Getting your home ready to sell
We live in one of the most beautiful states in the U.S. We are fifth in education, were voted the fifth best state to live in and we are tenth in healthcare. Home values continue to rise with the median home price hovering around half a million dollars. Perhaps you’d like to sell right now to capture all of the equity your home has stacked up over the past year. Homes are selling quickly, but how do you ensure the best offers and the quickest sale? Home buyers love clean, well-maintained real-estate. According to Redfin, a nationwide home brokerage site, getting rid of stains and odors in your home is one of the top 11 things you should do to get your home ready for the market. Redfin recommends walking out your front door and reentering your home like a buyer. Use all of your senses when you open your front door. What do you see? Are the floors scuffed? Is the carpet dingy? Do the stairs need some love? What do you smell? Old food odors? Pet urine or mustiness? A buyer will notice these odors even more because they’re not used to them. Getting the carpet cleaned Now that you’re looking at your house with a buyer’s eyes, you may notice the stained carpeting by the dining room table. A Personal Touch can help. We use a powerful truck-mounted steam cleaning system to remove tough stains and odors, including gum, tar, rust and pet stains and odors. After cleaning your carpets are groomed for a “new look” and can be protected with a Dupont Teflon carpet protector. A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaner offers carpet spotters and groomers for sale too so that you can maintain your fresh carpeting right up to the moment of sale. If you find you have unsightly wrinkles in your carpeting, we can restretch it for you. This can save you thousands of dollars in an offered carpet allowance to your buyer. Refinishing the floors If you have hardwood floors, think about getting them refinished. This usually means getting them sanded down to remove the original finish and stain, then restaining them and coating them with sealer. New, shiny floors are of incredible value when selling your home. Examining the bathrooms Looking at your bathrooms with new eyes can be a little uncomfortable. Do you see mold or mildew on the tile? Does the bathroom smell a little… used? We can help. Depending on how long it’s been since your tile grout was last cleaned, what you smell just might be an odor associated with the tiling. Grout can absorb moisture over time, which ultimately results in the accumulation of mold and mildew – the things responsible for that gross smell. You may have tried bleach to eliminate mold or other internet remedies. Have you noticed the results don’t last very long? A Personal Touch can clean your tile and grout in with our proven process for a great price. We’ll apply commercial-grade grout and tile cleaner to your bathroom or kitchen tile areas. Our trained technicians will carefully scrub your tile and grout free of soap scum, water stains, mold and mildew. We’ll apply a top-notch sealant that will keep your grout from accumulating grime in the future. Professionally sealing your tile will make the tile easy to maintain in the future—your little gift to the next owners of your fresh-smelling home. Peeking into the kitchen One of the biggest selling points of a house is the kitchen. Buyers love updated, spacious, well-lit and sparkling kitchens. Do you have one? We can certainly help with the sparkle. The best way to keep your bathrooms and kitchen areas looking and smelling their best is with regular tile maintenance. A Personal Touch can help remove set-in stains, persistent odors, grime, scum and mildew. We also clean marble and granite countertops. If they have scratches or etching from acidic drinks such as orange juice, we have a company that we recommend for restoring them back to their original beauty. Noticing the details Redfin recommends going through your house and making a list of all the little things you would change if you were moving in. The little things count and they don’t have to cost a lot either. Replace all of your lightbulbs, add a mirror here or there to make a small space look bigger, clean and repair your home’s gutters and paint your baseboards. Your potential buyer will love you for all of these things and your home will sell that much faster. Calling the pros At A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, we can help you get ready for the big sale. We are happy to answer any carpeting questions you might have and give you a free, written estimate without cost or obligation. We would like to be the last ones in for carpet cleaning since everything falls down to the floor and into your carpets. Follow the recommendations in this article to make the house sparkle. Then contact us at 720.344.2870 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.
Should I repair, restretch or replace my carpet?
