Thank you to our affiliate partner, Staged Ryte, for this timely article!  It’s a great article to share with your clients and customers!

Now’s the time to roll up their sleeves and tackle home projects that have been neglected all winter. None of these suggestions are unusual but they ARE easy to overlook once the warm weather kicks in. We often coach home owners to conquer these tasks before we come into their home to stage for sale; sometimes we even do some of the tasks ourselves.

Spring Yard Work

This one’s a no-brainer here in the Northeast. Our plantings and garden beds accumulate leaves that blow over from neighbors’ yards and fields; porches and neglected patio furniture are dirty from six-months of wet, gray, and damp; plants need to be pruned and trimmed. Get outside and sweep, rake, pick up, clip, and mulch.

Spring Cleaning

How about those windows? Will a potential buyer be able to see through them? Now’s the time to clean them inside and out. Want to know a great make-it-yourself window cleaner? Combine 2 cups water, ¼ cup white vinegar, and ½ teaspoon Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Soak a soft brush with the mixture and scrub the window. Rinse with clean water before it dries. Or use your favorite cleaning solution. It’s also time to vacuum and wash curtains, move furniture and thoroughly clean all areas, pull out the steam cleaner (or rent one) and give the rugs a deep cleaning…you know the drill.

Boost Curb Appeal

Research paint colors and paint the front door (and possibly garage doors, while you’re at it). Zillow did an analysis of 135,000 photos from listings across the US since 2010 and found on average that houses with black or charcoal gray front doors sold for as much as $6,271 more than expected. Other curb appeal projects: remove overgrown shrubbery and replace; buy and install a new mailbox; plant a tree.

Declutter

We like to call it home editing but it’s simply assessing the house – try to look at it like someone whose never been there before. We know, it’s hard to do. Now is the right time to dig in and throw out, recycle and donate:

• Clean out closets, dressers, pantry, basement, linen closets, kitchen cabinets and make them neat and tidy;
• Donate books, clothing, furniture, food pantry items, small appliances. Get them ready for drop off;
• Clear out excess furniture: move it to the garage for family or donation;
• Organize your bookshelves.

Rearrange Rooms

Rearrange the bedroom, living room, office, entryway. Browse through Pinterest, Houzz, and magazines to gather ideas for fresh ways to arrange furniture. You can also follow us on Instagram or Facebook for ideas.

Create a Home Office (If You Haven’t Already…)

Now’s the time to create an ergonomically-appropriate work space. Even if you don’t have an extra room, you can create a mini-office that works. Scope out these areas and see if they’ll fit a desk and a good chair: seating area in your master bedroom; in front of your book shelves where there’s that extra space. And your kid’s bedroom: he’s grown up and moved out, so it’s time to take it over. And please consider good lighting when you’re arranging an in-home office space. Honestly, you’re not going to want to work up in the renovated attic and basement if there’s not natural light. Grab some ideas from one of our recent articles.

Bring the Outdoors Inside

Finally, take in what’s beautiful and blooming outside and bring a bit inside. A handful of daffodils on a table, in a bookshelf or by a bedside make a room fresh.

Staged Ryte is a boutique home staging and design firm powered by two women who understand design and business. We create homes where buyers see themselves in the story we create – living their ideal lives. Our attention to detail and ability to understand what buyers want is unmatched. And no two spaces ever look alike because of our extensive inventory of unique curated pieces. Our goal is to Wow! home buyers, and make home owners – and real estate agents – VERY happy with faster-than-expected sales at the best price. Staged Ryte specializes in home staging and design in the Berkshires, New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, Eastern New York State, and Western Massachusetts. www.stagedryte.com