Showing Your Home

• Ensure your front entrance is clean and welcoming.
• Paint or replace your front door if it’s faded or worn.
• Refresh shutters, trim, and other exterior features showing signs of wear.
• Add vibrant plants and lay down fresh mulch for a polished look.

• Simplify content creation and ensure design consistency.
• Keep windows and floors spotless.
• Replace faded wallpaper and reattach any areas that have come loose.
• Repair any worn woodwork.
• Repaint scuffed or dirty walls in neutral tones.
• Steam clean carpets or replace them if needed.
• Fix minor flaws like loose knobs, sticking doors, warped cabinet drawers, broken light switches, and more.
• Check and repair caulking in bathtubs and showers.

To make your home as appealing as possible:

• Open drapes and curtains to let in natural light during showings.
• Clear unnecessary clutter from attics, basements, and closets to make rooms appear spacious (consider storage or a garage sale for extra items).
• Arrange rooms neatly and remove excess furniture. Keep fresh, clean towels in the bathroom and use candles or air fresheners for a pleasant scent.

• Avoid overhead lighting that makes rooms feel washed out and lifeless.
• Be creative with lamp placement to make smaller rooms appear larger and larger rooms feel more intimate.
• Use lighting to highlight your home’s “living areas,” like a pair of chairs near the fireplace or a table in the breakfast area.

• Remove any personal items with eyes or religious symbols. Ask me why—I’d be happy to explain!
• Clear all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house. Keep decorative pieces in odd-numbered groupings—1, 3, or 5 items.
• Clear kitchen countertops of unused items. If it hasn’t been used in three months, put it away!
• Remove messages, pictures, or magnets from the fridge to keep the space clean and neutral.
• In bathrooms, remove any unnecessary items from counters, tubs, and shower stalls. Keep only the essentials grouped neatly.
• Keep towels in coordinating colors (preferably 1 or 2 colors only).
• Remove or rearrange furniture if necessary. Too much furniture can make a room feel cramped, so thinning out the space helps rooms look larger.
• Take down or rearrange some pictures and objects on the walls. Patch and paint any areas that need it.
• Review each room and address any painting, carpet cleaning, or window washing that needs attention.
• Keep certain lights on during the day and turn on all lights and lamps during showings.
• Keep an FM radio on during the day for viewings.

• Trim landscaping to reveal architectural details like the bottoms of windows. “If they can’t see it, we can’t sell it.”
• Clear the perimeter of the house, moving garbage cans, wood scraps, and extra materials into the garage.
• Check gutters and the roof for any dry rot, and clean them if necessary.
• Trim plants, prune bushes, and ensure trees aren’t blocking windows. “You can’t sell a house if you can’t see it!”
• Weed and refresh mulch or rock in all planting areas, and keep the lawn freshly cut and fertilized.
• Remove any dead plants or shrubs.
• Clear patios or decks of small items like flower pots, barbecues, and toys—store them in the garage.
• Inspect the paint condition, especially around the front door and trim. “Curb appeal really works!”