It’s been unseasonably warm in Colorado this December. Coming in your back patio door from the sunny outdoors, have you looked down and noticed your carpet is a little worse for wear? Perhaps you want to refresh your home before the snow flies, but you have questions. Would it be better to repair the carpet, maybe restretch it, or tear it out and start all over? Carpet repair Let’s start with carpet repair. Look at your carpeting again. Is it fraying a bit? Do you have a couple of burn holes from a kid’s chemistry experiment gone awry? Is it torn from the time your cat was having a hard day? Our professionals can cut out the area around holes and tears and patch it with identical carpeting. If you have leftover carpet from installation, and the area is small, we might be able to make your repair almost invisible. Larger areas might be more difficult to conceal, but we can usually make a repaired area look much better than the burned or torn area. If your carpet fraying is near a seam, we may be able to fix it by resealing the seam and power stretching your carpet to close any gaps. Carpet repair is always more economical than total carpet replacement and it can help you maximize the years of wear left in your carpeting. Carpet restretching Loose carpeting and rippling is most often caused by poor installation. Those bumps, bubbles and waves in your carpet are not only ugly, they can be dangerous trip hazards. Rippling can make it impossible to open doors or navigate through your home with a walker or wheelchair. It’s best to get any bumps in your carpeting repaired immediately to save your carpet from further damage and to promptly remove hazards. We use a “power stretching” method to remove the bumps from your carpeting and ensure your carpet lies flat over your carpet pad. Our experts can determine if you can refresh your carpet with a bit of judicious restretching rather than carpet replacement. Carpet replacement Carpet replacement should be your last resort. Many times you can get years of wear from your carpet by starting with a good, deep cleaning. We use a powerful, truck-mounted cleaning system to remove stains and odors. After cleaning, we can protect your carpet with Dupont Teflon carpet protector. Your carpet may have years of life left in it. Cared for carpet can last for decades! We can help you save money and make your carpet look like new again. Protect your original investment with carpet cleaning, repair and restretching from A Personal Touch. Every question is a smart question when it comes to beautifying and protecting your home. At A Personal Touch, we are happy to answer any carpeting questions you might have and give you a free, written estimate without cost or obligation. Contact us at 720.344.2870 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.
Can you restretch and repair carpeting?
Is part of your carpet rippled or wrinkled? Have these “speed bumps” in your living, dining or media room become an eyesore or hazard in your house? Ninety-eight percent of the time your carpet have ripples in them is from poor installation. Because carpets have a poly-propylene backing that’s glued together with glue means your carpet will relax over over 3 to 5 years after installation if the installer did not use a “power stretcher” to make sure the carpet is “drum tight” right from the start. Since it is very flexible, installers just use a knee kicker to get it tight enough to last for up to 3 years. It is a faster way of installation, so that’s why they do this. Rest assured it is NOT from over-vacuuming or over-cleaning. (We cleaned a customers’ carpet twice a month for 4 years and it never rippled, because it was installed correctly from the start.) The good news: Your carpet can be fixed without costly replacement! What’s happening to my carpet? If the ripples are left to grow tall enough to be tripped over then delamination can occur. In short, the glue that holds the plastic backing to your carpet can dry out. The backing can pull away from the carpet fibers. This is called delamination. Delamination causes the ripples or wrinkles. If there is delamination in the ripples or wrinkles then they can never be stretched tight again. Our extreme weather in Colorado speeds up the process. Humidity in the spring and summer helps the glue on your carpet to relax. This can also happen if your carpet is improperly cleaned with too much water and not dried thoroughly. When we all crank up our heat in the winter, hot, forced air causes the glue to dry out and delamination occurs. Sometimes, you’ll see ripples in your carpeting shrink with weather changes. If they don’t shrink and you can’t push those ripples back down, you’ll need to get your carpet stretched to fix it. When do I get my carpet stretched? Everyone wants their home to be snug, cozy and safe for the holidays. It’s the number one time of year to clean our homes, decorate with holiday cheer and get ready to welcome family and loved ones. We don’t want to worry about warning everyone to avoid the carpet wrinkle hazard by the dining table! Plus, if your carpet is rippled, walking over it can cause further damage because delaminated carpet doesn’t flex up and down when you use it. Don’t let carpet wrinkles cause injury or damage your carpet. Best to get your carpet repaired and stretched as soon as you notice permanent wrinkles. What is involved in the repair and stretching process? Our professional carpet installers will remove your carpet from the tack strips that hold your carpet down. We will assess your carpet and make repairs where possible. Then, our technicians will professionally stretch and reattach your carpeting with specialized equipment. This process will remove wrinkles and renew your carpet; you won’t have to spend a lot of money on new carpeting and installation. Get your repairs done by technicians who care A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning has been in business for over 30 years. Our technicians are certified by IICRC – The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification. The IICRC is the guardian agency of the carpet cleaning and repair industry. Each one of our team members is courteous and friendly. They are also IICRC trained which means they are dedicated to their work, uphold the highest standards and receive ongoing education about the latest repair and cleaning techniques throughout their careers. We would be happy to answer any of your questions about carpet repair and stretching. Call us today at 720-344-2870 for a free estimate or simply schedule an appointment.
