Trying to keep your house clean when selling can be a bit overwhelming. Often, it has to be “show-ready” with very little notice.
Home buyers are extremely judgmental (and really, shouldn’t they be? They’re evaluating whether to spend thousands and thousands of dollars, for Pete’s sake). Whether it’s a fair assessment or not, most buyers tend to perceive a neat, clean house as one that has been well-maintained and likely has fewer problems. A cluttered, dirty home triggers the exact opposite reaction.
Savvy sellers keep dirt and clutter at bay daily when selling a home. That way when a real estate agent calls and wants to show the home, it’s ready to go. Check out our tips to help you keep the house clean for showings without losing your marbles:
Daily Chores to Keep the House Tidy When Selling
Reduce and simplify.
Not once in all my years of staging homes and hundreds of consultations have I ever walked into a home that didn’t need to “simplify and reduce” on some level. Buyers will view your personal treasured possessions with a very impersonal eye, and the “stuff” that makes your house feel like home may distract a buyer from seeing the beautiful bones of the house.
Focus cleaning efforts on the main areas of the house.
This is typically the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and primary bedroom. Stand in the doorway of each space and figure out what jumps out at your eyes first — start there!
Clear kitchen and bath counters and wipe clean.
Hide away any appliance you don’t use every single day. In the bathroom, keep daily essential hygiene products in a storage container you easily slide under a cabinet or into a linen closet.
Do a daily “clutter sweep” of the house before heading to bed to put things in order.
Keep a few baskets or bins around the house to scoop up and hide things if you get a last-minute showing request from an agent.
Manage the paper clutter.
File or get rid of bills and junk mail, as soon as it comes in — don’t let it build up!
Share a bathroom.
If you’ve got more than one in your house, consider having everybody just use one when possible to keep the others nice and neat.
Reach out to a professional home staging company, like Three Bears Home Staging.
We have lots of tips and tricks we can teach you to keep your on-the-market home more manageable by working smarter, not harder.
To help you keep the house clean when selling, we’ve put together a FREE downloadable Cleaning Checklist for Home Showings to make sure your house will sparkle and shine for every visit from a potential buyer. Click below to subscribe to our Library of Freebies to access the checklist and lots of other free goodies!
Keeping your house spotlessly clean while selling can be incredibly stressful, but a little daily maintenance can go a long way toward making the process more bearable. What are your tricks for keeping the house show-ready when selling? Share them with us here!
Need a Little Extra Help?
Take a look below at some of the ways we’re helping homeowners all over the country…
Book an Online Consultation
We specialize in positive and empowering virtual home staging consultations! Our practical, no-nonsense advice helps homeowners sell more quickly and for more money.
Enroll in Our Online Courses
Our online courses are designed with you, the DIY homeowner, in mind. From home staging to paint color selection, we break down the process for you from start to finish!
Read Our Book
In this brand new third edition of her popular book, Just Right! Easy DIY Home Staging, professional home stager Vannessa Rhoades walks you through the step-by-step process of staging your home for a faster, more profitable sale. Available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions!
One thought on “How to Keep Your House Clean When Selling”