10 Super-Easy Ways to Keep your Home "Show Ready"
Whether you are preparing for your first Open House or just need to keep on top of things for that last minute Realtor® showing, here are some quick tips from a Professional Home Stager in Buffalo, New York:
- Garbage in, garbage out every day. No trash in wastebaskets; empty them all before you leave for work in the moring.
- Do one load of laundry every day. There are 5 steps to doing laundry: sort, wash, dry, fold and PUT AWAY. You can schedule darks on Monday, whites on Tuesday, perma-press on Wednesday and Thursday, jeans on Friday, and sheets and towels on Saturday. Get the kids to help.
- Clean your bathroom sinks and swish your toilets, at least every other day. That way, everything is clean enough for company!
- Make your beds every day. Comforters and pillow shams make this job super-fast, and they make your bedrooms look great. Again, enlist the help of the kids!
- Closets should have the doors closed, and all clothing hung up.
- Take 15 minutes before you go to bed each night to gather up and put away any clutter. I have several "hot spots" where I dump lots of things like mail, backpacks, etc. Hot spots can turn into a raging fire if you don't stay on top of them!
- Make sure the dishes are done every day. If you have a dishwasher, run it at night and unload it while you are waiting for your coffee to perk.
- Shine your kitchen sink every night before going to bed. Some Windex and a paper towel will do just fine. I got this tip from FlyLady.net.
- No strong cooking odors, and if you must smoke, do it outdoors.
- Take one day a week (maybe Saturday during your Open House?) to have a Fun Day with your family. Selling your home is stressful, and you need something to look forward to after all your daily maintenance.
Caveat: The above assumes you have PRISTINED (not just "cleaned") your home before putting it on the market, whether or not you had it professionally staged.
Best wishes for a quick and prosperous sale!
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