Signs Of a Poor Carpet Installation & How To Fix It
A properly installed wall-to-wall carpet looks great and does an excellent job of tying a room together. On the flipside, a new carpet with poor installation makes a room appear disjointed and unfinished. With decades of experience in all things carpet, A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning knows the signs of a poor carpet installation, and how to fix it. Signs Of a Poor Carpet Installation Padding Installed Incorrectly A professional carpet installer should have no trouble installing carpet padding, whose multiple benefits include extra cushion for the feet, protection against matting of the carpet fibers, and a reasonable level of stain protection. However, when installed incorrectly, the carpet padding will be bumpy – a problem that transfers over to the carpet when it is laid atop the padding. Wrong Equipment A big red flag to watch out for is a carpet installer who shows up at your home with a knee-kicker instead of a power stretcher. The latter looks like a jarge jack, whereas the former “kneepads” that the installer uses to “kick” the carpet and padding into place. In this case of man vs. machine, the machine wins every time, with the power stretcher able to achieve a much smoother, tauter install than even the best knee-kickers. If you recently had carpet installed by someone using knee-kickers, a good test of their quality is to go to the middle of the room and try pulling up the carpet as high off the floor as you can. If you’re able to pull it up more than an inch, the carpet is too loose and wasn’t installed well. Miscellaneous Signs There are several other signs to be wary of when judging whether a carpet has been installed correctly. Some of the most common are frayed/fuzzy edges where the carpet meets the wall, carpet seams that don’t match or are misaligned, carpet that’s too loose (mentioned above), and ripples/bumps/ridges in the carpet. Often times, repairing any of these mistakes is a time-consuming, costly endeavor, and it may be difficult getting the installer to cover the cost. Tips For Fixing The Problem The more effort you put into finding the right carpet for your home, the more likely you are to properly vet your installer options and make the best choice. Choosing quality over cost is always a smart move, especially since you’ll rely on your carpet to contribute to your home’s warmth, vibrancy, and aesthetic appeal. Given the time and expense involved, you should take as much time as possible to find the right carpet and the right installer so that the job is done correctly the first time. When seeking a reputable carpet company to fix a bad installation, there are some “must-haves” to keep in mind: Knowledge of and expertise with the latest specialty tools Experience with properly cutting carpet, accounting for heating and cooling registers, and removing baseboards, all in the name of alleviating the problem quickly and cost-effectively. Current state licensure Good referrals Strong Better Business Bureau rating Trust The Carpet Experts In Englewood If you have an improperly installed carpet in your home, trust A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning to remedy the situation. Our expertise transcends carpet cleaning services, allowing us to evaluate your carpet and determine the best course of action. In some cases, we may not need to replace your existing carpet, thus saving you big bucks. Contact us today for a free quote and to make an appointment. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
The Benefits Of Restretching Carpet
Many people, especially first-time home buyers, contact A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning and ask, “What is carpet stretching?” We always reply with a concise definition, and explain the many benefits associated with restretching a carpet. Budget-Friendly By utilizing the carpet stretching techniques perfected by our carpet cleaning professionals in Littleton, you’ll see how cost-effective it is to rectify any number of problems. Minor stains, loose strips/corners, burn marks, buckling, holes – you name it, and we have a remedy. Instead of resigning yourself to buying new carpet, take advantage of our competitively priced local carpet restretching service. In short order we can easily refurbish an entire room full of carpet. Longer Life It’s no secret that the better you are about caring for your carpets, the better they’ll look and the longer they’ll last. Along with more well-known cleaning approaches like vacuuming and stain removal, it’s necessary to take prompt action when your carpet begins showing signs of buckling or wrinkling. Contact our nearby carpet repair company and our leading-edge carpet restretching services will restore your carpet to its original flat, wrinkle-free state, thereby helping it last longer. Healthier Environment Your carpet accumulates more dust, dirt, pollen, and other detritus than any other place in your house. The older a carpet gets, and the longer it goes without cleaning, the more potentially harmful particulates it hosts. This leads to