Getting your home ready to sell takes more than making the beds and putting a sign in the yard. Buyers notice everything—from dirty toilets and mismatched light bulbs to pet odors, critter traps, fried catfish and whatever you forgot to put away in the nightstand. Here’s a funny but practical look at what sellers should do before the first showing.

 

Selling your home does not mean you have to make it look like nobody has ever lived there.

It does, however, mean you need to look at your house through the eyes of a complete stranger.

And strangers notice things.

They notice smells.

They notice clutter.

They notice the mouse trap behind the refrigerator.

They notice the pile of laundry you hoped nobody would see.

And yes, they may notice things you really, really wish you had put away before they arrived.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, a little preparation before the first showing can make a big difference.

Clean It Like Your Mother-in-Law Is Coming Over

You do not need a surgical operating room.

But you do need clean floors, clean bathrooms, clean counters, clean mirrors and a kitchen that does not look like breakfast, lunch and dinner all happened at the same time.

Buyers often associate cleanliness with maintenance.

If the house looks dirty, they may start wondering what else has been neglected.

And if a buyer can write their name in the dust on the coffee table, we have officially gone too far.

Not sure what actually needs to be done before listing? Schedule a pre-listing consultation before you start spending money.

Please Put the Personal Stuff Away

Buyers may open closets, cabinets and built-in drawers.

So yes, this needs to be said:

Put your sex toys away.

And while you’re at it, remove any ropes or other bedroom accessories from around the bedposts. Buyers do not need a visual explanation of your personal life while they are deciding whether the primary bedroom has enough space.

Secure medications, jewelry, important documents, firearms, cash and anything else you would rather not have strangers discovering.

There are plenty of things we want buyers remembering about your house.

Your nightstand is not one of them.

Don’t Fry Catfish Right Before the Showing 

Catfish is delicious.

Your buyer does not need to smell it in the primary bedroom.

Strong cooking odors can stick around longer than you think, especially fried foods, fish, bacon, garlic and heavily seasoned meals.

If you have a showing scheduled, keep the cooking simple and give the house time to air out.

You want buyers saying:

“I love this kitchen.”

Not:

“Do you think they were frying something?”

Don’t Cover Pet Smells With Half of Bath & Body Works

Pet odors happen.

But plugging in six air fresheners does not make the problem disappear.

Sometimes it makes buyers more suspicious.

If they walk in and get hit with “Fresh Linen,” “Vanilla Bean” and “Ocean Breeze” all at once, they may start thinking:

“What exactly are we covering up here?”

Clean the pet bedding. Empty the litter box. Vacuum the furniture. Clean the carpet if needed.

Fix the source.

Do not create a fragrance competition.

Remove the Critter Traps

Mouse traps.

Roach traps.

Sticky traps.

Ant bait.

Live traps in the garage.

Buyers see those and immediately start creating an entire wildlife documentary in their heads.

Maybe you saw one mouse three years ago.

The buyer now thinks there is a multigenerational mouse community living behind the dishwasher.

If there is an active pest problem, handle it.

If there is no longer a pest problem, remove the evidence.

Nothing says “Welcome home” quite like a mouse trap next to the pantry.

Declutter, But Don’t Make the House Look Abandoned

Buyers need to be able to see the house.

They should not have to look around twelve countertop appliances, four laundry baskets and a collection of decorative signs explaining that the kitchen is where everyone gathers.

You do not need to remove everything.

You just need to make the rooms feel open.

Think less:

“We live here with every possession we have ever owned.”

And more:

“There is actually plenty of space in this house.”

Remember: Buyers Open Closets

Yes, they do.

They are not necessarily being nosy.

They are buying the closet too.

If twenty coats fall out when the door opens, the buyer may assume there is not enough storage.

Pack away things you are not using.

The same goes for pantries, cabinets and garages.

You are moving anyway.

Consider it your head start.

Fix the Little Stuff

Loose doorknobs.

Dripping faucets.

Missing switch plates.

Peeling paint.

Broken blinds.

That one cabinet door that has been hanging crooked since 2019.

Small problems can make buyers wonder whether there are bigger problems they cannot see.

Most of these items are inexpensive to fix.

Before replacing or renovating everything in sight, talk with a local EXPERT Realtor about which improvements are likely to matter to buyers—and which ones may not be worth the expense.

Make Sure Every Light Works — and Matches

Lighting can completely change how a house feels.

Before your home goes on the market, walk through every room and every light fixture.

Replace every burned-out bulb.

And while you’re doing it, make sure the bulbs in the same room or fixture have the same color tone.

You do not want one warm yellow bulb, one bright white bulb and one cool blue bulb glowing from the same chandelier.

It makes the room look inconsistent and can even make paint colors appear different.

And please check the porch lights, bathroom vanity lights and those recessed lights nobody has looked at in three years.

Buyers will.

Small details like this are exactly what we look for when helping sellers get their home market-ready.

And Please, For the Love of Plumbing, Check the Bathroom

Clean the toilets.

Really clean them.

Wipe the seat, the lid, the base and the area around them.

Then make sure every toilet actually flushes.

A showing is not the ideal time to discover that the hall bathroom requires a jiggle, a prayer and three tries with the handle.

And yes, leave toilet paper in the bathrooms.

Buyers may be in your home for a while, especially if they are viewing several properties back-to-back.

Things happen.

You do not want your house remembered as:

“The one where the toilet didn’t flush and there wasn’t any toilet paper.”

Close the toilet lids before the showing, put away toothbrushes and medications, remove the mountain of products from the shower and hang clean towels.

Bathrooms do not have to look like a luxury spa.

They just need to be clean, functional and free of surprises.

Because there are plenty of stories your Realtor may tell for the next ten years.

Bathroom emergencies should not be one of them.

You Don’t Need a Perfect House

That is the most important part.

Buyers are not expecting perfection.

They are trying to decide whether your house feels comfortable, well cared for and worth the asking price.

Sometimes the best improvements cost almost nothing.

Wash the windows.

Open the blinds.

Make the beds.

Take out the trash.

Replace the burned-out bulbs.

Make sure the light bulbs match.

Clean the toilets.

Make sure they flush.

Leave the toilet paper.

Put away the mouse traps.

Skip the catfish until after the showing.

And for everybody’s sake, check the nightstand.

Before you put your home on the market, see what your home may be worth and find out how it compares with the homes buyers are seeing today.

At Homeland Realty Group, we help sellers prepare their homes for the market without making the process overwhelming.

We will tell you what is worth doing, what may not be worth spending money on and how to help your home show its best when buyers walk through the door.

Ready to sell? Request a free home value and pre-listing consultation with Homeland Realty Group.

Danielle Childers, Broker-in-Charge
Homeland Realty Group, LLC