I’ll just preface this series by telling you (as if you didn’t already know this) that I am not a professional. I’m simply sharing tips and tricks I’ve learned through my own experience with the intention & hope that someone out there will be able to nab something helpful from my flub-ups. I’ve also learned (through therapy) that writing is one of my favorite ways to toss out my emotional garbage, if you will. So, get your dumpsters ready for how to (and how NOT to) sell your home. Dive right into the first segment where we will hash out all the things you’ll want to add to that honey-do list BEFORE your home hits the market.

If you’ve followed along for a while, you’ll know that I’m all about staging interior spaces. I feel like I can make a space feel welcoming, comfy, and homey without trying too hard. So, when we listed our house for the first time last spring I figured putting a SOLD sign on this sucker would be easy-peasy. Five months and one sub-par offer later, we were taking the house of the market with our tail between our legs. Ouch.

Turns out, there is so much more that goes into creating a home that screams BUY ME than lighting a candle, fluffing the pillows, and hoping for the best. A lot of it comes from being proactive and ready before putting your house on display for the world to see. Whether you work with a realtor or try to sell on your own, use these tips to ensure your property is bangin’ by the time you put that FOR SALE sign on in the yard!

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Before You List Dos and Don’ts: Inside

Don’t assume everyone will love your house the way you love it. Do look at your home in the eyes of a potential buyer. They are going to find the things that you gloss over (like those tiny little pain splatters on the floor from the table you’ve painted over three times…). Here are my take-aways from going through this process several times:

• Declutter – buyers need to envision themselves and their treasures in your home – less of your stuff is more. Consider renting a storage unit or pod for large items. List items you can live without on Facebook Marketplace or other community swap site. Consider organizing a garage sale. Packing and moving will be easier the more you declutter before you list.
• Identify areas that need touch ups. I always find it helpful to walk through with a realtor to point out areas that could use a fresh coat of paint and extra cleaning. Use sticky notes or blue painters tape to mark areas (because it’s a lot and you’re going to forget).
• Store away personal photos and collections. I know *you* love your prized and precious collection of 472 porcelain cats but nobody wants to see that. It’s also best practice to put away family photos. Again, potential buyers want to envision themselves in the space – not you and your cats.
• Hire a professional clean before you go live. Carpets, windows, and your baseboards will need to look their best. People can be incredibly picky and having some of those well traveled areas freshened up will make you feel better.

Before You List Dos and Don’ts: Outside

Curb appeal matters. Taking a little extra time to finish up those outdoor projects (or just cleaning up the project piles you didn’t get to…) will be worth it in the long run. You want your home to look welcoming and clean from the outside in.

• Declutter. This may not be an issue for most people – but I had a lot of farmhouse-inspired garden decor around our landscaping that I ended up storing/selling the second time we put the house on the market. Keep it simple.
• Add fresh flowers. Fresh flowers instantly make any space feel warm and welcoming. Now, I can’t keep any plant alive worth crap. BUT. I adore flowers and adding a window box or a planter will go a long way to add a little charm to your space.
• Clean! What? Clean the outdoors? Yes. Powerwash the house, driveway, and any sidewalk. Clip the bushes, trim the trees – these are all thing I don’t personally care about, much (if I’m honest). But potential buyers might (people can be viciously picky) and that’s why it makes a difference.
• Touch ups. Take a close look a deck, siding, and outbuildings to make sure everything is freshened up and well tended.

Before You List: Helpful Products

To help feel as organized and as ready as possible, I tried a few new products as well as some tried-and-true items that never disappoint. I’ll have all of these and more up on my Amazon storefront under my “Moving/Organizing” list.

A few of my favorites for cleaning/organizing:

• Vacuum storage bags
• Zippered storage bags
• Dawn power wash spray (this stuff cleans EVERYTHING)
• Clearspace storage bins (I use these under sinks)
• Two tier sink organizers
• Space saving hangers
• Water bottle organizer
• Pantry door storage
• Stackable can rack
• Stainless steel cleaner (for appliances)
• Ceramic oven top cleaner
• Swiffer wet jet

The bottom line on how to (or not to) sell your home is doing what you can before it hits the market. Prepping will pay off in the long run and make your eventual transition much more smooth. In the event it just doesn’t sell (like our home our first time around) you’ve at least put in the elbow grease that you can sit back and enjoy (and there will be less to do the next time around)! Thanks for stopping by, friends. Peace, love, & light (after coffee) –