unclean air that’s bad for everyone – especially the elderly, people with allergies, and toddlers. Plus, the longer you wait to restretch your carpet, the higher the chance of mold and mildew gaining a foothold. Everyone desires a healthy home environment, and restretching the carpet goes a long way towards achieving this. Prevent Injuries Old, unstretched carpeting develops folds, bubbles, and gaps that create a serious risk of trips and falls. Instead of rolling the dice and risking injury, your carpet should be professionally restretched so that the chances of a mishap are nil. It’s a small price to pay compared to the worst-case scenario. How Can Our Local Carpet Company Help? The general idea of restretching a carpet might seem simple: just pull the carpet taut to remove the wrinkles and tighten any loose ends. However, as with most home repair projects, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Our certified experts use state-of-the-art tools and techniques that help trim away excess carpet and padding. With more than 30 years of experience, we possess as much or more carpet restretching expertise than most companies in the Denver metro area. We deliver excellent results that wouldn’t be attainable by a homeowner trying to restretch carpet himself. We provide our services at a very competitive price, done on your schedule and with the utmost professionalism. Have Your Carpet Restretched Today It costs a good deal of money to replace carpet. That’s why it pays to have your carpet repaired and restretched by professionals. Contact A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning today for answers to the question, “What does it cost to stretch carpet?” and to make an appointment with our veteran team. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Repairing Carpet vs. Repairing an Area Rug
Moving into a new home in Englewood or Denver is the experience of a lifetime, and everyone loves putting their own unique stamp on every room. Of course, there are a few “must-dos”, such as painting, moving furniture, and hiring an expert carpet cleaning company like A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning to ensure your new home’s carpet is nothing short of exquisite. Make a “Fresh Start” Even if the previous homeowners were as clean as clean can be, making a fresh start is always a good idea. The carpet might look spotless on the surface, but within the pile and just above the pad may lurk dust, dirt, and dander that is overdue for removal. And what better time to take care of this than right before you begin moving all of your belongings into the house? In a broader sense, it’s a great feeling to know that the carpets in your new home have been freshly cleaned, and that you have zero worries regarding bacteria, mildew, odor, and the like. Do It For The Kids For homeowners with kids – especially toddlers – it’s mandatory to do a carpet deep-clean before moving in to a new house. Little ones are in perpetual pursuit of new experiences, and while they’re learning to crawl they are also learning about their surroundings while being in constant contact with the carpet. We’re definitely not suggesting that kids should be put in a bubble, because their immune systems will flourish. However, the fact that they can’t tell a thread from a piece of old dog hair means that they’re constantly putting things in their mouths, which is why it makes sense to address the carpet and give your kids a clean slate to grow upon. Invest a Little Instead Of a Lot No doubt there are a ton of expenses involved with a move, most of which are foreseen but some not. In fact, by the time you’re ready to move in, the last thing you may want to do is invest in having the carpets cleaned. But when you look at the situation from a financial perspective, you might warm to the idea. Cleaning the carpets before you move in requires no moving of furniture, so the process is faster and cheaper. Plus, you don’t have to endure the hassle of keeping kids and pets out of certain rooms for a time. Moreover, even minor carpet issues you spot during move-in – the kind you might shrug your shoulders at and say, “It’s not so bad” – can quickly become major issues. Rather than risk turning a small problem into a big one, and having to spend a lot more time and money fixing it down the road, it makes a lot more sense to hire a professional carpet company in Littleton to rectify any issues before you start unpacking. Enjoy Clean Carpets In Your New Home For some of the finest professional carpet cleaning in Denver, choose A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning. Working quickly and cost-effectively, our friendly team will expertly clean the carpets in your new home and help you make a fresh start from the ground-up. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Signs That It’s Time For Carpet Repair
