Preparing to Sell Your House

A Cleaning Checklist for the Two Most Important Rooms in Your Home

Nov 18, 2009 Theresa Borsman

Cleaning is one of the easiest and most powerful methods at your disposal when you're preparing to sell your house.

At no time is having a sparkling house more important than on the day of your open house. In fact, studies show that the simple act of cleaning and decluttering while preparing to sell your house can significantly boost its value (HomeGain.com's Prepare to Sell Survey).

So how clean is "open house" clean? The answer, for most of us, is cleaner than usual! After living in a home for a while, it's easy to become immune to some of the finer details of our surroundings. But potential buyers are seeing your home with fresh eyes – which will likely home in on dirt that yours just glaze over.

So get these two important rooms buyer-ready with these cleaning checklists...

Preparing to Sell Your House: the Kitchen

For most buyers, the kitchen is the heart of the home. When preparing to sell your house, you're really trying to sell a lifestyle or dream. For most buyers, the dream doesn't include household chores! So start by ridding your counters of small appliances and household cleaning items such as dish towels. Then make your kitchen gleam!

Don't forget to...

1. Clean inside all appliances. Other people's food remnants are a turn-off. Plus signs of cooking or cleaning conjures up images of chores... when you want your buyers to be imagining all the great gatherings they'll be having in your space. Don't forget the surfaces of your appliances!
2. Clean faucets, sinks, and all reflective surfaces with the appropriate cleanser. Finish up by giving a quick buff with a soft cloth for fixtures that gleam.
3. Clean garbage containers thoroughly to keep odours at bay, then keep them empty. Store these in cupboards to keep them out of sight.
4. Clear off and clean counter surfaces. Keep a maximum of two display items on your counters and neatly store or pack away the rest.
5. Clean inside your kitchen cabinets. If this is impossible because they are chock full, it's time to clear them out. Shoot for about two-thirds of the contents. Then scrub out the inside and neatly store your remaining items.
6. Make sure all dishes are clean and put away.
7. Change or clean the filters in your range hood.
8. Dust and clean lighting fixtures. Wipe lightbulbs.
9. Clean baseboards and all trim.
10. Store pet dishes under the sink.
11. Clean floors with a mild-scented cleanser that won't trigger allergies in viewers.
12. Clean windowsills, doors, and shelving. Vacuum and clean window screens.

Preparing to Sell Your House: the Bathroom

The modern bathroom is spacious and spa-like - a retreat from the stressors of daily life. Does your bathroom conjure up images of long bubble baths and lazy Sunday mornings? Or does black tile grout and miscellaneous paraphernalia make you want to close the door and retreat?

The good news is that even a small bathroom can seem restful and luxurious with a good clean and declutter.

Prepare your bathroom for a sale with this cleaning checklist:

1. Hide evidence of daily life. Clear off all counters and neatly stow toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and other toiletries out of sight in your medicine cabinet.
2. Clean out all cupboards and underneath sinks. Make sure you don't have water drips.\
3. Hang a new decorative shower curtain that complements the room's colour scheme. Leave the curtain open during viewings.
4. Scrub bathtub and surround. Take a toothbrush or scrub brush to tile grout. If it doesn't come out looking as fresh as it could, regrout. Grout is easy to apply and will give your tiles a new lease on life.
5. Remove and replace old caulking.
6. Clean floors and keep bare with the exception of a rectangular accent rug for a homey colourful touch. Just say no to toilet rugs or carpet however!
7. Hang plush new towels in coordinating colours. Add decorative soaps, flowers in coordinating colours, or a framed print for extra flare.

Kitchens and bathrooms are the most important rooms to get right when you're preparing to sell your house. But don't forget to give the rest of your house a throrough clean too. A positive first impression is critical to securing a sale... and this cleaning checklist will help you get it!

The copyright of the article Preparing to Sell Your House in Interior Decorating is owned by Theresa Borsman. Permission to republish Preparing to Sell Your House in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Preparing your house for a sale