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I'm starting the process of selling my home so that I can relocate to another state.
While I'm generally a very clean person, sometimes (especially when I work 4 consecutive 10 or 12 hour shifts at work), things can get a little disorganized. When this happens, I clean up. But, the process inevitably starts all over again.
My realtor has emphasized to me (I'm a first time home seller) that I must live in a state of constant "perfect cleanliness" while the house is being shown to potential sellers for the next few weeks.
I'm struggling with this concept. I just spent nearly 9 hour cleaning my home from top to bottom. I'm exhausted. I'm not sure how to effectively keep this large house squeaky clean while living my every day life...
How did you manage to always keep things clean and tidy, especially when you have a full time job, when selling your home?
I also want to mention that I have 2 pets who could care less that I just mopped my cherry wood floors and need them spotless ..
We put many of our things in storage to reduce clutter plus it made it easier to keep the place looking neat.
When a realtor would call and say that s/he was bringing someone over in (usually 20 minutes-30 minutes), I would go around and tidy up. You do some light cleaning everyday then tidying up before a showing becomes much easier. Plus, I would make sure that during the day the blinds were left open to let in natural light.
ETA: Some people will crate their pets before a showing. If you have dogs, IMO, it's a good idea. Some years back, there was a story on the news about a realtor who unlocked the front door of a house to do a showing and before she got all the way in, a Dalmatian jumped up and bit off part of her nose Even if you have dogs who are generally gentle and tame, you can't always be sure there won't be a problem.
You cleaned for 9 hours so it should be easy to pick up stuff as you go now. You need to stay on top of it while showings can be going on. Adulting can be hard
Put fresh towels on towel rods. Use a towel for showers that you hang on a plastic hanger and put in your closet when done.
Put a shoebox or basket under sink and after showering, put toiletries in it and put under sunk. Get a squeegie, and squeegee shower when done. Keep paper towels under sink, and wipe off sink and counter and mirror in bathroom when done, before you leave house.
Keep a trash bag handy to use to empty trash and put in garage before you go to work.
Load dishwasher before leaving house. Only keep needed items on kitchen counter.
Get a swifter to run over floors before work.
Clean up after yourself instantly; use something, put it away. One idea, keep a laundry basket or two handy, One for when a showing is going to happen sweep all the random messes into the basket and put it in the garage. It's a quick way to tidy up fast. (not foolproof ,for example breakables or liquids). The second one contains clean towelsand pretty soaps to leave on the bathroom counters, anything that makes your house look "pretty" and grab that basket of stuff and put it out really fast.
The only real answer though is to spot clean constantly. I know it sucks but it would be worse to be stuck with a house you don't want...or even worse, drag out the selling process forever
BINS... keep all of your getting ready for work stuff in the plastic bin, deodorant, cosmetics, whatever else, and pop it in a closet or under the sink. Don't leave damp towels - drop them into the washer to wash later. I washed all the time when home was on the market.
Always clean the microwave, and I kept minimal food. Did you clean the fridge? People will look in the fridge, trust me. How clean is your dishwasher? Any ick around the edges? Clean it. People look.
If I had time, I would open a few windows to let fresh air in.
Crate up your dogs in an unobtrusive place, a corner in the master bedroom or a guest room. If you know you are having a showing, I would take them to puppy play care for the day.
BTW, I suggest leaving nothing on the counters. ZERO. Nothing in the shower - shampoo out of sight etc. You want the buyer to picture THEIR items in the kitchen and in the shower. You get it.
You also want any carpet to look just vacuumed when you leave. If you have stairs, suggest using a comb to fluff the carpet, so much quicker than vacuuming each stair again just for effect.
It's very difficult. I turn into a veritable witch when we are selling a house we're in. Every time DH goes into the bathroom or kitchen, I follow him with a paper towel. It's not fun. Def get a crate for the dogs because no one likes dogs following them around everywhere (which is what they'll do) even if they are dog people. Countertops empty (get a box that will fit under somewhere and scoop everything into it when you leave for work).
Several times we've moved first and sold the house empty (realtors don't like this because it makes it harder for the lookers to envisage how it'll look) and that of course was the most stress-free.
Take a picture of your rooms and look at them critically. If there is so much junk around - pictures, memorabilia, etc. that you can't really see the furniture, etc. - clear it out. This is not your house anymore, so your stuff is not relevant. It's some transition house that will soon be someone else's. Put your stuff in a box and pack it out to the garage.
I forgot to say - clean is one thing, and yes, you want the place to be clean. But I think what's more important is that it's not all junked up with too many THINGS. Tons of pictures, etc., on every horizontal surface - computer clutter all over the work space, kitchen clutter all over the countertops, bathroom clutter (toothbrushes, etc.) all over the bathroom.
Now that you've got the place clean, go around and take nearly everything off the horizontal surfaces, even if it's your favorite picture and souvenir arrangement. People just get confused when there's lots of stuff around. Pack it up (you've got to do that anyway eventually) and put the boxes out in the garage. Take half the clothes out of your closet so it looks not cluttered. Don't leave the dog bowls out where they can get stepped on.
It will also be a lot easier to keep the place clean when there's not so much stuff around
These posts are hilarious and bring back such memories...ugh, I've sold a lot of places, what a pain. Anyway, very good tips! The one I totally agree with is, NOTHING in the shower or bath to remind the buyer that you still live there. I do not want to see people's scrubbies or shampoo, so I figure they don't want to see mine either. I didn't want any used towels hanging on the bathroom or bedroom door, so I stuck them in the dryer. I mean, it's really so much more stressful than having "company" over, because you can't just throw stuff in closets or drawers -- they'll look in them! I moved most of my clothes down to a rack in the basement (that I covered) because I didn't want my closet to look packed.
I remember one place I sold, I removed all traces of the dog. When I went to closing, the buyers asked if I had a dog. They had seen the dog's bowl at the bottom of the lazy susan. Darn, didn't hide it well enough!
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Even if you have dogs who are generally gentle and tame, you can't always be sure there won't be a problem.
