Whether or not you are planning to or already have your house on the market this holiday season, sprucing up seems to be in order this time of the year.
The following tips will help you prep your home for visitors of all kinds this holiday season - whether family, friends, or perhaps, those prospective buyers!
Ready, set . . . prep!
Tip #1 - Clear the living areas for your festive decor!
If you put out even a minimal amount of holiday decor, whether it's a table setting, the smallest of trees, mantel decor, or other, you will have to put away your normal decor.
You can put those items in closets, cabinets, or put them in the holiday boxes which previously stored your holiday decor. When you get ready to put the holiday decor away, you can put back your normal decor.
Tip #2 - Prepare for the food parade! Clean out your refrigerator!
Prospective buyers are notorious for opening refrigerators. Guests, too, will see into your refrigerator when it is open or if they are getting food items out.
Take the time to clean the refrigerator now. Throw away old food items. Wash the bins and the racks. Most parts of the refrigeratore are dishwasher safe. As for the walls and cracks and crevices where stains and crumbs accumulate, toothbrushes, rags, and cleaning solutions can work wonders.
For added help, put a box of open baking soda in the refrigerator to absorb smells. Your refrigerator will not only smell cleaner, but you will have plenty of storage for the holiday season!
"At Christmas, all roads lead home." – Marjorie Holmes, author
Tip #3 - Spruce up your bathrooms with fresh towels and scented candles.
Inexpensive holiday towels can be found at most retailers these days. Thrift stores, too, have such items available year-round. Buy such items during the off-season and put them back for when you need them. In lieu of holiday towels, you can always use seasonal colors with gold or silver braid or trim.
Candles, wax melts, and oil diffusers, especially those with pine and peppermint scents, provide warmth and ambience during the holiday season. If you are concerned about the health benefits of some ingredients, there are a variety of companies that provide scents with healthier ingredients. You can also find ingredients online for making your own!
Tip #4 - Refresh your furniture!
Refresh your furniture with a good cleaning, including vacuuming hidden crevices behind and beneath cushions, and vacuuming and cleaning the upholstery as is best recommended for its type.
Once clean, drape your furniture with cozy, warm blankets, including neutral colors, holiday colors, and plaids. Plump up your pillows, or buy some inexpensive holiday pillow covers for the holiday season!
And don't forget the bedroom! Take this time to wash large comforters, and splash your bed with holiday and seasonal blankets and pillows, too!
Tip #5 - Don't forget the floors!
I don't know about you, but when the floors are dirty, the whole house feels dirty!
So, whether the floors are wood, carpet, or tile, take the opportunity this time of year to deep clean them according to the manufacturer's instructions. Clean your rugs at the same time, and don't be afraid to experiment with holiday rugs and mats for the season! Thrift and dollar stores have great seasonal items and choices in all holiday styles.
Ready, Set, Holiday prep!
Regardless of whether you decorate a lot or a little, preparing your home for this holiday season will help you make memories that last a lifetime.
After all, it's YOUR house and YOUR story, and you want to make the deepest and most abiding memories you can!
Donna Hechler Porter is a real estate agent with Keller Williams Elite Realty in Baytown, Texas. An educator, a published author, and the owner of The Inky Elephant, a real estate transaction coordinator business, Donna educates people in how to build future wealth through home ownership. Feel free to contact Donna at dhporter@kw.com.