Written by Sometimes your home doesn’t need a whole makeover in order to get ready to sell. Sometimes it just needs a few some simple changes or updates to make it fresh and ready to entice its next owner.
- Take a slow and objective walk through your home with a clipboard and as you enter each room, make a note of what you think needs to change. Then have an objective friend who you trust and hand them a clipboard and ask them to do the same thing. Compare notes over a cup of coffee (or glass of wine) and make a project list for yourself.
- Are the dents in your carpet sunk down to the sub-floor because the furniture hasn’t been moved in years? You don’t need to pay a professional stager. Have a friend whose home you and others always admire for its great design and decor? Invite them over to help you rearrange your furniture and if necessary update your decor (nothing major but sometimes your decor screams a bygone era). If necessary, get rid of any furniture (put in the garage or storage) that look sad and worn out or adding to a cluttered feeling. Review….Rearrange….Refresh & Sell!
- If you take down a framed photo or piece of art, is the wall beneath it a completely different color than the rest of the wall? Can’t afford to paint all your rooms? Give your walls a good old fashioned washing? May be tedious but costs less than paint and can have the same positive affect. Also, wash your baseboards, trim, doors, windows and ceiling fan blades. Get rid of any and all cobwebs even way up in that vaulted ceiling. You might think no one will notice them BUT THEY WILL!
- If you’ve followed the advice you’ve seen in articles and on diy tv shows and painted your entire home in neutral beige or taupe tones, add color and energy to your spaces by the simple addition of live green plants. Live plants bring life to your home. There are plenty of plants that look great and can be easily maintained. When doing an open house or showing, a vase of fresh flowers will do the same thing. People don’t want to live in a dreary monotone home. Give it life with life!
- De-clutter! Again, have a trusted friend who you know will be and you’ll let be honest with you. Buy bins if you’re not ready to get rid of your knick knacks and stash them away out of view. You can decide later what you want to keep and what you don’t want to have to move later.
- You can update your kitchen or baths by simply changing the hardware on your cabinets, updating window treatments and giving your appliances a good scrubbing. Clean the outside, top and inside of the oven and microwave. Again, the kitchen is a great place to place a few small pots of fresh herbs. Basil and rosemary are great for your kitchen. A pot of lavender is a wonderful addition to the bath.
- Have a messy home office but you need all those papers and files, etc? Invest in a few attractive office organizers. Again, they don’t need to be fancy, expensive items. Both Walmart and Target have great office organizing options.
You don’t have spend a fortune to get your home updated and ready to sell. You simply have to invest your own time and energy to get a great result! The only downside is that once you’re finished, you might not decide to sell! Hmmm, but even that can be an upside!!
