WIPE IT DOWN

A simple, but important step to preparing your home for sale is to simply get wiping. Walls and ceilings, windows, curtains/drapes, stovetops, surfaces and patio/outdoor furniture. Wiping down and washing these areas and items can freshen up your home and give you a better idea of what may need replacing, re-painting and repairing.

Unsure how to safely wipe down and clean your walls and ceiling? Head to these wikihow articles to learn how to clean different types of walls and ceilings.

GET OUTSIDE

Having a presentable and fresh garden is also an important area you can focus on to get your home ready for sale. Fertilizing gardens and mowing lawns in both the front and back can make all the difference in ensuring homes look fresh and tidy. While you are outside, it is also great to pressure wash or wipe down your property’s façade and fencing to ensure your home has strong curb side appeal. If you do not have a pressure hose at home they can be purchased and hired from Bunnings.

BATHROOMS

Over time tile grout can become dirty and discolour, so getting your hands on some grout cleaner and adding a little elbow grease can get those tiles to really pop. Shower screens are also an important item to clean in the bathroom, as you don’t want soap scum or stains to draw the eye of potential buyers.

FINISHING DIY PROJECTS

It is important that any unfinished areas of the house are touched up and finished. Simple repairs are good - no need go overboard and start a major renovation. While it is nice to have the latest fixtures and finishes, these things can be renovated by the new homeowners to suit their tastes, so as long as your home looks complete and touched up it is good to go.

STYLING

While we are in lockdown, cosmetic changes to the home such as painting the walls, changing the carpets or having a stylist cannot be completed by professionals unless it deemed to be emergency maintenance, so during this time it is best to work with what you have and what can do yourself. The simplest things can really make all the difference, and these five styling tips can be easily completed while in lockdown.

1. Removing clutter from surfaces.  Having less clutter can make spaces look larger which is what you want to be doing throughout your home and can be completed over time while we are in lockdown. We love looking to Marie Kondo for inspiration on how to declutter.
2. Having light throughout the property.  Lighting is very important in a home, as buyers want to see lots of natural light in the property where possible. In darker areas we suggest adding lighting and lamps to make these spaces look brighter and feel larger, so have a walk through your home to identify if there are any areas that could use a lamp or light fixture. Places like IKEA may be a great place to look online for lighting ideas that can be delivered or picked up as a click and collect.
3. Adding greenery indoors. Plants and flowers are a great styling feature to have throughout the home as they bring in the element of life, especially in property imagery. You may already have indoor plants you could style in different areas of your home, or you could order new plants to add throughout your home from places like Hello Botanical or your trusty local Bunnings.
4. Colour scheme throughout the home. Having a colour scheme that can be tied across numerous rooms with different homewares such as cushions, throw blankets, artwork, bed linen etc. is a great way to showcase your home’s continuity and flow. You may already have these styling items in your home, or you can find great inspiration from online stores such as Freedom or Adairs that can be delivered to your door.
5. Room layout. While we are in lockdown, it may also be a good idea to play around with the layout in different rooms. In property images, you want rooms to feel spacious and well put together, so changing the position of some furniture items could make all the difference to how the property presents to potential buyers. Our friends at kontrast interiors are amazing at styling properties, so if you’re looking for inspiration while you’re at home, we highly recommend you check out their website and Instagram pages.