Getting Ready for your First Open House

home with open house sign in front of it If you are selling your home, chances are your real estate agent has spoken with you about an open house.

These are an excellent way to get prospective homebuyers in the door and get them talking to your selling agent.

If you are still living in your home, this can be tricky.

Here are some tips to help you work with your realtor and make your property as appealing as possible.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Now is the time to do all the spring cleaning you’ve been putting off, and then some. Vacuum, mop, clean the floors, wipe down the countertops and more.

Don’t neglect any out-of-the-way areas like the guest bedrooms, bathrooms or the garage, either. This is the time to clean the grout, tile, fixtures and appliances.

Remove the sources of any unpleasant odors. Even faint odors from a pantry, cigarette smoke or garbage disposal can often turn buyers off.

Especially if you have pets, vacuum the carpet, drapes and upholstery. Buyers with pet allergies won’t want to stay long otherwise!

If you don’t want to handle the cleaning all by yourself, consider hiring a cleaning service for a good, deep clean.

De-clutter

Buyers are attracted to properties where they can imagine themselves moving in as soon as possible.

Help this process along by removing any day-to-day clutter that might distract them from those happy thoughts.

Put away things such as laundry, dishes, bills, children’s homework or pet projects.

Make sure the dishwasher and sink are empty, and all trash cans are empty, even those in the bathrooms or garage.

When possible, you should also remove any prominent personal items. You want buyers to imagine your property as their new home.

Family photos, quirky fridge magnets, religious icons and sports memorabilia can make that difficult.

If removing framed photos leaves a big empty spot on the wall, you can temporarily replace them with a simple painting or other generic decoration.

Let the Sun Shine In

Homes look their best,  and their biggest, when they are open and well-lit.

Turn on every light in the house, other than those that cause noise, such as lights wired to kitchen exhaust fans.

Clean your windows and pull back the curtains, as well. If bushes or trees obscure the view, consider trimming them back.

Open windows always make a house look larger, especially in the living room.

Don’t let Rover come over

If you have pets, try to remove them during the open house, especially dogs.

Dogs can be very anxious or excited around visitors, especially if you aren’t there. No matter how friendly they are, your furry friends might give the wrong impression.

If you simply can’t remove your pets, for whatever reason, confine them to a specific part of the property, such as the garage.

Make sure they won’t bark or scratch at the door, and that your realtor is comfortable being alone with them.

Whatever you do, do not lock pets in sought-after areas such as the master bedroom. The entire point of your open house is to give buyers an in-person look at the property!

Protect your Belongings

Ideally, you will have several strangers looking and moving through your house. Make sure your belongings and valuables are kept safe.

Your realtor can’t be everywhere at once.

Remove or secure any jewelry, medication, electronic tablets and other valuables that might “walk off.”

If you aren’t sure where to put them, simply pack them in the trunk of your car until afterwards.

After the open house, double-check your doors and windows to make sure they are still locked.

Remember the Great Outdoors

Mow, trim, weed and wash!

Your front yard is the first thing visitors will see when they pull up. Make sure your lawn is already mowed, with the grass clippings blown or swept away.

Trim any bushes and remove any low hanging tree limbs that need removal.

If your house has vinyl siding or a brick exterior, this is the perfect time to give it a pressure wash.

This is doubly true for walkways, steps, and driveways. Removing a few years of grime and mildew can make your home stand out!

Don’t neglect the back yard, either. Visitors will certainly look there!

Put away any tools, children’s toys, lawn care equipment and other clutter. Outdoor furniture is a plus, but make sure yours is clean and doesn’t have any mildew or standing water in it.

If mosquitos are a problem in your neighborhood, light a few citronella candles in discreet places so they don’t harass your guests.

Leave!

This may go against your instincts, but most buyers are far more comfortable speaking with an agent, without the homeowner present.

Even if they don’t buy the house, they can often give your agent useful feedback that they might not give you directly.

Give your selling agent a complete rundown on anything they need to know, and let them work their magic.

If your home is a lake home, a selling agent who specializes in lake property can be a huge help with the lake-specific aspects of this process. Visit the Find a Lake Agent page on Lakehomes.com to find one in your area.

