When you decide to sell your home, you want to make a great impression on potential buyers.  Why not sell in the least amount of time and for the highest possible dollar by investing time and effort to get your home “show ready”?

Even though I have been in the decorating field for over 25 years, when I put my home on the market, I still take the time to make sure my home is as attractive as it can possibly be.  If a home is drab, cluttered and not appealing, then most of the time buyers will fly through and not even take notice of the positive attributes of a home.

You can put yourself in the place of a home buyer and walk through model homes.  Everything is spotless, there is no clutter around, the home smells clean and fragrant and just the right amount of accessories are placed carefully around the room.  There are no family photos around or personal items so you can imagine yourself moving right in.

One important thing to remember is that the way a home needs to look for resale and the way it looks when you are living there to enjoy it are very different.  Since I am a decorator, I tend to “pile on” the accessories.  When I am preparing to sell, I remove not only all personal items, but any collections and excess decor to make the home look as clean and spacious as possible. 

If you just can't see through all your things to the core of your home, consider hiring a professional.  Sometimes it takes an impartial eye to see what needs to be changed.  If your home can attract buyers by just changing around the furniture and packing up the clutter, then the money spent on a professional would be well worth the cost.

If you're a homeowner with an objective point of view, you may be able to clear out and rearrange by yourself. After all, you'll eventually be packing up all of your possessions to move, so boxing up unneeded items and clutter shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Are you ready to get started?  Renting a storage unit could be a smart idea because you will need a place to move all the clutter in the garage, basement, closets and attic.  If your closets are stuffed, it's time to weed through things. You can either sell or give items away or pack them up for your next home. Every storage area in your home -- including display shelves -- should be neat, clean, organized, and clutter-free. 

You are going to have to pack sometime, so why not get it out of the way before you start showing your home?  Plan to do one room at a time. Remove anything and everything that is personal, shabby, soiled, or crowded. Take down your wedding photos, the kids' school pictures, and your collection of refrigerator art. A buyer needs to picture himself living in the house. This will be more difficult if your personal photos, awards, and mementos are evident everywhere. 

Clean all surfaces thoroughly use Old English Scratch Cover on wood items, then replace only the accessories that look wonderful. In this case, less is more.  Greenery arrangements can add softness, life, color and hide a multitude of minor imperfections.

Look through your home for obvious defects… burned out light bulbs, paint that needs touched up, dirty switch plates, stained carpeting, moldy grout or loose door handles.   Of course, you will want to clean your home like your mother-in-law is coming to visit!

Sprucing up the flower bed and hanging a door wreath can create a welcoming entrance.  Be sure to knock down the cob webs and if the front door is shabby, give it a fresh coat of paint.

On the day of the showing, give the home a quick once over to see if every room is straightened and clean.  Open the blinds and turn on the lamps.  Indirect lighting and soft music are nice mood setters.  You may want to light a pleasant candle or put some cloves on to simmer.  Put dirty clothes in the washer out of sight.  Make sure the family pets are gone for the showing or at least not under foot.

A home sale can often be one of the biggest events in a lifetime, so why not invest the time and hopefully just a little money to make it as profitable as it can possibly be!

If you would like a few new accessories or greenery to give your home a little face lift (that you can move on to your next home), stop into The Rustic Rose.  Our goal is to give you a delightful shopping experience as well as providing a variety of unique home accents and gifts. We seek out the best values so that you will get the most from your decorating dollars! Please stop in often as there is always something new to see. Need help with decorating? Ask about our $50 Decorating Consultation to see if this service is just right for you! 

Hope this helps as you prepare your home to sell!
Rosalyn Housley    www.therusticrose.net
828-389-8648  Located in Hayesville, NC, 1/2 mile from the GA line on 17/69