Once the winter weather finally dwindles off, we’re all thinking the same thing: it’s time for spring cleaning.

Now is when you scrub the floors clean of muddy slush from the bottom of your boots, sweep away the lasting remnants of pine needles from the Christmas tree and store away the overabundance of scarves, hats, coats and mittens.

Though spring cleaning is a smart choice for all homeowners or renters, it is increasingly important for those trying to sell their house. No potential homebuyer wants to walk into a dirty, cluttered and dreary home. While you should be constantly keeping up with housecleaning year-round, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the spring cleaning cliché and really give your house a spotless appearance.

We at the Buy Owner Blog feel that the importance of this topic is worth two posts, so here are some helpful suggestions on where to start your spring cleaning in Part 1!

• Start with the outside front entry. This is the first part of the house that potential homebuyers really focus on and judge while they wait to enter the home. Use a hose or powerwasher to clean the home’s siding, driveway, walkway and front door. Repaint the front door, siding that has chipped, the address numbers, the mailbox and anything that’ll spruce up the appearance. Cut back branches that have grown out of control or that stretch into the walkway space.
• Thoroughly clean all of your light fixtures inside and outside of the house, such as plastic coverings and lampshades. Depending on how fragile they are, some can be placed in the dishwasher for a quick and easy clean. Wash all of the windows, and wash or dust off the curtains and blinds. You want your house to look its brightest!
• Shampoo your carpeting and scrub your floors clean of leftover winter residue. You’d be amazed at how much dirt accumulates in these areas, even if you routinely vacuum and sweep. It’s worth the extra cost of hiring someone to professionally clean your carpeting if it displays any noticeable stains, or if you own pets.
• Repaint the interior walls. To save money, choose to repaint only the rooms that visually need it or that haven’t been painted in the longest time. Repainting is the most affordable way to brighten, upgrade and modernize your house all at the same time, and repainting forces you to remove all the objects in that room. By doing so, it’ll be easier to declutter and remove unnecessary items.
• Declutter every room. Though this is one of the most dreaded steps of house cleaning, it is one of the most important steps for home sellers. A potential homebuyer cannot easily view the best features of the house if they are covered in clutter. Organize all bills and paperwork into folders or files that can be stored into office or desk cabinets. Purchase bins for toys, blankets, remote controls and other objects that appear astray.

Stay tuned for more spring cleaning suggestions coming soon in Spring Clean Your Way to a Sale, Part 2!