And be sure to check out our lake home specific open house article for additional advice and tips.

Spring Cleaning at Your Lake Home

small dog on porch sitting with cleaning suppliesAs the weather warms up, homeowners everywhere are throwing open the front doors, opening the windows, and pulling on the gloves for a little spring cleaning.

Here are some tips to help you tackle that task!

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Before vacuuming, replace your vacuum cleaner bag.

Clean the dust cup, and replace or wash the filters if you can.

Snip any threads or hair snarled in the roller brush with scissors or a seam ripper.

Clean out the fridge! Spring is the perfect time to get rid of any forgotten leftovers.

Check the expiration dates on any sauces or frozen goods, as well.

For a more thorough clean, remove all the food items and wipe down all the surfaces in the fridge with a cleaning solution.

Spills, crumbs and stains will all linger indefinitely if you don’t get them out.

You can also load up the dishwasher to handle things other than dishes – light fixture globes, plastic toys, toothbrush holders, soap dishes, oven control knobs and more.

Just use the gentle cycle – and skip the heated drying!

Here’s a tip to clean the gunk out of your microwave:

Put a large, microwave-safe bowl with one cup of water and a chopped-up lemon, lime, or orange, or several tablespoons of vinegar inside.

Run it on high for several minutes, or until the mixture boils. Then let it sit for 15 minutes before wiping down all interior surfaces with a sponge.

Dust, wash and scrub

If your drapes are looking drab and dusty, remove the hooks and run them through the air fluff cycle in your dryer along with a wet hand towel for 15 minutes. This draws off the dust.

Hang them up immediately. For heavier curtains, vacuuming them with the wand from your vacuum cleaner can also work.

Banish the dust bunnies clinging to your ceiling fan blades by wiping the blades down with a coat of furniture polish.

Wipe off the excess and lightly buff them dry.

Canvas grocery bags are great alternatives to plastic, but they need cleaning like any other fabric. Run them through the washing machine to remove any lingering food bacteria.

Make sure you pay attention to the material if and when you put them in the dryer – many reusable grocery bags are a plastic composite, and could melt under high heat!

Change out your HVAC filters. Vacation homes or single occupant homes should have their air filters changed once a year.

If you live there, it should be changed every 90 days, and every 60 days if you have a pet. Your sinuses will thank you!

Spring is the perfect time to steam clean your rugs and carpets.

If a steam cleaner is unavailable, chances are your grocery store has a range of carpet cleaners. These will take care of those lingering cranberry sauce stains from last Thanksgiving.

Count it all up!

If your lake home is a vacation home, and you’ve had guests, this is the perfect time to make sure you are well stocked for the warmer months.

Inventory and wash your towels, bedsheets and other linens. Check to make sure your bathrooms are well-stocked with toiletries and other necessary items, as well.

Round up all your cookware, drinkware and silverware. Many guests leave these items behind until your cabinets are overflowing!

Contact the owners of any extras, if you know who they are. If not, you can always donate that fourth casserole dish or fifth corkscrew to the local thrift store.

Cleaning Outdoors

Wash your windows on a cloudy day. Direct sunlight can dry the cleaner before you wipe it off, leaving streaks.

Clean your barbecue grill to get ready for the cooking season.

Give the grill itself a good scrubbing with a cleaning brush and grill cleaner. If the undersides are greasy, make sure to wipe them off with a wet, soapy sponge first!

For gas grills, scrub and clean out the burners, making sure to unclog any ports. Be sure to scrub the walls of the cook box, as well.

If you have access to a pressure washer, spring is an excellent time to give any cement, stone or brick walkways a thorough cleaning.

Your exterior will not only look brighter, it will be safer and less slippery when the kids are scampering up from their dip in the lake.

Maintaining clean gutters is crucial to your home’s exterior. Clogged gutters are not only an eyesore, they can cause the fascia board underneath to rot.

Hardware stores now carry a wide selection of gutter cleaning tools to make this process much easier than it was in years past!

Many have telescoping poles that hook up to your water hose and spray down into the gutter, so you never have to leave the safety of the stable ground.