While a quality, well cared-for carpet can last for years, there’s always the risk of an unforeseen incident moving carpet repair to the top of your to-do list. In instances like the ones covered below, it’s reassuring to know that A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning offers expert repair services to Littleton homeowners. Water Damage Not all water damage is a “death sentence” for your carpet. It all depends on the amount of water and the length of time the carpet is exposed to it, but if you’re able to remove the water and get the carpet dried quickly, it could be ok. The make-or-break is whether mildew and/or mold takes hold in the pad beneath the carpet. The faster the carpet and pad are dried, the better your chances of retaining a mildew-free carpet. In fact, our local carpet company utilizes high-power fans to maximize the chances of success. However, if mildew does begin growing, your only option is to replace the carpet. Loose Carpet Problems with loose carpet are often the result of poor installation techniques at the time the home was constructed, or when the previous homeowners had the carpet replaced before moving out. It’s also possible for an old carpet to lose its tautness after years of furniture and foot traffic. In all these scenarios, the key evidence for a loose carpet is rippling – small “waves” or bumps popping up in various parts of a room. Depending on the age of the carpet and the extent of the rippling, you may not need to replace carpet. Instead, we can assist with a “power stretching” procedure in which the carpet is restored to its smooth, flat state. If the carpet is already long in the tooth, then it could be more economical to simply replace the carpet instead of stretching it. Carpet Burns Thanks to modern fireplaces and a decrease in cigarette smoking, especially indoors, carpet burns aren’t nearly as common as they once were. But they still happen from time to time, and when they do the result is a burn mark or a hole that you’d like to make go away. The good news is, this is a simple fix for our carpet repair experts, even if the hole is rather large. We cut out the damaged carpet and replace it with either an exact match taken from excess carpet stored in your attic or basement, or from an out-of-the-way place like a closet. Then, we rely on our expertise to install the new piece so that it looks like it’s been there all along. Split Seams/Carpet Tears If you own pets, chances are you’ve come across a tear in your carpet or a mass of loose carpet fibers in a corner. These things happen when active pets are about, but they’re easily remedied. In some cases, i.e. a tear in the carpet, we’ll remove the torn area and replace it with a fresh piece. Or, in a situation where one of the carpet’s seams has split, we’ll patch up the seam and then power-stretch the carpet to remove any gaps. Contact a Local Carpet Repair Company As much as people like their carpet clean and damage-free, accidents do happen. But there’s no need to stress when professional carpet cleaning services are just a phone call away. A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning offers decades of experience in all facets of carpet maintenance, and before you know it your carpet will once again look brand-new. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
How Professional Carpet Cleaners Can Save You Money
A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning in Englewood suggests deep-cleaning your carpet at least once a year. Of course, the first question every homeowner asks themselves is, “Should I hire a professional or do this myself?” If you want the job done right and you’re interested in saving money, we recommend using a professional carpet cleaning company – and here’s why. Stain Removal The carpet cleaning profession is constantly evolving, with new treatments and equipment always in development to better treat the toughest stains. And although you may have experience tending to spills of several types, chances are you’re not overly interested in the carpet business. Hiring a pro means being able to take advantage of the latest innovations, designed to save homeowners time and money. Another reason to go with a professional is to avoid the very real risk of making a stain worse by not using the right cleaner, using too much/too little water/cleaner, or misidentifying the carpet fabric. Such mistakes can end up costing big money, but they’re easily avoidable simply by hiring an experienced cleaning company. Low-Moisture Solutions One of the most common DIY carpet cleaning mistakes is the overuse of water, resulting in a soaked carpet. The fact that a watered-down carpet will take days to dry is actually the least of your problems – the bigger issue is the likelihood of wicking and the increased chances of a mold/mildew problem. Wicking is the process by which water rises to the surface of the carpet while bringing with it much of the dirt and dust residing in the carpet’s deeper regions. At best, an oversaturated carpet is a big headache – at worst, you’ll need completely new carpet. These problems vanish when you hire professional carpet cleaners. A company like ours uses low-moisture cleaning equipment and is proficient at “dry” cleaning techniques that require a minimal amount of water. The result is a carpet that costs less to maintain, dries