A week from now we have appointments lined up to show our house (eeeeek). At one point that felt so far away but now it’s basically here and I have so many emotions. Mostly excited, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a little anxiety about people walking through our house, deciding if it’s the house for them. We’ve been go, go, go, wrapping up loose projects around the house including the front entrance, the laundry room, the fauxdenzia (must I go on?), but we’ve also been decluttering, cleaning, patching, painting, caulking, and more to get the house ready to list.

Paint Color: BM Graphite, Sconce

We were originally going to swap out this window over the kitchen sink when we did phase 2 of the kitchen, but since that’s not happening anymore, we’ve ordered a new window. Unfortunately it’s not going to be here in time for showings, so we’re painting it in the meantime (we painted the inside during phase 1 of the kitchen here). This is just one of the things on our “Before You List” list.

When we were getting our previous home ready to sell, we made a list of things to do before you list, so we re-purposed it and made a new PDF for you (and honestly us) to download and refer to, if you’re ever getting ready to list a house. Several of our team members are getting their homes ready to list as well, and we’re all checking things off the list.

Print the house prep PDF here.

For our last move, I made a big list of all the little tasks that had to be done and I gave ourselves a week to work on them. I think that’s kind of key here. You could spend months getting your house ready to sell and it still wouldn’t be perfect because what does perfect even mean?

That being said, decluttering is a great place to start. When do you generally start clearing things out? Even if your listing date is months out, it’s never too early to declutter (in my opinion). A great place to start is closets. Here in Idaho, we’re just barely starting to box up some of the winter boots, hats, and gloves (which honestly still might be too soon because it’s supposed to snow today). I’m anticipating people opening up our closets because when we were house-hunting in Raleigh, I opened up every single closet. Pack it up, clear it out, and show how spacious your closets are. You can really level-up your house just by clearing the clutter, and the good news is, there’s no money spent in that.

No matter how well-kept your house is, there’s probably plenty of touch-up painting or re-caulking to do. I tend to move art around a lot, so we have some nail holes that need filling and painting. Check out this video to learn how to patch holes big and small. And don’t under-estimate a good deep-cleaning too. I’m the kind of person that wants to walk into a house and smell how clean it is. Now is the time to clean inside and outside like it’s your job.

I could go on and on about this, but make sure your light bulbs are showing your house in its best light. I like my lighting temperature to be the same throughout the house (3000K), but that’s just preference. One house that we walked through in Raleigh just felt off and we realized the lighting was too cool. It was a turn off and honestly felt pretty sterile. If you’re unsure of what lightbulbs to use, check out this blog post where I dive in and explain Kelvin, Lumens, and share my go-to bulbs we use in our house.

We’re not going into staging a house too much in this, but if you’re wanting more insight on how to stage for walk-throughs, be sure to check out this blog post where we list our 10 Home Staging Takeaways when we were house hunting in Raleigh. It’s jam-packed with tips (some of them you might be surprised by) that will leave a solid impression on potential buyers.

We put together a round-up of all the things you could need for prepping your home to list. So print out the PDF above, shop below, and get to work!

1. 34″ Round Mirror – Hanging a mirror in a small corner or hallway can make it feel bigger
2. Checkered Doormat – Place a fresh doormat
3. Wire Basket – Cute way to store blankets or toys
4. Floor Lamp – Every Light on is the way to go
5. Caulk – Don’t forget around the countertops and cabinets. They tend to shift a bit, and need re-caulking
6. Pressure Washer – Get your exterior looking its best with a good deep clean
7. Trim Paint Brush – For all of your touch-up painting needs
8. Paint Rollers – If you have any bigger painting jobs
9. Paint Roller Frame – Don’t forget the roller!
10. Putty Knife – To patch any holes
11. Spackling – This one goes on pink and turns white when it’s dried
12. Light Bulbs – My go-to light bulb these days
13. Microfiber Towels – So nice to clean with
14. Storage Containers – Store away things you don’t need out in the open right now
15. Magic Erasers – If you’re not using these to clean walls and baseboards, and everything else, then it’s time to start
16. Drywall Sanding Sponge – You’ll need this when you’re filling those holes