If moving isn’t stressful enough, your realtor keeps reminding you how important it is that your house is, as she puts it, “show-ready”.
Ugh. Regular cleaning and upkeep of your home falls low on your list of “things I love to spend time doing” let alone “show-ready” cleaning.
Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
Here are our 6 best secrets for keeping your home sparkling and ready for potential buyers at a moment’s notice.
Focus on Bathrooms and Kitchens.
I know you’ve heard the saying that bathrooms and kitchens sell houses. It makes sense. The other rooms are typically empty when purchased! This also means that the most challenging places to clean are the ones that need to stay the cleanest!
The best approach is keep them as clean as possible all the time. This is a tall order, but can be done. For starters, if possible, have all family members use one bathroom – or at least one tub. This way the other bathrooms in your home will always be clean. Take it a step further and put towels over the counter surrounding the sink. It will catch stray facial hair from shaving and loose makeup powder.
As for the kitchen? Make sure to clean the inside of all appliances. Potential buyers are likely to look in there. Also consider batch cooking or making freezer meals. This will cut down on day-to-day messes from cooking.
Remove Knick-Knacks/Reduce Clutter.
What better way to have less to clean than to literally have less to clean! Remove any knick-knacks you have around the house. These types of items often collect lots of dust and can make a space feel busy. Stow them away. When it comes time to dust, a quick wipe of a shelf and you’re good to go.
Speaking of stowing away, do this for any items you don’t regularly use or oversized items you can live without temporarily. You’ll end up packing these items up anyway so why not do it now? You’ll have less to clean and your home will look more spacious and organized.
Have a Secret Stash.
Let’s be honest. If you’re living in the house while selling, it’s going to look, well, lived in! Jackets, notebooks, toys, laundry, stacks of paper, etc. All of these things will end up cluttering counters and tables. Have bins (suitcases work well too!) dedicated to dumping items like these in last minute. When you get the word from your realtor that a potential buyer is on the way, you can pull out the bins and throw all of these items quickly in them.
Once they are full? Hide them in your garage. You’re moving so a few boxes in the corner of the garage are completely appropriate. Don’t have a garage? Put them in your trunk! No one will be the wiser.
Keep Trash Out.
Nothing will turn off a potential buyer like seeing your trash. Keep your waste bins as empty as possible. You may want to consider using one main bin and putting the others up. To make this easier, hang plastic grocery bags on the doors of heavily trafficked rooms. Then when it’s “showtime” you just grab all the bags and take them out with the kitchen trash. Another option? Buy waste bins with lids for your bathrooms. At least this way no one will see what’s inside.
Keep Cleaning Supplies Handy.
The more inconvenient cleaning feels, the less likely you are to do it. Keep cleaning supplies handy in all rooms of your home so you can clean as you go. Stash a roll of paper towels and some cleaning spray under your bathroom sink. Every morning after you get ready, give the sink a quick spray and wipe. You can also keep a microfiber cloth in your nightstand. When you wake up in the morning grab the towel and give all your dressers and tables a quick wipe. Keeping things as clean as possible keeps the job from becoming overwhelming.
Hire A Cleaning Company.
Consider hiring a cleaning company. Moving makes for a busy season in life and is oftentimes very (very) stressful. Do yourself a favor and alleviate that stress by hiring a cleaning company. This way you always know the tubs will get scrubbed and the floors will get mopped.
