You’re all ready for the slew of viewings coming your way – you’ve decluttered, mowed the lawn, dialled your décor right back to neutral… However, you’re still actually, you know, living in the house, which means cooking, having baths, kicking your shoes off in the hall and so on.
One thing many vendors find to be the biggest hassle is the last-minute prepping they have to do before a viewing, especially if it’s a short-notice one. Here’s eight easy things you can do in that 30-60 minutes the estate agent has given you.
Have a dedicated sack, washing basket or box that you can carry around the house to sling errant shoes, paperwork, laundry, toys and so on into. When it’s full, hide it in the car.
Invest in a new set of pristine white fluffy towels and swap out your slightly raddled ones before you hear the pitter-patter of estate agent feet up the garden path. Don’t even think about using the new ones until you’ve moved…
Do the same sort of thing with bedding. Have new bedding and pillows, especially for viewings. When one is imminent, place the new bedding over your regular duvets and pillows – instant refresh.
Open the windows to let fresh air in; if it’s cold, then close them again a short while before the appointment.
Keep the heating on if it’s colder, even though you’ll be opening the windows; this’ll mean it warms up quickly once you’ve shut them again. If you have a functioning fireplace, light a fire.
If it’s anything other than a really bright summer day, make sure all your lights and lamps are lit, especially upstairs.
Have some calming, welcoming music on, but not too loud. This can make people feel more comfortable about taking their time.
Smells are very important, so once you’ve let some fresh air in, fill it with the scent of vanilla, lemon or cinnamon. If you have some vanilla essence, add a drop to a bowl of hot water. Alternatively, you could brew some coffee, bake some bread or light a spiced candle.