A Cleaning Schedule to Follow Before Listing Your Home

Listing your home for sale can feel like a daunting task, especially when you think of all of the things you need to purge and pack in addition to preparing the home for showings. Here is a sample cleaning schedule that will have you stress-free and prepared leading up to the day your home goes live. Plan before you clean so you don’t start cleaning too early and risk things getting dirty too fast- especially if you have pets or kids. 

Start about a week before the listing goes live:

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Day One: Start with the Exterior, Porch, Mudroom, and Entry 

-Clean and organize clutter

-Wipe down the doors and windows and doorknobs 

-Dust the light fixtures and surfaces

-Vacuum, sweep, mop

Day Two: Bedrooms and Hallways

-Dust ceiling fans, lights, vents and surfaces

-Vacuum and mop- Don’t forget the baseboards! 

-Wipe down doorframes and furniture surfaces

-Fresh linens on the bed

-Enlist the kids to pick up after their toys

Day Three: Bathrooms 

-Dust light fixtures, vents, and windows

-Clean/disinfect toilet, tub, shower, and vanity surfaces

-Wipe down doorframes and other surfaces

-Clean mirrors and shower glass

-Mop/Vacuum

-Replace the towels, mats, shower curtain + liners

For hard water stains, I like using a combination of hot water, white vinegar and a splash of dawn dishsoap spray and let it soak before wiping off. 

Day Four: Public Areas (Living and Dining)

-Declutter! These tend to be the spaces that collect the most stuff so declutter and neutralize these spaces. 

-Dust fans, lights, and vents

-Wipe down doorways, surfaces, fireplace mantles, and windows

-Vacuum floor, baseboards and furniture

-Fluff sofa cushions and pillows

Day Five: Kitchen

Here, in addition to cleaning, it’s important to highlight the storage space your Kitchen DOES have vs. showing the storage it may lack. So it’s important to find a place for things you may typically place on your countertops in an effort to keep them as clear as possible. 

-Dust ceiling, lights, and vents

-Clean the inside and outside of appliances

-Wipe down cabinet fronts and countertop surfaces, sink and faucet

-Clean the garbage disposal and trashcans. Use citrus to keep them smelling fresh

-Vacuum/mop the floors

If your fridge is decorated with kids’ artwork and birthday party invitations it might be time to find another home for them temporarily to keep the surfaces as clean and clutter free as possible. 

If you need further guidance in preparing your home to list, reach out on our Contact Us page to receive a free 1 hour virtual consultation! 

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