Once you have de-cluttered your home and stored your extra items away in a self storage unit, you are ready for the next step in the staging process: cleaning, painting and completing minor repairs.
It is time to give your home the first interior cleanings. This first cleaning is a thorough spring type cleaning. Clean your rooms from top to bottom, taking extra attention to grout, window sills, a/c vents, and light fixtures. People notice these things and it shows that your home has been well care for. While you are cleaning pay attention to small details that might need attention next, such as nicks in walls, door jams or windows. It helps to make a list to refer to later. Want to add some luster and a fresh scent to the home? Apply a little orange oil to kitchen and bathroom cabinets as well to any wood furnishing. Clean bathrooms extra good, remove any soap scum and remove and lime build ups. Remove glass shower doors and take outside to clean, vinegar helps glass get sparkling clean.
For the exterior of your home, make sure to clean your exterior walls of your home. The outside is the first thing a buyer will see. So make sure that you brush down any cobwebs or other debris. If you have well water stains on the walls, consider painting the exterior. Clean your windows and window screens, clean windows and screens let the light and fresh air in. Don’t over look your roof, if moldy; consider hiring a professional to clean it.
Front walkways or driveway pressure clean them. Again while cleaning the exterior, compile your list of minor repairs that are needed; such as the loose shutter or broken step and fix them once the exterior cleaning is complete.
Now for the interior walls, little nicks consider touch up or covering with art. However, if you have a lot of nicks or your walls look drab, consider painting the room. Nothing speaks fresh and clean like new paint. If you have rooms that don’t seem as bright or clean, some painting might be needed. Painting is a very cost effective way to renew a room. If only a couple walls need painting, instead of repainting the entire room, consider painting that wall an accent color. Small dining room, bathroom or bathroom, use dark dramatic colors to accent wall.
Want to make small rooms seem larger, paint the same color as the adjacent room. Or to create a seamless look paint the walls the same color as the drapery, making the room seem larger. Pick colors with neutral hues; they help to tone down dated finishes. Neutral colors don’t have to be boring beige; there are many neutral finishes available from warm honeys and fawn to various shades of taupe.
Remember that list you compiled while cleaning, walk your home one more time, add anything your eye catches add to your list. Even better, have a picky friend walk your home. Chances are if they see it, a potential buyer will too and buyers don’t want to purchase a home that needs repairs. Once your list is complete, address the items and make your repairs. Don’t forget to fix that squeaky hinge or loose baseboard. If you have tile with chips in it, consider a touch up. Your local hardware store has several colors to choose from. If your tile is gloss and a color, nail polish works well and comes in a wide range of gloss colors. I recommend a small touch up first and if doesn’t match remove with some nail polish remover.
Tough to open windows and sliding doors, use a little aluminum spray oil to help them open easier. For extra hard to open sliding doors, consider have the rollers and tracks repaired. I once had a extremely hard to open sliding patio door, I mean you really had to use your muscles to open it. I had the rollers and tracks repaired; it took the repair man about 2 hours and was very inexpensive. Once the door was repaired I could slide it with one finger, my only regret was that it didn’t repair it earlier. Clean again once the painting and repairs are done. Now you are ready for the actual “staging” part and making your home into a “show home”.
