5 Absolutely Simple Housekeeping Hacks for a Quicker Home Sale
Your home is in competition with other MLS listings, so how can you give it the edge over other homes for sale on Realtor.ca?
Wondering, “How can I sell my house quickly?” A well-known home selling tip is to keep your home clean. It’s a no-brainer that a clean home is a sellable home, but, as most of us know all too well, life can often get in the way of having a picture-perfect looking home all the time.
Here are five simple hacks to keep your home tidy after it hits the market so you can sell faster.
- Hallway floor mats keep your floors looking cleaner longer
- Give your windows a thorough cleaning
- Minimize what’s on your kitchen counter and do small tidy-ups regularly
- Dust places you don’t usually dust
- Showcase the floorspace by getting as much off the floor as possible
1. Make way for mats
A simple mat placed at each entry to your home will save time and energy on floor cleaning. Make sure they are large enough for someone to remain on it when they close the door behind them. The mat will gather any sign of the outdoors from their shoes or boots, reducing the amount of time you spend washing the floors. Place a few pairs of flip-flops or slippers in a basket for visitors to use and make them feel welcome. These are easy to roll up and tuck away if you’ve got potential buyers coming to see your home.
2. Let the light shine in
Give all your windows a good wipe or wash on the inside and outside. Sometimes a build-up of dust and grunge over time blocks light from shining in your space. To make sure you don’t miss any streaks, try wiping horizontally on the inside and vertically on the outside, so you know which side needs an extra swipe. You may notice your window panels have gathered some dust as well so give them a wash and iron if necessary. Your Realtor® should have some recommendations for window cleaners handy for your convenience if you’re short on time.
3. Keep up with the kitchen
The kitchen is the hub of the home and usually the most common place for messes to accumulate. It’s also a good habit to keep counter clutter to a minimum, so get used to working in a minimalistic space. While your home is for sale, tuck away any small appliances when they are not being used, sort and put away mail and papers as soon as you receive them so they are always out of sight, and keep wipes handy for a quick scrub down. Stay on top of your kitchen by cleaning and putting away dishes right after a meal, or placing them in the dishwasher.
4. Not-so-obvious eye sores
Buyers aren’t accustomed to your home and usually pick up on spots we overlook. Wipe down or dust ceiling fans, lamp shades, and light fixtures. Some other areas that can usually use a scrub are light switches, the areas around door handles, and cupboard knobs. You use these every day without notice, but a buyer will search for switches and look more closely at these areas we’re likely to miss.
5. Showcase the floorspace
One of the best ways to make your home appealing to potential buyers is to keep as much off the floors as possible so they can envision their things in your space. Do a quick walk-through and pick up anything that’s lying around before you leave the house. You can use storage units, baskets, wall or shelf space for keeping toys and other items out of sight or out of the way of passing feet. Even better, keep only your kids’ favourite toys on hand in one box and store the rest. Extraneous furniture pieces, even beautiful ones, should also be stored away if you already have the necessary furniture for conversation areas in place.
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