Occupied But Show-Ready
You probably understand the importance of keeping your home in a sparkling clean and neat condition at all times when it's on the market. Buyers may realize that you and your family are still living there, but they don't need to be assailed by your untidiness when viewing your home either. It is possible to have a relatively normal life and still ensure that your home can be almost instantly spiffed up, so read on for some tips to get, and keep, luxury homes show-ready in no time.
1. Deal with less stuff. The less stuff you have sitting around, the less you have to deal with. You will, hopefully, be packing up your things anyway, so go ahead and pack away as much as possible and get it out of the house entirely. Avoid stacking your moving boxes in a spare room or garage, since buyers want to see rooms instead of boxes, however. Consider renting a temporary storage space and send some of your decorative items, photographs, toys, clothing and more to it.
2. Invest in some attractive storage solutions. Not everything can be packed way, but you can get creative with storage for things that are in use every day. For example, some ottomans offer space to stash things quickly, like magazines or newspapers and other common family room detritus. For bedrooms, under bed storage boxes can be employed to deal with toys and clothing.
3. Do a quick cleaning. It can be difficult to keep your home perfect at all times, so make note of some quick, but effective, cleaning strategies to put into action when the call from the real estate agent alerts you to a buyer on the way:
- Vacuuming the traffic areas is quick and will freshen up the look of the carpeting.
- Wipe down the kitchen cabinets quickly.
- Sweep any floors that need it.
- Make sure that your trash cans are emptied.
4. Make it smell nice. If your home smells like last night's cabbage, you may need to take some steps to put some aromatherapy to work. While the aroma of fresh-baked cookies is welcoming and pleasant, you can use scented candles or oils to take the place of those treats if you don't have time to bake. As a bonus, lit candles lend a homey atmosphere to your home.
Check with your real estate agent for more tips on getting your home ready on a moment's notice.
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