A thorough spring cleaning is a perfect way to prepare your home for sale. Staying on top of your cleaning projects in advance of listing your home can help eliminate extra hassle and stress. Spring cleaning projects are especially important if you plan on preparing to sell your home soon, as home buyers have high standards. A clean home can help give a positive impression to prospective home buyers and help you sell your home faster — and for more money.

If you've been asking yourself lately, "is now the time to sell my home," there are some important spring cleaning tips you can't miss. Check out these top three spring cleaning projects to get your home in top shape to sell.

1. Start Decluttering

Over time, our homes seem to get more and more cluttered. This is due to the accumulation of gifts, papers, school projects, and everything else over the years. If your home is especially cluttered, you’re not alone. When staging a home to sell, removing clutter is one of the most important things you can do. Excess clutter can make a home appear small or cramped, which can deter potential home buyers. The great news about this spring-cleaning tip is that you can do this slowly over time. If you’re preparing to list your home to sell within a few months, start this project in advance to make it easier to tackle.

Each weekend, set aside time to tackle one room or space to start decluttering. Consider getting rid of any multiples you may have or things you’re simply not using. Not only will decluttering the rooms in your home make selling your home easier, but it will also help you as you move into a new home. The moving process will be easier with fewer items! You will appreciate less clutter as you unpack and organize your new space. 

Selling items through Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or a simple garage sale is a great way to earn some extra cash as an incentive to declutter. Or, consider donating unwanted items to a local thrift store. When it comes to a clean home, less is more.

2. Tackle the Kitchen

For many potential home buyers, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house. Prospective buyers will pay close attention to the kitchen during real estate showings. A quick cleaning is not enough; you will need to do a heavy cleaning of everything. This may include things you may not even have thought to clean or have never cleaned.

Start by degreasing the walls of the kitchen. Over time, kitchen walls become greasy from lots of cooking. Many potential buyers will notice this. A spring cleaning of your kitchen, including degreasing walls, cabinets, backsplashes, and the stove, can give your kitchen a clean feeling.

Other kitchen spring cleaning projects include cleaning the dishwasher on both the inside and outside, cleaning stained grout, and conducting a heavy-duty cleaning of the kitchen sink.

Another part of the kitchen that is often overlooked when cleaning is the inside of cabinetry. Built-up crumbs and stains can make it seem like your home is not well-cared for. Prepare your home for sale by vacuuming drawers, cabinets, and the inside of the fridge.

Tackling the kitchen cleaning can seem daunting, though this is another project you can break up and do overtime. Take one step at a time and dedicate weekly time to cross another task off the kitchen cleaning list.

3. Floors and Carpeting

Dirty carpeting is another major component that can impede the sale of your home. Potential home buyers will notice homes with dirty or poorly cared for carpeting. You may want to consider a professional carpet cleaning if your carpets are in extremely poor shape. Another option to clean your carpets is to rent a steam cleaner from a local home improvement or hardware store. 

If your carpets are in decent shape with limited spots, this is a simple DIY project you can tackle yourself. Start by creating a DIY carpet spot cleaning solution by mixing one-quarter cup of salt, one-quarter cup of vinegar, and one-quarter cup of borax. Apply this to any major stains throughout your carpeting. Not only is this a quick DIY project, but it can quickly improve the overall look of your carpets. Allow each spot to dry, and then run the vacuum over it.

For homes with lots of hardwood flooring, your floors may have developed scuffs or marks from normal usage. Wood conditioning can help hardwood flooring look clean and shiny again while hiding any scratches or problems that may be present. Focus on the most noticeable rooms or highly trafficked hardwood floors in your home.

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