Autumn blitz your kitchen
When having house viewings, one of the top priorities for a potential buyer will be the kitchen. Questions will be asked like; Is it big enough for our family? Is there suitable storage space? And how much work will I need to do?
When a viewer is greeted with a kitchen that has washing up piled high on the side, tops of cupboards full of items or general wear and tear, this can be very uncertain and could potentially put someone off putting in that offer!
Kitchen’s are the centre of communication
With family meals and gatherings, it can become a bit of a dumping ground for paperwork and other household items. You may become more oblivious to how much is piling up, therefore it's so important to take time before a viewing to really get into the mindset of a viewer.
By clearing your kitchen even before your property goes onto the market, ready for the marketing shots, will make it really stand out online and viewers can appreciate the room and available space they see rather than zoning into kitchen clutter.
Here are five top tips from our experts to really give you that boost you need to get your kitchen looking home staged and ready:
2. Declutter before Organising
Before you dive into organising your cupboard space, tackle any built up clutter by making a pile of things to keep and store away either in the kitchen or elsewhere in the house, items to discard and also items to donate. This will really help you have a clear idea of what you will be keeping in the kitchen and reorganising, therefore not just putting away unnecessary items.
A great tip from APDO is to think vertically with storage. Check out their blog on Kitchen storage ideas.
2. Storage
Using a storage box with a lid is helpful for marketing photos with your chosen agent and for all house viewings. Use one or two boxes to put in any paperwork and kitchen accessories that you need to assess daily but don’t want out on show. This way you can fill this box, hide it away from viewings, but access it easily in between.
3. Pets
If you have pets, think about what you may keep in the kitchen, such as pet bowls, beds and toys. Allocate a cupboard space where you can store these items for marketing photos but also for viewings. As much as some viewers may be pet lovers, having half chewed dog toys and giant crates can have a huge impact on a potential buyer’s first impression of your home.
4. Lingering smells
Take a little time before a viewing to eliminate any odors from cooking. Open up windows to air the kitchen but also think about a natural plug in, diffuser or lighting a candle beforehand. A viewer could really be put off from food cooked the night before and the smell lingering throughout the kitchen. One of our favourite smells for a kitchen is; Lulu Loves diffuser in the scent White Linen.
5.Cleaning
Once your kitchen is de-cluttered and organised, take some time to give it a clean especially where clutter may have been piling up for a while you’d be surprised how much dust and crumbs can appear. Whether your kitchen needs a deep clean before viewings or a speedy clean, keep in mind areas that will stand out more to viewers. This is anything that is high shine, stainless steel or ceramic. Think cookers, hobs, fridge/freezers, sinks and draining boards, fronts of dishwashers, cupboards and light switches. These are high touch areas that will naturally have more grease marks and fingerprints.
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