How to Increase Your Home's Sales Price: Interior Cleaning
If there's one thing that costs barely any money at all, but can have a huge increase in the sale price of your home, it's cleaning it.
Now, when I say "clean," I'm not talking about a normal everyday clean. I'm talking hotel room clean - the kind of cleaning you'd expect in a penthouse or a nice Las Vegas hotel suite. That means getting the spots you don't typically pay attention to.
Here's a rundown of the major rooms in a home, and what you should be focusing on in each:
Basement
- Remove dust - from the walls, underneath the stairs, on/around/underneath the water heater, in every nook & cranny, etc.
- Clear away all cobwebs from floor joists
- Sweep
- Vacuum
Bathrooms
- Wipe down trim, doors, towel bar, mirror, toilet paper holder, toilet, vanity, behind vanity, etc.
- Clean grout lines on the floor and in the shower
- Clean the faucet (especially if you have any white buildup from hard water around the faucet head)
- Sweep
- Vacuum
Kitchen
- Clean the sink, including faucet
- Clean underneath the sink & clear out all unnecessary items & cleaning supplies
- Declutter cabinets
- Clean appliances - stove, oven, refrigerator, microwave, etc.
- Wipe down all countertops & backsplash
- Wipe down cabinet doors, handles, and top edges to remove dust and grease buildup
- Clean the exhaust fan
- Clean garbage can (and if your garbage is in a drawer or cabinet, wipe that down as well)
Bedrooms
- Dust and wipe down all corners, doors, and dressers/furniture
- Wipe down door surfaces and trim (a great trick is to spray windex, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it down with a soft sponge)
- Remove any furniture that isn't necessary or being used for staging
- Declutter and organize closets - remove any clothes that aren't 100% needed
Living Room/Dining Room
- Dust and wipe down all surfaces
- Wipe down doors and trim
- Remove any furniture that isn't necessary or being used for staging
- Remove any toys or clutter
Garage
- Declutter and remove any unnecessary items
- Sweep out garage and clear off any work surfaces of debris and junk
General Throughout Home
- Clean windows on interior & exterior
- Remove clutter
- Remove personal items (photos, knick knacks, etc.)
The key, generally speaking, is to get rid of everything that you don't need. Whether you want to put it into storage or start moving it to a pod or your new home, having a house that is free of unnecessary furniture, clothes, personal items, and photos will show so much better than one that is messy or cluttered. Buyers want to come into a house that is very clean and cleared of personal items because it is much easier for them to picture themselves in the space and to imagine where they'd put their own furniture.
Cleaning isn't just for decluttering, though. It eliminates smells (versus using a cover-up scent from an air freshener), gets rid of pet residue, and overall makes the environment much more comfortable and welcoming for people. The more you vent out the house, open up windows, do a full spring cleaning, encourage air ventilation, and remove pet smells, the more likely it is that your home is going to yield better results.
The great news is that you can do all of this in just a few days, and it will cost you maybe $100 in materials. It is absolutely worth it because you're going to make thousands and thousands of dollars in your home's sale just by making those low-priced tasks a priority.
So, as you dive into your own spring cleaning, stay tuned for upcoming posts on more tips for prepping your home to sell (like paint tips and exterior spruce-up recommendations), and in the meantime, if you need help selling your home, we can definitely talk about that and I'd be happy to assist you in that area.