First and foremost, if you’re looking to sell your home soon, congratulations on your new endeavor! We’ve just made the decision to move down south to Santa Barbara and we’re so excited about our new adventure. The idea of moving is always fun in theory but I know that it can be a bit overwhelming when you begin to think of all the things you need to do. Just putting your home on the market takes prep work and a ton of time but once you have a plan you can begin to breathe easier. If you know me, you know that I’m always sharing my home so luckily the house was in pretty good shape when I began making a to-do list for placing it on the market. Even with my home being as organized as it was I still felt a bit overwhelmed at times with the entire process so I hope that some of the tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way will help give you a sense of direction when pulling your home together.
Declutter
Whether you are packing up your home yourself or hiring movers you don’t want to bring anything along to your new home unless you’re absolutely in love with it. This is a fresh start and a time for you to decorate your new space with a whole new outlook. Plus, it’s so much work to unpack tons of items that you’ve already been looking at for years! Time to channel your inner Marie Kondo and begin decluttering.
My trouble area was my closet. Thinking about getting it ready for buyers was a source of stress. I tackled this first and it was a much needed relief. I don’t suggest doing a full purge because that can be too big of chore. Instead put your staging glasses on and consider it a ‘tidy’. Start with the trouble area first… once you get the most daunting spaces out of the way I promise those nerves will become can-do energy! Just clearing spaces makes me so happy. Also, donating is a good thing. It’s a win win for everyone.
P.s. I read that it’s also a good idea to clear out some of the shelves in your closet to give the space a larger look and feel. It’s incredible the mind games that you learn along the way. I know that I always feel like things seem bigger when emptier. The buyer is no different. What are your thoughts on this?
After I attack my closets I then do the same with my kitchen cabinets. People love to take a peek where the heart of the home is. Time to get rid of some of the mismatched dishes and mugs. You’ll thank me later. ;)
Give the Yard a Refresh
I always like to suggest pulling anything that looks messy in your yard and planting a few new flowers for the ultimate curb appeal. This time around I added some colorful petunias to line the walkway and steps and even more to my large backyard urn focal piece. It’s amazing the difference this provides to the overall look. Another tip – add fresh small black mulch to all your planter beds. It not only helps the colorful plants stand out more but it gives your yard that model home vibe that people crave. Serafin helped me with this by adding a yard of fresh mulch to my garden. Everything smells great and it also helps keep the weeds at bay. I love doing this each season no matter what simply because of how mulch helps make your yard look clean and beautiful.
Another tip – If you have any water fountains, a gas fire pit, built-in grill, or Jacuzzi, make sure they are usable and let your realtor know they are in great working condition in case buyers ask.
P.s. I spent one day refreshing my yard at most. There are a lot of other things that need to be done to prepare our homes so try to keep it simple and just look at your home as a buyer would in the short time they are there. What are the few small things that you can do to make a bigger impact?
Clean the Windows
We always have our windows cleaned after the rainy season each year and especially before we ever list our home. Beautiful photographs get interested buyers to your home. Super important when trying to sell. Our eyes can work around water spots on windows but photographs don’t lie. Sparkling windows give the appearance that your home is always kept super clean. Important to buyers. Being able to showcase your homes with bright natural light streaming through the windows is going to help make it stand out even more. Amazing that something so simple can make such a huge impact.
P.s. On showing day don’t forget to open all curtains and shades. Also make sure to dust your lights and turn them on. Are all your light bulbs working? If not, make sure to replace with nice bright bulbs. The bulbs that don’t need changing I clean off as well. Another thing – check the climate inside your home. You want your home to be bright, cheery and the perfect temperature for everyone’s comfort level! Think model home cool. :)
Hire a Handyman
Let’s face it, every home has a few quirks that we’ve learned to live with. For example, our patio doors were sticking a bit when I tried opening them. I asked a handyman to come take a look at the doors and they were fixed within minutes. To a potential buyer seeing these seemingly small issues can cause them to question how well your home has been taken care of. Taking the time to correct these things is well worth the effort as potential buyers don’t want to see issues before buying.
