What can you do to prepare your home for sale? A lot – and it starts from the outside. Here are some tips to help spruce up your property and optimize its curb appeal.

Start with the grass

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. This may be true, but that rule can and should be ignored when trying to sell your home. You can easily change the deck by first mowing the grass and then working from there. Tighten up your bushes with a trim, remove all garden clutter, and add fresh mulch to flower beds. If you don’t mind spending the extra money to hire a landscaper, go for it. A job that costs you a few hundred dollars could actually add a few thousand dollars to your property value due to the “curb appeal” phenomenon. The idea is this: if the outside looks good, the inside should look great.

walkways and fences

You can make your paths look really sharp with a lawn trimmer. The technique is simple: flip the blade to the side to carefully trim the edge, creating a tighter, more professional look. Plant some colorful flowers in the areas that need lighting. Indeed, preparing your home for sale can be dirty work, but a few dollars worth of flowers can also add value to your property.

Clean your fence with a fresh coat of paint. Be sure to spray it first to remove any stubborn dirt or dust, and be sure to only paint after the surface has dried.

Make sure your address is easy to see – consider buying new numbers if it improves appearance from the street. And speaking of addresses, you might as well consider buying a new mailbox.

Finally, give your windows a deep clean inside and out. They should be shiny!

let’s move inside

Preparing your home for sale also requires some interior work. The entrance sets the stage for potential buyers. Install new bulbs and remove all cobwebs, dust and dirt. If you have a doorbell, make sure it works. A broken doorbell, believe it or not, can break a deal too soon.

Make sure the door is in perfect working order: no squeaks, jams, or sticky locks, and certainly no quirks that would require a physicist to figure out.

Once inside, make sure the entrance is clear of obstacles: shoes, umbrellas, toys, and anything else that gets in the way. A good coat rack and/or shoe rack can add appeal to a dull setting.

Give your closets some space by removing any unnecessary items, including extra hats, coats, and clothing that you should have donated to a shelter years ago.

make your kitchen shine

Now is a good time to throw those leftovers away. Potential buyers will go through all the cabinets and yes, the refrigerator too. Having to eat out for a while will amount to a pittance compared to the value that a cramped-looking kitchen brings to your home. Clean countertops. You want these, and your kitchen, to look as spacious as possible. For those of you with hardwood floors, a quick wax will suffice.

The idea is to add space and beauty, not only to the exterior of your home for sale, but also to the interior. If you’re not sure where to start and you’ve hired a real estate agent, ask them for suggestions. They will be more than happy to prepare your place for the market.