It is selling season and if you are selling your home you know how busy this time of year is!  Lost of Showings, Previews and Open Houses – exposure is key when selling your home!  But a last minute showing can be tricky!  Of course, you want your home to be seen but at the same time your home may not be up to par!  What do to?

During the week, we suggest a cleaning routine :including vacuuming as often as you can (at least the highest traffic areas, like a family room for instance), putting away clothes after each wearing (either in a hamper or back in the closet or dresser) to keep clutter under control, picking up toys and books before bed time (get the kids involved – they tidy up at school so why not at home?), wash dishes daily (if you have a chaotic schedule maybe use disposable paper plates in the short term) and wiping down surfaces like counter tops (kitchen and bath) and table tops.

To make the very best impression for buyers, try these 5 easy things.  They can be done in around 15-20 minutes, so even the very last minute showing can be a huge success!

1.  Keep the house clean.

I know easier said than done but if you tackle a bit of cleaning everyday, the house will never really get messy.  Be sure to always have the sinks and appliances clean – those two items really make an impact on buyers and it sets the tone for the rest of the house.  Stainless steel appliances? Be sure to use the right cleaners to remove finger prints and smudges. Cleaning these items alone really shouldn’t take more than 3 minutes!

2.  Sweep the kitchen floor (and eat-in area).

Will buyers be focusing on your floor? Maybe – Maybe not….but if they step in food or sticky residue from spilled apple juice, they will notice it and it will make a bad impression. It takes minutes to do and it make the kitchen (a buyer hot spot) look and feel so much better.  A quick sweep and spot mop should take 3-5 minutes.

3.  Empty all trashes.

Over flowing trash is just gross and it can smell.  It take minutes to empty the cans.  Get the kids involved, send them each to a trash can and have them meet you in the garage to dump and put them back.  Again it feels clean and looks so much better.  This should take roughly 5-7 minutes.

4.  Make it smell good.

Removing the garbage and regular cleaning certainly help to keep the house smelling clean.  Try to keep from cooking (right before a showing) fish, grease, burnt anything can be tough to get rid of, especially in a hurry.  You can use plug-ins but opt for natural scents as florals can be overwhelming but try opening the windows – nothing beats the smell of fresh air!  Another product that we love are scented flameless candles – they are battery operated, they look great and smell fantastic but DO NOT leave real lit candles in the home unattended. This should take a minute or two.

5.  Remove all clutter from counters and floors

Clutter is a huge distraction.  We tell our home staging clients that clutter sends a signal that the house is lacking in storage – no buyer will say “oh, they just have too much”, the buyer will say “there isn’t enough storage here”.  Storage is an important factor for buyers. Be sure to pay special attention the the kitchen counters. 

Keep extra baskets handy for toys, books, clothes and any other items that are on the floor.  Have a basket in each bedroom for a quick clean and pick up (be sure the basket can be tucked away in a closet). Depends on how much you have to do, 5 – ? minutes.

A few extra minutes or want to add another touch Leave out some cookies or small chocolates, bottled water for a welcome touch.  It will make a memorable impression …..