Written By Cindy Pratte-Smith Realtor®, M.B.A.
Four easy steps you can take today to refresh your home (even if you’re not selling!)
Have you ever prepared a car to be sold or traded in at a dealership? I have numerous times and what always occurs to me as I am putting the finishing touches of detail and polish on my soon to be ex-car is this; why don’t I keep my car this nice to enjoy myself?
Having a mind-set of preparing to sell your house, even if you have no intention of doing so anytime soon can be extremely helpful to creating a more pleasing, enjoyable experience living in your home for you and your entire family. Looking at relatively small and inexpensive tweaks to your home, and doing them now will not only improve your quality of life, it will also get you closer to being ready to sell if and when that day arrives. Here are four life-enhancing home improvements that will set the stage for a better future listing and provide an immediate boost to your current everyday life.
❤️ Spruce up your front for better curb appeal. Power wash your driveway, porch and home’s exterior. Hire a window cleaner to make your home’s windows sparkle (or do it yourself if you own a single story home) every few months if possible. Having windows professionally cleaned makes a huge difference inside and out. Clear away landscaping eyesores; weeds, dead foliage, old leaf piles and consider new plantings in your flower beds. If it’s wintertime you can add urns with evergreens to flank your entry. Consider a fresh coat of paint for the front door and if you have a front courtyard or porch create an inviting outdoor sitting space. Consider too upgrading your porch and coach lights as well as your home’s address plaque and mailbox.
❤️ Declutter your entire home. Clutter causes visual confusion, and can have a draining effect on the entire family. With more time spent working, learning and simply being at home these days it is hugely impactful to make decluttering a serious focus. Setting the scene for a more productive home life requires better organization. It has been discovered that many people can live happier lives without up to approximately seventy percent of their current belongings. A well-organized kitchen with gleaming counters, neatly arranged drawers, cabinets and pantry, as well as a bright and clean refrigerator invite healthy home cooking. A peaceful bedroom space with a well-made and kept bed and linens, polished furniture and no visible piles of work or laundry to be done will enhance romance and sleep. Well organized and decluttered closets, office spaces and garages make life flow more smoothly for the whole family.
Spa-inspire your bathroom. Even dated, small bathrooms can be transformed with a few simple changes to inspire a fresh outlook and serene start and end to your family’s day. Add a modern paint scheme to your bathroom— try relaxing shades of white or light blue. Invest in a new shower curtain, rain shower head, teak bath mat and fluffy new white towels. Buy matching containers to stow away toiletries and cosmetics. Display luxury soaps and lotions and store the rest of your bathroom items in cabinets or baskets. Consider refacing your cabinets with cabinet paint to a neutral and contemporary grey or white and upgrading your lighting to bulbs offering clear, bright light or soft white light for better ambiance. Adding aromatherapy in the bathroom either by a diffuser or a bunch of eucalyptus —change out every two months—will also soothe your senses and relax your mind.
❤️ Create a dedicated Zoom Room or home office and study. In modern households family members migrate around the house to get their daily work done. Laptops in the kitchen, dining or bedrooms set less than the most productive scene to attend online meetings and classes. Even if your home is small you can still identify a corner, if not a whole room, and create an orderly and visually motivating work space. Having a well-lit, clutter-free dedicated work space will help eliminate distractions while your family is working and learning. Create a storage system for papers, files, books and supplies to keep everyone on track and offer a sense of preparation and order for whatever the day may bring.
In recent times the way we live in our homes has taken on a new level of significance. Home staging for living life at home to the fullest potential will have an immediate and long term return on investment.
If you would like to discuss additional professional staging tips and learn how to best prepare your home for sale, please call me at (775) 691-9442 to set up a complementary consultation.
