Cut Your Clutter



If you want to make your house look bigger and cleaner in a flash, then the best thing you can do is to tidy up your knick-knacks. Get any extraneous junk out of view. For instance, do you have five different remote controls on your coffee table? Banish them to the drawer while potential home buyers are around.

The more clean counter space you have displayed, the more enticing and spacious your home will appear. In the kitchen, make sure you don't have old potholders or magnets cluttering up the place. Clean and empty surfaces are what you want to show.

Clean Your Cabinets

Just to warn you, potential buyers are not like houseguests. They can and will open your closets and cabinets, so be prepared! Don't stuff your clutter in a "junk drawer" or cram a cabinet full of all the extra stuff you want to hide. Instead, make sure your pots and pans are neat and tidy. Organize your dishes and coffee mugs so the handles are all lined up and orderly. Make sure your silverware is in its proper places.

Freshen It Up

A new coat of paint makes a dramatic difference when you are staging your home. It breathes new life into a room and takes years off the appearance of your home. Don't have the time to completely repaint? Consider some well placed touch-up paint, then.

New lighting fixtures are also a great option. For less than $100 and a few hours of work, you can make your kitchen or bedroom look much more modern when you upgrade your lighting.

Start Cleaning

Nothing makes a home more enticing. Start by giving your carpets a nice shampoo. Once they are fluffy, stain-free and looking like new, give some attention to your baseboards. Are they dusty? Time to shine them up. How about your air ducts and light fixtures? Grab a duster and get started.

Be sure to pay attention to your windows and doors. Make sure the window wells and thresholds are nice and clean. How about the yard? Tidy it up and make sure the shrubs and plants are looking their best. Even the gutters should get a little bit of TLC.

Special Touches

A plate of fresh-baked cookies on the counter make the house look and feel like a home. A vase of fresh flowers and a pleasant candle add comfort and ambiance as well. Don't overdo the special touches, but attention to detail lets prospective buyers know that you care about the little things. To a potential buyer, that translates into confidence that their new home has been well maintained. Whether you're looking to sell your home in San Diego or Tulsa, these tips will help you find a buyer quickly.