We started this series by talking about the Top 7 Things You Need To Do To Get Your House Ready to Sell. We chatted about boosting curb appeal – primarily outside. Now, we’re going to talk about cleaning the inside of your home.
Declutter First
Decluttering is the single most recommended pre-sale task by real estate professionals — a full 91% of realtors suggest it above all other preparations. A clutter-free home photographs better, feels larger, and allows buyers to picture themselves living there mentally. This checklist walks through every major area of the home with actionable tasks to complete before listing photos are taken, or the first showing is scheduled.
Before you begin, it’s important to adopt the right mindset and tackle the tasks with the right strategy. You’ll want to start at least 4-6 weeks before you list your house for sale. Don’t do a last-minute clean! Trust me. Decluttering and cleaning take more time than you expect.
Take the three-box mindset approach. Keep. Donate. Toss. Work through each room on your list and organize items into those three categories. If you haven’t used something in the past year, you probably won’t miss it in your next home.
Visualize your home as a model home. Minimalistic. Neutral. That’s the target you are aiming towards. If you need a storage unit for items you are keeping temporarily, take that approach.
Get My Cleaning Checklist
First Impressions Matter
As you move through your home, consider the impression you want to make on a prospective buyer. They want to be able to visualize their life in your house. That’s why I created the cleaning list above. You can grab a copy just by leaving me your email address.
In my next article, we’ll go through a specific list of items to get ready for a home showing date.