Only thirty minutes before a showing or an open house? Here is a checklist you can use to help spruce up your home in a hurry.
Tackle the entryway and main areas of the home first working your way to the less visible areas as time allows.
1. De-clutter Paperwork. Grab a bag and toss in all the piles of mail and paperwork lying around and stash the whole thing in a closet out of sight. For the future, keep an attractive basket with a lid on hand for last-minute storage.
2. Clean Kitchen Counters. Quickly move dirty dishes into the dishwasher (you can rearrange layer) or if it is full and you are desperate, rinse them off and hide them in the oven (just remember to remove them afterward!). Store excess appliances in cupboards or closets to open up the kitchen counters.
3. Demagnetize the Fridge. Remove all magnets, photos, and miscellaneous stuff from the front/sides of the fridge, stashing them out of sight for an instantly neater kitchen
4. Clear the Toys. Remove toys from main areas of the home. Grad a laundry basket and fill as you go from room to room and place the kids’ bedrooms.
5. Remove Dust Bunnies. Use a hair dryer to quickly dust bookcases and knickknacks and use a broom to knock down cobwebs. Vacuum whatever falls to the floor.
6. Vacuum Carpets. Spot vacuum high traffic areas and those most in need.
7. Clean Floors. Spray some paper towels with all purpose cleaner, place under your base feet and slide around the hard floors to spot clean dirty areas.
8. Banish Fido. Put the pets outside or in an out of the way room and use a lint brush (or balled up old pantyhose in a pinch) and run over furniture to pick up pet hair.
9. Spruce up Furniture. Drape a clean blanket or an attractive throw over the couch and loveseats to hide worn or stained cushions.
10. Shine Bathrooms. Wipe down counters & sinks with a damp paper towel and swipe some glass cleaner over mirrors. Spray water on the inside of the shower doors as hard water spots tend to be less visible when wet. 11. Empty Trash Cans. Empty full trash bins into whatever large-capacity canister you have that is out of sight.
12. Freshen the Air. Spray air freshener or deodorizer in kitchen and bathrooms and any other rooms as desired, but lightly so as not to cause an allergy attack for a potential buyer.
13. Let the Light In. Open shades to let natural light in and open up rooms.
14. Last Minute Walkthrough. Grab an empty laundry basket and walk around the house gathering anything that catches your eye that can be stashed out of sight for a cleaner less cluttered look.