preparing your house for showing

Preparing your house for showings can sometimes feel like the buildup to Thanksgiving dinner or a family Christmas party.

Just like preparing for those holidays, there’s a lot of cleaning involved for the host. But instead of ending the ordeal with a large meal – and quality family time, of course – there’s no turkey or pumpkin pie at the end of this tunnel.

While cleaning is the most obvious step in preparing your house for showings, it’s only one of several things to do before inviting prospective buyers into your home.

Let’s find some tips offered by experts in cleaning

Deep Cleaning

As mentioned, this is the most important step. Make sure everything sparkles, from the hardwood floors and crystal-clear windows to the kitchen countertops and toilets.

Don’t forget the smaller details, either, such as taking out all the trash, doing a final dusting of the fireplace mantle and making sure all toiletries are tucked away in the medicine cabinet.

Read more Deep Cleaning service at Dawson Creek

Remove Odors

Be smart about what you cook the night before or the morning of a showing. That broccoli is certainly good for you and the bacon tasty, but the lingering smell might turn off others.

The same goes for candles or air fresheners. Smells are just like tastes in that everyone’s is different, so try to be as neutral as possible and think ahead so you’re not scrambling to cover up a smell at the last minute.

Remove Clutter

It can be difficult to set up your home like you’re a professional home stager, especially if you have pets and/or young children. But removing clutter is an absolute necessity before showings.

Fluff your throw pillows, fold and store all blankets and make sure all shoes are stored neatly in the closet. Speaking of closets …

Don’t Forget About Closets

It can be tempting to simply throw everything into a closet the night or an hour before a showing. Doing so certainly declutters the home, but don’t think second prospective buyers will simply walk by closets without opening them.

The amount of storage space a home offers can be a pivotal selling point for buyers, so they’ll definitely open them to see where they can store their shoes, winter clothes, and sporting equipment. Plus, many people are simply nosy or curious!

Highlight Key Areas

Kitchens are traditionally a big selling point, so make sure yours is spick and span. Put away all pots and pans, fold (clean) towels and scrub extra hard to remove all stains from the sink and grease from the oven.

Make sure the countertops are clean enough to eat on and, if you have an island, do the same.

Bathrooms are also important and, like kitchens, often areas where cleaning can be the most difficult. It’s also easy for them to quickly become dirty and undesirable, so make sure the sink, toilet and shower/bath are free of grime and sparkle.

Read more Kitchen Cleaning tips

Open It Up

Open concepts are becoming more and more popular. Outside of major renovations, however, there isn’t much you can do if your home wasn’t built that way.

You can, however, make it easier for prospective buyers and agents to walk through by rearranging the furniture to make the room more inviting and removing bigger pieces of furniture.

Also think about removing other large items that hinder sight lines and might make the space appear smaller than it is.

Step Into Their Shoes

This might be difficult, but try walking through the home as if you’re the prospective buyer.

What looks good? Bad? Does anything negative catch your eye or seem out of place?

You won’t catch everything but, chances are, if something doesn’t look right to you it definitely won’t look right to others.

Don’t Forget About Outside

Don’t overlook the importance of curb appeal. First impressions are key, and the first thing prospective buyers see when pulling up to the house.

Ensure the lawn and landscaping are well manicured and any loose sticks are picked up. Consider adding potted flowers for an extra boost and make sure the driveway and any walking paths are clean and clear of debris.

Provide Refreshments 

Although you don’t have to leave out snacks, providing refreshments is a nice touch. Buyers who are going to several showings back-to-back often don’t have time to stop for food, so they’ll appreciate the gesture. Lay out some snacks and drinks that are easy to grab and go like water bottles, cans of soda, cookies, and granola bars. 

Keep it Clean!

Hey, life happens and not all of us are Mr. Clean. But try to keep your home as show ready as possible so you’re always prepared for any unexpected showings.

After all, the more showings your home receives, the more likely it will get sold!

Cleaning your home can be time-consuming, and time is very valuable.  We can take care of the cleaning for you