Keeping Your House Show Ready with an Open House Checklist

No matter how prepared you feel about showing your house, getting ready for an open house may take your blood pressure up a notch. In this section, we give you a quick rundown on the most important areas to address so your open house is a success and you secure the offer you’re looking for.

Part of the challenge with keeping the house clean is the access to your cleaning products. To make the process easier we suggest keeping extra supplies in a variety of areas throughout the house. This way you don’t have to do all the tasks at once and can use extra minutes here and there to do a task. Keep your cleaning supplies in containers you can hide or carry away before showings.

Keep a positive frame of mind throughout this admittedly difficult process. The work you do now will secure equity in your house and help you move on with your life.

While your house is on the market, make sure you do the following tasks every day:

If the views are good open all window coverings.
Make all the beds.
Empty the garbage and wastepaper baskets in kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms.
If you have a good sound system, play music.
Pick up and put away things that should be out of sight, such as toys and newspapers.
If you haven’t arranged for your pets to visit a relative or day care, crate them away from the main showing areas or take them with you.
Shake the front welcome mat and sweep away any dust, debris, and spider webs.
If you’re using fresh flowers around the house, check the water levels in the vases and remove any wilted flowers. If you’re using fresh fruit, make sure it really is fresh.
Wipe the sinks after doing dishes or washing your hands. Clean the stove top and counters.
Sweep the floors (or use a Swiffer type mop). Mop the floor every day or two.
Make sure the bathrooms are sparkling:
Wipe toilet seat, rim, and lid.
Swoosh toilet bowl with brush; keep the brush fresh with a few drops of essential oil and water in the bowl of the toilet brush container.
Wipe off mirrors and faucets.
Squeegee shower doors.
Spray entire shower and curtain liner with shower cleaner after every use.
The front entry is a very important area for setting a great first impression, so make sure you keep it clear and clean on the inside and out.
Most dirt comes into the house through the entryways via people’s and pet’s feet. Leaving your shoes by the door keeps dirt from spreading throughout the house. But remember to keep the entry free of clutter by putting shoes in a wardrobe or a covered basket. If you have a back entry, you might want to start using it exclusively during the time the house is on the market to keep clean up to a minimum.