Remove Personal Items & Rethink rooms
If you’re preparing your home for the market I’m sure you’ve heard this by now but it’s well worth reiterating, make sure to place all personal items like family photos and other special items away before showing your home. It’s important for a buyer to picture themselves and their family creating new memories in the house. To fill the gap I like to include more flowers (fresh or faux) and other beautiful decor pieces to add more life to the space.
Do you have a multi functioning room in your home? We do! Our office, which also acts as an exercise room. For our weekend showings we made sure to place the bike in the garage to help open the space. The office feels so much larger as a result and the room has a designated purpose rather than looking like a catch-all space. The more open, bright and airy the home looks, the better!
Try to remember that when preparing your home for the market or even if you are simply trying to give your home that yearly upkeep – you don’t have to go crazy and take on a ton of work. Simply follow some of the tips I’ve shared here and your home will be sold and looking more pulled together than ever.
Do you have any more tips for all the home sellers and those looking to keep their homes a little more organized in 2021? Please share all in the comments below!
xo,
Kristy
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I love this!! Very helpful and insightful information for when we move next year. I love your blog!
We’ve sold five homes. One thing I always do is buy new towels for every bathroom. They’re only used for showings! This way, they are always perfect and ready to go when you get that last minute call for a showing. Speaking of “last minute showings”…I also always have an empty basket available. This is to use when you get that call, and are in the middle of doing makeup, might have mail on the counter, shopping lists, kids toys, anything that you have zero time to put away, just toss it in the basket. Take the basket with you in the car! You can put everything away in the proper places when you return home. :)
Very SOFT music playing … and the smell of baking cookies is always a good thing. Another secret tip is to put a recorder or cell phone on record hidden up on top of the refrigerator. You can then hear positive or negative comments about the house which you may be able to correct if it’s keeping you from selling.
We like to have couple of flameless candles on fireplace, eucalyptus scent in restroom and tissue roll stamped like the Hotel
Someone once told me that instead of painting a whole room, just paint the baseboards. Makes everything look new!
Good luck with your move…can’t wait to see it all unfold.
Your home is beautiful. We just sold our rental home in Modesto, CA in 2 days, 15% over asking price, no inspection and 21 day close. It was crazy!! We just closed and we didn’t have one issue. Whew!!
That’s so great Cari! Congrats!! xo
Great tips, thank you! Have been putting off spring cleaning, these suggestions help motivate amid daunting thoughts of dust & clutter.
Great tips and your home is so beautiful! I am a realtor and have sold several of my own homes. Staging is very important. Everything you posted is spot on!! Always nice too to have some light jazz playing! But one we sold when the couple came back for a second look I knew they drove truck so I changed it to country (yes there is a soft country play list) and guess what they bought the house! 😊Love the blog and your instagram!
Dear Kristy:
We always put all personal photos away and cleaned and cleaned everything. Have the Realtor put booties at the doors for shoes or all shoes at the door, never on your floors! Most importantly, only interested buyers and all interested by appointment only. Good luck and your home is so California living, open concept and lovely. I imagine it will sell quickly.
Your home looks beautiful. Good luck!
Such good suggestions Ms Kristy. You cannot imagine how much I will miss seeing your pretty home.🌸🌸🌸 Appeal to all the senses scent with candles, soft music…….. Also, lots of hotel like details like stamped toilet paper roll, rolled hand towels, a basket of toiletries, coffee station. One thing I love is putting a tray with either wine and wine glasses or teapot, teacups and flowers on top of an elegant made bed. Your house is perfect!🌿🌸🌿🌸
On showing days don’t forget to pay attention to the aroma in your home. Diffuse something clean and bright, try to avoid smells people may have a reaction to, like the maples, coffee, and overly aggressive floral scents. Maybe even bake something before the showings to make the house smell homie and leave the baked goods out with a little note to feel free to help themselves.
Thank you for the tip, Jennifer!
Hello Kristy, I love every post!! Your home is beautiful. I can see why it sold so quickly. Your hard work paid off! Please share with me the name and/or maker of your front door. I live in Florida and have been looking for a new front door. I love gardening and pretty landscapes. You did an amazing job utilizing every inch of your property. I can’t wait to see your next home. Enjoy your trip and wedding planning! Be safe! Sharon
Hi Sharon!
There are a few posts about Kristy’s door that should help you :) https://kristywicks.com/front-door-redo-plans/ https://kristywicks.com/front-door-reveal/