Here are some quick
tips to help you ready your property for home swap and/or exchange and make it
shine. For more information on home exchange, download a free Home Exchange Guide.
Clean
Every surface of
your home should be sparkling clean. A clean home always looks brighter,
fresher and smells better. If you have a
family, set aside a ‘family cleaning day’ and make it fun for everyone. Assign each
member of the family a room, or work in pairs. If housework isn’t your thing, hire
professional cleaners.
De-Clutter
De-cluttering
means removing lots and lots of extra pieces from surfaces, walls, closets,
cabinets and rooms. Smart homeowners will take this opportunity to ruthlessly
weed through items and either throw them away, give to charity, or pack them up
for storage elsewhere. By removing the clutter,
the focus shifts from the "stuff" in the room to the room itself.
Start by removing
things in the kitchen, the most cluttered room in a home. Remove everything
from the outside of the refrigerator and the top of the cabinetry. Cull through
the cabinets and countertops. Do the same with the remainder of the rooms in
the house. Go through each room, medicine cabinet and closet and remove, pack
away, and de-clutter. Do the same with the garage and basement. The outdoor
area of your home should be addressed, as well.
De-Personalize
Removing an
excessive amount of framed photos, diplomas, certificates, trophies, awards and
collectibles will result in a lighter, airier and more welcome feel for your
guests. Too much personal stuff will
make your home exchange guests feels as if they are intruding on your space.
Fix
Armed with a
clipboard, write down every little thing you see that needs to be fixed or
replaced such as a broken window pane, loose door handles, windows that do not
open, missing light bulbs, dripping faucets, or even something as small as a
missing outlet cover. Once you have your list, either fix it yourself, or hire
someone to do it for you.
Stage
Staging is the new
fancy word on the real estate scene. In essence, it means “setting the stage,
or enhancing a home’s features” to appeal to all. Staging your house is like
entering a beauty contest. You want to look beautiful and win the contest. It
can involve the re-arrangement or re-use of furniture and art, or replacement
of worn or outdated accessories. Staging should be the last thing done after
cleaning, de-cluttering, de-personalizing and fixing. It should be completed
prior to having the home photographed and can be done by the homeowners or a
professional staging company.
Remember, think about how you would like to see a home that you are visiting.
Remember, think about how you would like to see a home that you are visiting.
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