3 Ways To Prepare Your Home For A Showing

Alivia Whitaker | February 25, 2020 @ 12:00 AM

Spring is just around the corner - that means its home buying and selling season!  If you have been thinking about selling your home, one of the key apsects of getting an offer is having a succesful showing.  Luckily Keylock has compiled of you below a list of 3 Ways To Prepare Your Home For A Showing -

Prepare Your Home For A Showing - Declutter

The importance of decluttering in preparing your home for a showing cannot be stated enough.  You want your home to feel airy, open and like a blank slate for prospective home buyers.  This can be difficult if you have a lot of stuff or a lot of people in your home (especially if you have kids living with you!).  A great way to overcome this is by using temoporary self storage to clear out non-essentials that you will need later but can do without while you are showing your home.  For instance - of course you don't want to give all those children's books away, but maybe you can do without most of them for awhile!

Keylock storage offers the best in in self-storage in the Pacific Northwest and Nevada.  To find an affordable and excellent unit with great customer care, go to keylockstorage.com today!

The Keylock Blog also did a great previous post on how to cut out clutter.  They said,

"Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be complicated.  If you want to know how to efficiently clear out clutter there are only 3 simple questions you need to ask yourself when you are choosing to keep or throw out:

  1. When is the last time you used it?

This question is an important one to ask if you want to clear out the clutter.  But it needs to be thoughtfully applied.  Just because you haven’t used something for awhile doesn’t mean you won’t need it in a year from now.  For example, you probably only use holiday decorations once a year.  But not using your seasonal decor in a year obviously doesn’t mean you should throw it out!

However, you need to carefully analyze each item and think seriously about whether you’ve used an item consistently, with intention or at all.  If you can’t remember the last time you used something in your home - it’s most likely time to store, donate or toss the item!

  1. What is your attachment to this item?

Not all belongings that have little daily use are automatic candidates for the garbage can.  There are actually a lot of items and objects we keep in our home for reasons other than frequent use.

For instance, family photographs, letters and heirlooms might not be taken out very often.  But of course you wouldn’t get rid of those things!

When you want to clear clutter in your home think about the items you’re going over and decide why they are important to you.  Think of your belongings and space as an investment.  Is the item worth the space it’s taken up or the “home real estate” it’s consuming that could be put towards a different use.  If your guest room closet is worth it for those family heirlooms - then keep, don’t toss.

  1. How difficult or expensive would it be to replace?

Another basic and great rule of thumb to use when you want to clear out clutter is how difficult would this be to replace?  If you’ve got expensive tools you’ve invested in - they may not be the best thing to donate.  However, other items may be candidates for the donate or toss bin if they are pretty cheap.  Sure, you may use some inexpensive organizing bins one day.  But if you don’t have immediate plans for something like that - think, “how expensive would it be to replace these?” If the number isn’t very high then it’s probably not worth the space it’s taking up!

View your belongings, space and functionality of your home as a cost, investment and return scenario.  This will help give you objectivity as you review your belongings and clear out clutter."

Prepare Your Home For A Showing - Clean Clean Clean

Perhaps no aspect of preparing your home to sell is as important as making sure it is spick and span.   Nothing will turn off prospective buyers faster than something looking grimy or unkempt.  If you have the budget for it - a great option for this is hiring professionl cleaners to come to a "move out" or deep clean.  If not - take your cleaning room by room and treat cleaning your home like a spring deep clean.

A Taste of Home did an overview of spring cleaning room by room.  There list is below,

"Entryway

Kitchen

Dining Room

  • Dust china in china cabinet
  • Launder and press table linens (treat heirloom linens with care)
  • Polish silver
  • Dust and polish furniture
  • Vacuum or spot clean chair cushions
  • Wipe walls
  • Wipe baseboards
  • Clean light fixture
  • Dust blinds
  • Dust curtain rods
  • Clean window sills
  • Wash windows
  • Clean or vacuum curtains
  • Mop or vacuum floor
  • Shampoo rugs or carpet

Bathroom

  • Discard expired personal care products and makeup, and bring old medications to a drop-off site
  • Clean makeup brushes
  • Clean vanity
  • Wipe mirror
  • Clean tub and shower
  • Clean showerhead (try this plastic bag trick)
  • Replace shower curtain liner
  • Scrub tile grout (this product works)
  • Clean toilet
  • Clean hardware
  • Sweep floors
  • Mop floors
  • Wipe walls
  • Wipe baseboards

Laundry Room

  • Clean washing machine (use Kool-Aid…yes, we’re serious)
  • Clean dryer vent
  • Clean lint trap
  • Organize laundry supplies
  • Wipe walls
  • Wipe baseboards
  • Mop floors

Bedrooms

  • Wipe baseboards
  • Dust/polish furniture
  • Donate unused clothing
  • Organize closets
  • Wash bedding including sheets, pillows, duvets and bed skirts
  • Vacuum carpets (deodorize with baking soda first)
  • Flip mattress
  • Dust blinds
  • Dust curtain rods
  • Clean window sills
  • Wash windows
  • Clean or vacuum curtains
  • Mop or vacuum floors
  • Shampoo rugs or carpets

Living Room

  • Dust/polish furniture
  • Wash slipcovers
  • Wash blankets and pillows
  • Vacuum sofa and chairs
  • Dust blinds
  • Dust curtain rods
  • Clean window sills
  • Wash windows
  • Clean or vacuum curtains
  • Clean ceiling fans
  • Dust and clean lamp shades
  • Dust electronics (use this surprising tool)
  • Dust and clean decor
  • Sanitize remote controls
  • Mop or vacuum floors
  • Shampoo rugs or carpets

Kids’ Playroom

  • Sanitize plastic toys with soap and water
  • Wash stuffed animals and soft toys
  • Donate unused toys
  • Organize toys and play areas
  • Mop or vacuum floors
  • Shampoo rugs or carpets

Office

  • Recycle unneeded paperwork
  • Dust and polish furniture
  • Dust bookshelf
  • Dust electronics
  • Sanitize keyboard and mouse

Garage

  • Declutter tools, sporting equipment and toys
  • Open up garage door to air out the space
  • Wipe down walls
  • Sweep floor
  • Clean garage door
  • Clean garage door frame
  • Replace batteries in garage door openers
  • Clean windows

Throughout the House

  • Test and replace smoke alarm batteries
  • Replace air filters as needed
  • Clean air vents/registers
  • Clean light fixtures
  • Replace light bulbs as needed
  • Sanitize door handles
  • Sanitize light switches"

Prepare Your Home For A Showing - Simplify Styling 

Another key part in keeping your home the most "sellable" it can be is by simplifying the styling.  Arrange furniture in a way that makes the space feel the most open.  Take down personal pictures, memorobilia and identifying items.  Keep everything open and light. 

Also, make sure storage is put away in a strategic way as buyers will be going through every closet and drawer.  Also make sure that you store valuables in a safe or other place that is free from prying eyes and hands.

In addition, you can check out the Keylock Storage Blog for more interesting articles about organization and lifestyle: keylockstorage.com/blogs