Cottage looking tired? Get prepared to sell

My husband-to-be and I have just sold our house. It may have been on the market only a few weeks but it took about two months prior to that to get it ready, and when it was ready I would have been happy to stay. If it weren’t for the need for more space to accommodate my expanding family, I would stay put. So while I am preparing to say goodbye to my sweet little starter home, I look around and think: Why didn’t we do all the little things when we first moved in?

My advice this week is to pretend you are moving. Really. Pretend that you are about to put your house on the market and take a walk around with a critical eye. Enlist the help of honest friends and relatives if you want. If you are lucky enough to know a realtor, ask them for a bit of advice. Don’t look at your house as if it were your house, look at it as if you were coming in for the first time. What would your impressions be? The purpose is to stop putting things off that will make living in your house more comfortable and make you happier. This is what we did but now we will not benefit from them; we have done them for someone else.

Standing outside the front of your home, ask yourself how it rates in terms of curb appeal. Are the gardens overgrown? Take some time to weed, add some colourful flowers and mulch to give flower beds a fresh look. Is there any paint peeling around doors and windows? If so take a wire brush, or paint scraper, and scrape off the flaking paint, sand it smooth and wipe it down. Once dry, give it two good coats of paint. Maybe you want to change the colour to make it more appealing. Take a trip to your local home improvement store and have a look at the palettes put together by the different paint manufacturers. You may see some colour combinations you had not thought of. Pruning overgrown trees and hedges, and weeding and mowing the lawn, can all refresh a tired exterior.

Once inside consider your first impression walking in the door. Are there any glaring problems that jump out at your new critical eye? Is the floor dated or in poor shape? If so have a look at various options and price them out. You might be surprised to learn that the 1970s shag carpet you have been living with can be replaced for a lot less than you thought. This was without a doubt the biggest improvement we made to our home and the one I wish I had done far sooner. Are there any nail holes in the walls, or scuffs in the paint? It may be a simple touch-up, or perhaps it is time for a change. A new colour may breathe new life into a tired space.

In your kitchen is there anything that dates the house? If so, some of these things are simple changes. Knobs and pulls in the centre of your cabinet doors are often the culprit. Consider removing the hardware, filling the holes, sanding and repainting the cabinets and then relocating them with more modern or stylish hardware. Small changes like these can make it feel like a brand new kitchen.

In the bedrooms, clutter can creep in and make things feel cramped. Re-evaluate how you or other family members use these spaces, remove anything that is not needed, and hide away whatever you can in closets and dressers. De-cluttering these spaces will have a calming effect.

The bathroom is another place that can really date a home. Changes in this space can range from small to large. It could be as simple as changing the faucets, or as large as replacing the mauve fixtures. If you can’t beat them, join them. If you do have mauve fixtures and cannot afford to replace them, paint everything else white and select accessories that have a little mauve in them.

One of the biggest changes you can make is to neutralize. By this I mean if you have one room that is red, one blue and the other yellow, perhaps it is time to pick a more neutral palette that will not date itself. Colour can be brought in using accessories, so don’t worry.

Lighting is another thing that we tend to put off, but look skywards and see if there are any light fixtures that need updating. If you have a ceiling fan that has rattan on it, or fluted glass shades (or both), chances are it is time for a change. There are so many affordable options out there now. Stop by the lighting shop, or the home improvement store, to see.

Simply by thinking as if you were trying to impress a potential buyer, you will start to compile a list of things you have put off, and probably didn’t know it. Life is short, and there is no time like the present. Me, I have five more weeks to enjoy all the beautiful changes we made to our home for someone else. Learn from my procrastination and make the changes for yourself. The added bonus is if you do find yourself needing or wanting to sell, you will be prepared.

Jodi Chapman has been a designer for seven years, working in Toronto and Muskoka. She can be contacted at 645-6492.