Spring cleaning is also a great time to replace any welcome mats that look worn out. These are the first thing many people see when they arrive at your home, especially if you rent it out.

If you winterized your home by turning the water off, carefully check your water pipes for leaks upon turning it back on. Remember to let your water heater fill completely before turning on the heat. Run all faucets and flush all toilets several times.

Check the Outdoor Equipment

Dig out and test any water equipment (kayaks, life preservers, inflatable rafts) for mold or leaks well before you plan to use them!

Pull them out of storage and make sure they are in good working order. Wipe them down with an appropriate cleaner, if need be.

Setting them out in the sun for a day will also help rid them of any musty smells.

If there are trees on your property, check to see that there aren’t any broken or damaged limbs hanging down.

Contact a professional to have them removed, if necessary.

When all is said and done, pull up a chair, and enjoy a well-deserved drink. You earned it!

 

And while you’re at it, take a look at these “7 DIY Natural Cleaning Solutions for Your Home”

 

Home Gutter Maintenance

Cleaning rain gutters is not normally at the top of a homeowner’s to do list, but it should be.

Gutters clogged with leaves and other debris can overfill and crack. When damage like this is sustained, rain water spills in undesirable places causing unforeseen damage.

A single leak in the gutters can result in foundation cracking, mold and mildew growth, flooding in basements and crawl spaces, soil erosion under a home’s foundation and more.

Structural damage to homes can be costly to fix; while, mold and mildew can even increase the risk of respiratory illnesses and home deterioration.

Properly maintained gutters and downspouts are an important part of household maintenance that help to prevent costly renovations.

gutters

Install Some Downspout Extensions and Schedule Regular Maintenance

The first step in protecting your home from water damage is to schedule regular maintenance on gutters, downspouts and extensions.

At least twice a year, all areas need to be checked for clogs, leaks, holes, rust and any fungal growth. Any of the aforementioned issues in your gutter system need to be fixed as soon as they are discovered.

If your home does not already have them, installing downspout extensions will allow you to redirect rain water away from your home, landscaping and areas prone to erosion.

Water can be redirected up to 50 feet away from your property.

Think About Installing Gutter Guards

One way to cut down on clogs inside your gutters is to install gutter guards. These guards can be mesh, grated metal or thin metal sheets.

Installed over the open tops of the gutters, they keep leaves and other debris from clogging up the drainage system.

If you install gutter guards be sure they are easy to remove for occasional, but necessary, cleaning.

Seal All Leaks Using Gutter Seal

If a portion of the gutter is leaking, it is not necessary to replace the entire system. There are products available to seal such leaks and help to avoid potentially expensive repairs.

Products used for this purpose can be found at most hardware stores.

Take note that it will be necessary to completely clean the gutter system and allow it to dry prior to applying the product. Most include strips of plastic and adhesive to repair torn areas.

Inspect and Re-position the Splash Blocks Frequently

Splash blocks are plastic, ceramic or concrete ramps that are seen in many yards under the downspouts.

Occasionally these are pushed out of position by the water coming down from the gutters. When this happens, rain water could potentially flow under the foundation and into crawl spaces of your home.

Heavier splash guards are more stable. Decorative blocks are also available for homes. Click here to search your favorite on Amazon.

Gutter Cleaning Reminders

Always remember to keep on top of your gutter maintenance to protect your home from damage by setting quarterly reminders.

If you do not have the capability to do the maintenance yourself, there are professionals that you can hire to do the maintenance for you.

5 Organizational Tips for Tackling Your Messy Garage

Aorganizing the garages it starts to get colder, homeowners are looking for ways to clean up their homes, so they can have more space for storing their summer things.

They also start thinking about getting rid of old things and simply just making things look nicer, and the largest task in most homes are the garages.

It’s truly the only part of the house that most families let go. It’s easy to throw everything that doesn’t belong in the house, in the garage, but it gets packed pretty quickly.

It can be hard to find motivation to tackle the task of getting things back in order, but once you start, there are some things you can do to keep your garage organized in the future.

Magnetic Tool Holder

This neat magnetic tool bar is quite similar to the knife holders you’ll find in some kitchens. Except they are made to fit drill bits, nails, wrenches and all the tools you can imagine.

