Here are some tips to get your home ready to sell.

The Inside

General:

· Paint where necessary. Wash all walls, ceilings and baseboards.  Fill in holes in the walls.

· Clean windows, inside and outside.

· Polish floors.

· Replace burned out bulbs and brighten rooms with more powerful bulbs.

· Lubricate doors and windows so they open freely and without squeaking.

· Repair squeaky floors.

· Repair light switches.

· Repair  faucet drips.

· Repair cracked walls or ceilings.

· Unclog all drains.

· Clean fireplace and place logs inside for the fire.

· Vacuum and shampoo all rugs.

· Clean and polish heating elements.

· Clean blinds and drapes.

· Straighten up all closet and hallway storage,     buyers will look everywhere.

· Clean chandeliers and other lighting fixtures.

Bathrooms:

· Put out fresh towels and floor mat.

· Clean fixtures, mirror and tub.

· Replace toilet seat.

· Clean shower curtain, replace liner if needed.

· Re-do the caulking on tub or shower if missing in places or lifting up.

· Clean shower walls.  Special cleaning products will help remove mildew between the tiles.

· Keep counters uncluttered. 

· Clean out drawers and cabinets, the more     uncluttered they are the larger they appear.

· Empty waste basket.

· Make sure fan is working properly and quietly.

· Unclog the sink and bathtub drains, if they are draining slowly.

Kitchen:

· Clean and paint outside of cabinets. Clean the     inside walls and shelves of cabinets too.

· Clean ventilating hood and fan.

· Clean the stove and oven.

· Repair, clean and wax the floor.

· Clean and polish appliances.

· Clean inside and outside of refrigerator and freezer.

· Make sure drawers slide easily and clean out any messy or cluttered ones.

· Put away any unnecessary appliances.

· Clear off counter tops of unneeded items to make kitchen look more spacious and clean.

· Use bright curtains, but keep them pulled open to let in the daylight.

· Keep items on refrigerator to a moderate amount, having too many photos, notes or schedules will make it look very cluttered.

· Fix garbage disposal if broken and make sure the drains are unclogged.

· Clean and organize the pantry, making sure all shelves are dusted and tidy.

· Clean or buy new burner pans.

Garage:

· Clean it out! Get rid of anything you don’t use. Organize and put everything away on shelves or in storage units, to clear up clutter. 

· Paint if necessary or wash walls and mop floor.

· Paint or wash garage door.

· Fix and clean all lights and fixtures.

· Make sure garage door openers are working well.

Basement:

· Air out basement, use air fresheners if necessary.

· Secure or replace handrails.

· Clean furnace.

· Make sure all lights work properly and are bright.

The Outside

Front Yard:

· Trim overgrown trees that might block views of the house or view from the inside.

· Trim hedges and bushes to look maintained and to give a more spacious look.

· Cut grass and edge the lawn.

· Pull up any weeds or dead flowers. 

Back Yard:

· Trim bushes, hedges, and trees to make your yard look larger.

· Cut grass and edge lawn.

· Pull out any weeds and dead flowers.

· Pick up toys or lawn care equipment and either store or place nicely on the side of the house.

· Clean off lawn furniture and arrange nicely or store if too dirty or damaged.  Make sure there isn’t too much to give a ‘clutter’ feel.

House Exterior and Surroundings:

· Repair walkway, driveway, porch or steps around your house.

· Clean porch light both inside and out.  Take off cover and clean with warm soap and water.

· Paint trim and doors to brighten the house.  Dull or chipping paint make the house look old, even if you don’t notice it.  If needed and possible, paint the entire house.

· Clean and repair screens or storm windows and doors.  Make sure all latches work properly and that no windows or doors are squeaking.

· Thoroughly clean all windows inside and out.

· Sweep any walkways, steps, porches or decks.

· Store any unused flower pots and remove any dead plants..

· Inspect the roof and make sure there are no missing shingles.

· Clean out gutters. 

Easy Touch-Up Tips

Below are some quick tips to help clean up your home and get it ready to sell:

· To remove the oil spots on the garage floor or   driveway cement, simply poor cat litter over the spot and grind in with your foot.  Leave for a while to absorb and sweep up. 

· To clean your deck and porch mix one gallon of hot water with one tablespoon of dishwashing  liquid and 1/4 cup borax.  Mop and rinse well.

· Use a 18-inch paint roller rather than the regular  9-inch and get  rooms painted in half the time.

· When painting, you will have less splatter the dryer your paint roller is.

· To get white spots off of your shower’s metal frame, use lemon oil on a clean rag and wipe off.

· Get rid of mildew spots on your inside caulking by applying rubbing alcohol with a clean rag.

· Ceilings that are lighter than their adjoining walls appear higher and ceilings painted darker will   appear lower.

· To remove hard water and mineral deposits from your faucets and shower heads, place a       sandwich bag full of warm vinegar around the faucet or shower head and secure with a rubber band.  Let sit for an hour.  Use a toothbrush and toothpick to scrub away anything that is left on.

· To repair scratches in hardwood floor, take a crayon of the same color and rub it in the scratch to fill the gap.  Using a blow dryer on high, heat the area of the crayon and buff with a soft cloth.

· Remove hairspray residue from hard surfaces by mixing one part fabric softener to two parts water.

 For these tips and many more check out:    www.queenofclean.com    www.diynet.com   Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean by Linda Co

Sandra B. Channell, REALTOR, IMS

W Real Estate, Lake Tapps, Inc. and Realty Executives Southeast Valley

email: sandra@sandrachannell.com     

www.sandrachannell.com