Your house is on the market and ready for that first showing – great! You’ve decluttered and fixed those niggling little repairs so your house will show well, but here’s what you need to do just before you leave for a showing:

1. Take out the trash: No one likes a smelly trash can. Yes, potential buyers realize that you are still living in your house and hence, creating trash, but trash cans radiate some seriously bad smells – not the ideal first impression you want to give your buyers. Just grab your bag of trash on the way out the door. That one simple move makes your kitchen (and bathrooms) seem tidier and more welcoming.

2. Replace the hand towels: In the bathroom or in the kitchen, hand towels can look limp and damp in a matter of hours with heavy use. Replacing used towels with fresh ones makes your hardest-working rooms appear a little cleaner, which is more appealing to buyers.

3. Hide any visible laundry: If your house is on the market, you should make it a habit to put stacks of clean laundry away immediately. That way, you don’t have to hide them in a panic when buyers arrive. Drying laundry that is hanging can be placed in your closet during the showing and brought back out to finish drying after the showing. Don’t ever allow your home to be shown with laundry hanging from random places – it looks sloppy and won’t impress your buyers.

4. Hide any dirty dishes: If you have a dishwasher, stash all dirty dishes in it before you leave the house – but don’t start the machine! Buyers do not want to be greeted by the whir of your dishwasher when they enter your home. If you don’t have a dishwasher, stack them neatly in the oven. The buyers may open the oven and discover them, but it’s still better than leaving them in the sink or on the counter where they will be immediately visible.

5. Fluff the pillows: A squished pillow just looks sad, so give your couch and bedroom pillows a quick fluff, and straighten the bedspread while you’re at it. Your bed is the focal point of your bedroom, as is your couch in the living room, so making these key pieces of furniture look their best give buyers a favorable impression of the entire room.

If selling your house sounds a little overwhelming, don’t panic. Just call Monnie! She can help you stage your home and get it ready for the market. Call her today at 325.365.6404.