out quickly, and stops mold and wicking in their tracks. Superior Equipment Many DIY carpet cleaning jobs rely on rented carpet cleaning equipment. Unfortunately, depending on the rental source, you’re liable to find that the solutions available for rental today are holdovers from 1997. Also, each renter has their own approach when it comes to upkeep and parts replacement – but since this type of equipment isn’t their main business (i.e. a grocery store), they typically invest the bare minimum. The equipment used by our local carpet cleaning company is far superior to anything you’ll find on the rental market. Sure, it may cost more, but it makes more sense to pay once for a great job than pay twice for a subpar job that still might not meet your expectations. And from a functional point of view, utilizing our services eliminates the need for you to free up space in your home for storage of self-purchased cleaning supplies and equipment. For Clean Carpets, Go With The Pros Although DIY carpet cleaning might seem like a good idea from a short-term/cost perspective, in the long run you’re much better off going with the pros at A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning. Call us today for a professional carpet cleaning quote. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Protecting Your Home’s Carpet From Furniture
As a leading provider of professional carpet cleaning services in Englewood, A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning fields plenty of carpet-care questions from customers. One of the most popular is, “What are some things I can do to protect my carpet from furniture?” Here are a few tips from our experts. Use Furniture Coasters Sometimes simple objects are the most useful – for example, furniture coasters. These are nothing more than small discs placed under the legs of heavy furniture, everything from beds and armoires to entertainment consoles and couches. It may seem surprising, but coasters actually minimize the chances of furniture making permanent dents in the carpet beneath. The discs absorb and redistribute the furniture’s weight, thus preventing the furniture from pushing directly into the carpet’s pile. Rotate Your Furniture While it’s true that using carpet coasters will reduce the frequency at which you should rotate your furniture, we highly recommend continuing a periodic rotation. Doing so goes a long way towards ensuring your living room is free of spots where the furniture has permanently crushed the carpet/pile into the nap. Of course, the fact that carpet manufacturers nowadays can make carpets with different “crush resistance” is something that shouldn’t be discounted – but even if you’ve invested in carpet with a high crush resistance, rotating your furniture still offers plenty of peace of mind. Rearranging the furniture can seem like a pain, but it’s something you only need to do once every year or two. An annual rotation can extend your carpet’s lifespan by a factor of years, and it’s also a good opportunity to give your room a fresh look. Choosing The Right Padding Even though nobody sees a carpet’s padding, it’s still a vital component for reasons such as sound insulation, cleaning, and comfort. The padding also matters in terms of a carpet’s “dent potential” – specifically, a thin, firm pad is better at preventing carpet dents than a thicker, softer pad. On the flipside, the latter type of padding delivers superior noise-reduction and underfoot comfort. So it’s a matter of personal preference, as long as you remember that a thick-padded carpet will require more diligence on your part in terms of furniture coasters and rotating. Consider Caster Caps Caster caps serve a function similar to that of furniture coasters, but with a different approach to the dent problem. One side of the cap is a rubber circle that attaches to the feet of the furniture. The other side is comprised of numerous small “spikes” that separate the carpet strands, instead of indenting. Like coasters, very heavy furniture may still leave dents in the carpet, but vacuuming over the dents will restore the carpet to its original look. All Of Your Carpet Questions, Answered Whether you have questions about carpet cleaning, carpet repair, or new carpet installation, A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning has the answers. And along with helping you get the most out of your carpet, we also assist with upholstery cleaning, spot removal, and much more. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Getting Ready to Sell Your House? Here are 11 Things Most People Forget to Do
