How to Prepare Your Home for an Open House

Once you’ve decided to put your home on the market, you’ll want to set up an open house. Hosting an open house can leave an undeniable and unforgettable impression on potential buyers. Here are two important things to consider as the process gets underway.

1. Presenting your home in the best possible light will hopefully lead to the best possible offer. Start with these three simple home enhancements: decluttering, cleaning, and staging.

Decluttering:

• Get rid of surface clutter. Besides décor, anything that sits on tables, counters, night stands, etc. can be sorted through, put away, or thrown out.
• Move on to closets. Create the illusion of additional space by packing and storing out-of-season clothes. This is also a good time to donate items you don’t wear anymore. From there, tackle closet dust bunnies to make sure it’s clean and presentable.
• Remove items that are personal or identifying. You want buyers to imagine themselves living in your home, no matter who they are, so you need to “neutralize” as much as possible. Paint that red accent wall white and take down things like soccer trophies and family photos.

Cleaning:

• Do a deep clean. Tackle windows, floors, appliances, base boards… anywhere that draws the eye. If cleaning isn’t your forte, consider paying a professional. This circumstance is worth the splurge.
• Improvise. If your couch is stained but you can’t afford a new one, don’t be afraid to fib a little by covering it with a cushion or throw blanket.
• Wash what you can. Washing bath mats, renting a steam-cleaner, or replacing/removing stained rugs can have a big impact on the overall aesthetic.

Staging:

• Consider spending a little. It may be worth making a trip to Target or Marshalls to replace towels and bedding for a crisp new look. But don’t overspend.
• Add an accent item. Incorporating a mirror or a unique accent piece can add a point of interest to an odd or blank wall.
• Restyle and organize your bookshelves. Use your favorite interior design magazine or Pinterest for inspiration.

2. Now that you understand how to best present your home, you’ll want to make sure you’re protecting your privacy as strangers attend your open house. Use these tips to stay safe.

Protecting your space:

• Lock away or remove valuable items. It sounds obvious, but you’ll want to safely store things like jewelry, crystal, and even handheld devices.
• Hide information that may further identify you. Keep bills and important documents out of sight.
• Put away the “key bowl”. We all have one. Make sure yours is hidden on the day of the open house.
• Don’t forget about the bathroom. It’s also important to protect your medications and personal bathroom items as guests tour your home.

As your open house draws near, do your best to transform your home into a hotel-like, magazine-worthy space. Try to make it look like no one is living there – at least not yet. And remember that fresh flowers go a long way!