Recognizing Cleaning Challenges

If you're like many people who are going to be putting their home on the market soon after living there for a number of years, you're probably looking forward to starting a new chapter in your life in a new home — and possibly even in a new community. However, before you get started on your next adventure, you need to get your current home sold, and you're probably hoping to get as much money out of it as possible. Although you're undoubtedly planning on cleaning the home from top to bottom before putting it on the market, homeowners are often blind to certain issues about their homes that others people notice right off the bat. Following are three things that you need to do before planting that For Sale sign in your front lawn. 

Declutter and Depersonalize 

One of the best things you can do when planning to put your house on the market is to declutter and depersonalize your home as much as possible. Successful home sales depend on creating an environment that causes potential buyers to imagine themselves living happily in the home — and while your family photos and memorabilia may seem beautiful to you, too much of it gets in the way of others being able to easily imagine their own families living there. It's okay to leave a few nice framed photos in place in order to avoid an overly sterile ambiance, but the majority should be packed away. Renting a storage space is a great idea for people about to put their homes on the market, and it'll also give you a head start on packing for your upcoming move. 

Don't Overlook Small Fixes

Another common mistake that homeowners in your position make is to overlook small fixes in favor of cosmetic enhancements designed to make the home more visually appealing. Although visual appeal is important, it's just as important to be mindful of small household quirks that you're so used to that you don't even see but may be glaringly obvious to those seeing your home for the first time. 

Remove All Traces of Your Pets

If you've got pets that you've lived with for years, you may be blissfully unaware of certain odors that may nonetheless overwhelm others entering your indoor airspace. Having your carpeting and floors thoroughly cleaned by a professional carpet cleaning company that uses methods designed to remove pet stains and associated odors helps ensure that your home smells sweet from the moment the prospective buyers walk in the door until they leave — hopefully with plans to make an offer.