Before you place your house on the market, you should go through each room (and your yard/lot) to make your home picture perfect.

The house must look clean, smell clean, and be clean.

And most important, it must look neat and tidy — from inside closets to shelving in the garage.

Expect buyers to check everything from cracks in the walls, untidy closets, dusty ceiling fans, musty odors, unsecured handrails, etc. Any indication of "lack-of-care" in the home could delay a quick sell.

download this home ready checklist

Clean the counter tops:

remove everything except for a potted plant on the large counter. Scrub the counters and cabinet faces to remove grime and stains.

Straighten the cupboards:

make sure dishes and pans are stacked nicely and in order of size. Clear out some of the items to give your cupboards more room. Lay a fresh sheet of cupboard paper.

Stove and Refrigerator:

clean, clean, clean. Scrub the stove top, clean the nooks and crannies, pull out all appliances and clean behind. Make sure the walls next to stove have been cleaned of cooking grease and stains.

Clean walls, flooring, and lighting:

repair any tears and cracks. Wash the windows. Clean window seals.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view our kitchen area for kitchen repair and ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Bleach the tub, shower stall, basins and toilets:

remove any apparent stains, especially molds and mildews in tile grout and drains.

Clean the mirror. Scrub the floor. Hang fresh towels:

clear the counter except for soap dispensers / dishes. Remove all personal medications and other hygienic products from the shelves/cupboards. Your buyer will certainly look into these storage spaces.

If you have a glass shower door and walls, remove glass water stains and grime. Make the glass appear like new.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view our bathroom area for bathroom repair, ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Clean away everything from behind - under the bed:

remove clutter from bedroom dressers and nightstands. Recycle old magazines or arrange them nicely in a magazine rack.

Make the bed:

put on clean sheets and bed spreads. Use decorative pillows sparingly.

Make a special effort to straighten out the closets:

this is one area the buyers will definitely view.

Make some empty space on the shelves. Hang clothes individually with some space between each garment. Hang them together by length. Your goal is to create space so that the closet appears large.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view our bathroom area for bathroom repair, ideas
View our bedroom area for bedroom repair, ideas
view our closet area for closet and storage

view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Dining Room

Remove any clutter:

place a clean, pressed tablecloth on the table with a vase of fresh flowers or other decorative piece.

Polish the chandelier and dining room crystal:

clean and polish the dinnerware and all dining items. Polish the glass in the hutch.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view our dining area for dining repair and ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Other Living Areas

Remove all clutter:

make sure pillows for couch and chairs are nicely arranged and full. Remove blankets and any other personal items from the room.

Clean the TV:

dust and polish the stereo and any related glass. Clear the mantel down to a few items — again your objective is to create space.

Dust and polish lamps and tables:

remove any religious and other personal icons that makes a statement. No need to raise questions.


How can we help (home improvement center)

view our downstairs area for room repair-ideas
view our upstairs area for room repair-ideas

view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Ceiling and Walls

Dust and wash down walls to remove stains, markings and finger prints. Dust and clean all lighting fixtures, especially sconces and ceiling lights that have accumulated insects.

Remove from the wall any offensive political, religious and other items that make a statement. No need to raise questions in the minds of the buyers.

Repair any cracks in the plaster. You may need to apply a fresh coat of paint especially on walls that look bad.

Question: should you paint over exotic colors? It depends. If a room has some usual color like a bright orange, you may want to apply a more neutral color. Note that most home buyers will likely repaint the entire house anyway. So why waste your money.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view home ceiling and walls for repair and ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Flooring

Clean, scrub and polish the floors. Remove any stains from carpets and rugs. Wash the baseboards.

Repair any floor damage such as cracked tile, torn linoleum, holes in the carpet or buckled wood. If a floor needs to be replaced, you may consider offering a replacement allowance in your sales contract.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view home flooring for repair and ideas.
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Lighting:

Dust light fixtures. Replace any burned out bulbs. You will want to turn on all lights when showing the home, even in daytime. Make sure the lighting fixtures are polished, cleaned and working.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view home lighting for repair and ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Doors and Windows:

Clean each door, getting inside the nooks and corners. Polish the door knobs and replace any knob that isn't working.

Windows need to cleaned and polished — inside and out. Clean the sills and check each window to open.

Wash or dry-clean the drapes. If you have blinds, they must be cleaned. Have them open when you show the home.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view home doors and windows for repair-ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

• Front Door:
  
  Clean the inside and outside of your front door, especially along the seal. Polish glass and remove all streaks. Polish the door knob. Place a plant or flowering bucket out front. This is the first thing the buyers will view. Make a good impression.
  
  
• Entry / Foyer / Hallway:
  
  Clean and remove any clutter. The only thing visible should be a nice house plant and perhaps a table with a lamp or other decorative vase. This will be the first area of the home that the buyer will see.
  
  If you have a closet in the foyer, clean it out completely. You want to show a spacious closet.
  
  
• Stairway:
  
  Polish and clean the stairway. Repair any cracks or other damage.
  
  

  
  How can we help (home improvement center)
  
  view home entry for repair and ideas
  view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Basement:

The basement is usually a place for all the "extras":
you need to clean it out. You might arrange a garage sell or do the impossible, throw it away.

Remove any musty or damp odors.

Laundry room: make sure all your clothes have been washed and put away. Clean all shelving and racks.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view basement area for repair and ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Garage:

The garage is another area used for all the "extras":
you need to clean it out, remove cob webs, sweep and wash the floor. Clean all shelving and racks.

Remove bicycles, lawn mowers, garbage cans, and other from the main garage area so the buyers can view a full size garage.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view garage area for repair and ideas
view our cleaning closet for cleaning remedies

Exterior Home:

Step outside and view your home from across the street: does it make a good first impression?

You may need to paint the woodwork, clean the gutters, polish the exterior lighting posts and lamps, clean the patio / deck, wash down the siding, etc.

The exterior home and yard are the first things that buyers will see when judging whether they want to tour the house. So make it right.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view exterior home for repair and ideas.

Outside Landscaping:

Again step outside and view your front and back yard:
what looks good and what's looks bad? The look of your yard is an important first impression when buyers drive by your home.

Mow the lawn, trim around the edges, remove dead scrubs and limps, trim tree branches and bushes, plant some flowers, etc.

How can we help (home improvement center)

view outside yard for landscaping and gardening ideas.