And the best part, you don’t have to go digging into the unknown to find what you need, it’ll be hanging right in front of you.

Use a Paper Towel Holder for Trash Bags

You can use an old paper towel holder from the kitchen in the garage to hold your trash bags.

This will keep the garage area clean and controlled. Plus, you can rip away at the bags like you do paper towels and get the area cleaned up that much faster.

It’s actually quite useful because little things like garbage bags can get lost fairly easily in the garage.

Can Wall Storage

You can use a can to hold smaller tools, knickknacks and paint brushes.

All you do is drill a hole in the can and add a hook to the edge of the can so it can hang in the garage.

The can should be easy to install and can be any size you want, from a typical soup can to a much larger coffee container.

Save your Jars

That’s right, your jars can be used to hold different types of screws and bolts.

You can organize your tool shelf by using individual jars for washers, screws, bolts or whatever your heart desires.

Depending on what you are storing, you can use sizes ranging from baby food jars up to pickle jars, then simply label the contents of the jar on the side or lid.

Industrial Shelving Units

If you simply need more shelf space, one easy-to-install and price-effective remedy is industrial shelving units.

These units are designed to handle heavy objects, are usually customizable, provide plenty of extra shelf space and are found at almost any local hardware store.

You can generally find them in steel or heavy duty plastic, just make sure you take note of how much weight it can bear, and don’t overload it.

 

These are just a few of the ways you can begin to de-clutter you garage and make it a more usable space.

It can be as easy as saving your pickle jars and putting them to good use. Everyday household items can go a long way, especially, if you get creative when it comes to organization!

 

7 DIY Natural Cleaning Solutions for Your Home

go green logoGreen cleaning has become very popular as more and more people are becoming more environmentally conscious.

In line with this trend, homeowners are turning to cleaning solutions that are completely 100% organic and natural.

Harsh chemicals do many bad things to our bodies as well as the environment in which we live. Breathing in strong, unnatural, commercially produced solutions can be detrimental to our health.

Here is a list of 7 DIY natural cleaning solutions for your homes that can be used with out fear of harmful side effects caused by harsh unnatural chemicals:

  • Lemon juice– the acidity levels in lemons help to break down dirt and grime while leaving a lemony fresh scent. For an extra-strength cleaning solution, use the lemon peel as well. It is great for wood as the oils infuse it, leaving a shine.
  • Vinegar– like lemon juice, the acid in vinegar breaks down the mess and acts as a powerful cleaning agent. You may also use vinegar to clean your fruits and vegetables, as it also kills bacteria.
  • Baking soda– add this ingredient to your lemon juice or vinegar to help clean up quick. Baking soda is the most common natural cleaner used, besides lemon and vinegar. Because of the grittiness of baking soda, the substance helps to clean messes up that are stuck on or simply hard to wash off with just vinegar or lemon juice and water.
  • Essential oils– some of these actually help clear out mold and bacteria. By only adding a couple drops to water, essential oils are a great way to save money while being environmentally friendly. Great uses for essential oil solutions include getting rid of shower scum with lemon oil, cleaning your toilet with tea tree oil, and lastly, washing your windows with lavender oil.
  • Borax– this is commonly used for doing your laundry with an all-natural product. Many times borax is paired with a bar soap that you grate and washing soda. It is an extremely economic way to clean your clothes, while being completely additive free.
  • Salt– adding this to your solution or even making a salt and water, thick concoction is the way to go when you have a tough mess to clean up. The salt acts as an exfoliant; it gets the messy job done quickly and efficiently, and you can be sure your counter, floor, wall, or any other surface, will be super clean.
  • Hydrogen peroxide– this is an extremely effective natural cleaner. Peroxide disinfects, and it can actually kill mold, salmonella, and bacteria. Hydrogen peroxide also works the same way a natural bleach works on your clothes and white surfaces.

With so many other alternatives to chemical cleaning solutions, there is no reason to not add green cleaning mixtures to your cleaning routine.

There are also all natural cleaning solutions available in most markets today, in case you didn’t want to make your own.

To be environmentally friendly and health conscious, all natural solutions are the way to go to ensure safety and health for your family.