Let Your Bathroom Sell Your Home
What is the room that works the hardest to sell your home? Do you have an art niche in the Main Entry or a window seat/sitting room in the Master Bedroom; what about the pool with a spa that you enjoy all summer long? Naturally all of these features work together to sell your home to the right buyer, but when the potential buyer opens the doorway in the half-bath or the main bath it is all about appearance. A sleek modern looking bath can seal the sale.
Clean is the operating word here, mold, mildew and soap scum need to be banished. Scrub the tile and grout until it gleams! If necessary consult a couple of sources for the best method of cleaning soap scum from your glass shower door. Clean and deodorize the drains with one cup each of baking soda and salt. Pour directly into the drains and follow with one cup of vinegar. Do not mix the soda/salt with vinegar or you will have a volcano on your hands. After about fifteen minutes rinse the drains with a couple of cups of boiling water. Make sure the air vents are dust free. Keep a spray bottle of all purpose cleaner handy for spraying down the bath before a showing. It will only take a minute to wipe it clean and keep it sparkling fresh before a prospective buyer arrives.
Replace your towels with a set of new plush towels in neutral colors. Do not use these new towels, they are for showings only. Stow your everyday towels that are in use in the dryer before the showing. Replace the shower curtain with one of a light, neutral color that coordinates subtly with the towels. The light color will make the bath appear larger.
Remove all clutter and personal items from counter tops and visible shelving. Replace the clutter with a modest number of decorative accessories. Fresh flowers are an added plus. If you use bar soap, replace the bar with a dispenser of liquid soap. If you are using commercial dispensers make sure that all baths have the same dispenser. Consider an upscale liquid soap in a refreshing scent such as lavender.
Consider updating the fixtures in the baths. This can be an easy and inexpensive. Brass is out and the home decorating and home improvement magazines are filled with pictures of gleaming fixtures.
Clear the clutter in the shower. Remove and store the array of shampoos, soaps and lotions that accumulate in shower or bath.
Finally, but most importantly remove all prescription meds from the cabinets. Make sure that they are stored in a secure place. Anti-depressants and painkillers have been known to disappear during showings.
Hope these ideas jump start your home staging efforts! -- Jenny J.