You’ve started on your lists of small repairs, you’ve contacted a real estate agent, and now you’re in the final steps of getting ready to sell your house. But before you put your home up for sale, and certainly before having your first open house, here are 11 things to consider that most home sellers forget to think about and could cost you a sale. 1. Declutter and Organize Your Closets and Cabinets Sure, you went through your entire house and reduced the clutter in each room, organized your desk and other surfaces, and arranged your collection of antique ceramic kitty figurines to be facing perpendicular to the window. However, did you tackle your closets and cabinets? One thing you should definitely expect during an open house or individual home tours is that potential homebuyers will be looking in your closets, kitchen drawers and cabinets. Will your walk-in closet fit all of his shoes and her summer dresses? Is there enough storage space in your kitchen for their cookware, bakeware, and all the kitchen gadgets that they seem to collect each year? These are all questions homebuyers will be asking themselves as they walk through your home. Of course, you as a home seller will have no idea what the needs are of a potential homebuyer, but you can definitely showcase what your house has to offer in terms of storage. Start by decluttering your closets, cabinets, and drawers, and then keeping only enough belongings in each to really show off the potential that space has to offer. Think of it as an extension of staging your home, but for your storage areas. 2. Clean Stains and Eliminate Odors We should all consider small stains, marks, and other imperfections as badges of honor for a house that has been lived in for years. Nonetheless, these slight bumps and bruises your home has encountered over time will stick out to potential homebuyers, so tackle them head-on. Begin by trying to put yourself in the shoes of a potential homebuyer and look at your house objectively. Start by going outside and then re-entering your house as if you didn’t actually own it but were an interested homebuyer looking at it for the first time. What do you see? Walk through every room and take note of all the imperfections you notice. You might surprise yourself with how quickly your list grows. You can then add them to your list of repairs so you can make your house truly be at its best before your first open house. Also, if you have pets there is a strong possibility that your home has an odor which you can no longer smell. Deep cleaning your house is a sure fire way to help eliminate these odors, but also think about using an odor eliminating spray every day for about a week before your first open house. You can also place plugin room fresheners that offer a great crisp smell, like cucumber, to help infuse a sense of cleanliness throughout your house. 3. Replace Light Bulbs Walk through each room in your house and look at every light bulb to see if it’s working. As homeowners, we sometimes forget to immediately replace a lightbulb when it goes out. You want your house to be at its brightest when new homebuyers are touring your home and replacing old burnt out light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to do it. Also, don’t forget to walk around the outside of your house to make sure all the lights of your home’s exterior are working as well. Depending on the time of year, your open house or home tours could happen when the sun is going down or when it’s already dark. So be sure to make your house shine inside and out! Pro tip: Make sure all your light bulbs are the same color temperature inside your house as well as outside. A soft-white light LED bulb can create a bright but welcoming environment for new homebuyers. 4. Think About the Small Details: Plants, Mirrors, Rugs Consider each room’s individual characteristics, so you can really showcase the potential every room in your house can offer. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind while you start prepping every space for an exceptional open house experience. Add a little green to your spaces Nothing breathes life into a room more than a little greenery. A potted tree can work wonders in a living room, but for smaller areas think smaller plants such as a small potted herb garden in the kitchen or a miniature cactus on the mantel. Open up even the smallest rooms Mirrors can make small spaces seem large because they create the illusion of depth. Mirrors also work wonders in darker rooms as they reflect light deep into areas of a room that may not receive an abundance of natural light. Add character to an otherwise unimpressive space While staging your home, think about adding character to various spaces with rugs. However, keep in mind that you want to use rugs to enhance a space, not be the focal point of it. Also, if you have a strange space that you never really figured out a good use for, a rug could at least offer a little personality while leaving the space and its potential to the imaginations of homebuyers. 5. Enhance Your Outdoor Space You’re probably already aware that enhancing your curb appeal is one of the most impactful things you can do to create a great first impression. However, you don’t want to forget about your other outdoor areas, such as your front porch or entrance, your back entrance, side yard, and backyard. You want to enhance your outdoor spaces around the house so potential buyers can see themselves living as much outside your house as inside. Simple enhancements like placing potted plants to your front entrance or adding fresh beauty bark around the base of your hedges and trees can