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Top First Impression Articles:
Curb appeal is the cover of the book, first impressions are what people remember when they go home
You know the basic curb appeal storyline: If potential buyers don’t like what they see from the street, they might never get inside the front door. You might have done the same at some point yourself when shopping for a home.
Clutter-less means starting slow, small and remain steady
Clutter tolerance seems to run a fever cycle, much like the flu. Every so often, the cluttered household will become intolerable, sparking the home manager to brief, massive anti-clutter spasms. Piles will be shifted, boxes will be filled, stuff will be stashed--until the fever breaks. Then the clutter tide flows back n, confusion redoubled because of the flushed and furious attempts to get a grip in a hurry.
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Additional Cleaning Tips
Cleaning tips for odor removal from your house
If your house has extreme odors, it is best to remove the odors and not try to mask them by using air-freshener cover-ups or trying to bake cookies to cover-up the smells. Address the odor causing issue first.
In extreme cases where odors have permeated into the house itself, it may be necessary to do a thorough cleaning of the house from top to bottom.
There are many odors that may permeate the textiles and fabrics in your home that are offensive and that need to be removed for your comfort or to make your house more saleable. Some of those odors are cooking odors, particularly fish and curry odors, smoke from cigarettes or oven fires, pet odors or the odor from illness or incontinence.
For extreme cases, its best to start in the room most likely to have caused the initial odor problems. For example, cooking odors obviously are in the kitchen. Pet odors, well, wherever pet odors occurred most frequently. Illness odors are most likely in a bedroom, or favorite chair. Start in those places.
In these extreme cases it is probably advisable to permanently remove all the carpeting or furniture in the room, at least fabric covered furniture. It is very difficult to remove odors from fabric covered furniture. Once these items have been removed, you can begin the cleaning process.
Cleaning solutions
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Diltued chlorine bleach does not clean very effectively, but it will destroy surface bacteria and surface mold spores. It does lose its effectiveness quickly. Bleach can also harm fabrics and other floor coverings and finishes. Chlorine bleach will not effectively penetrate wood surfaces to kill molds that are growing inside wood. Therefore, chlorine bleach is NOT recommended as a mold killing agent. It does sanitize surface areas where bacteria may be present, but not in porous materials such as wood.
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Tri-sodium phasphate (TSP) is a very strong cleaner at the dilutions normally used, which vary from 1/2 cup TSP to 2 gallons of warm water for heavy duty cleaning to 1 cup TSP to 3 quarts warm water for ridiculously heavy duty cleaning. For mildew killing, household bleach is added to the TSP/water mixture. The recommended ratio is 1 part household bleach to 4 parts water.
WARNING: TSP can cause staining to metals such as shower doors, chromed drains and plumbing fixtures, and can also etch the glazing on ceramic tile if left in contact too long. It can also attack the grout... it is an ingredient in products used to remove dried grout from tile surfaces in new installations. -
Vinegar the acetic acid in vinegar is an effective disinfectant, deodorizer, and cleaner which will cut grease and soap scum, dissolve mineral buildup, and inhibit mold and bacteria growth.
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Baking soda neutralizes both basics ("ammonia smells", common in diaper pails) and acidic odors (like the smell from pickles). Baking soda causes dirt and grease to dissolve in water, so it is very effective in cleaning kitchen counter tops, refrigerators, and stove tops. And sprinkled on a sponge or dishrag, baking soda forms a mildly abrasive scouring powder.
Each of these items are known for their odor elminating properties and depending on the situation, one of them may suit your needs. Don't try to mix them all together however to try and get a super cleaner. You should also wear protective clothing and gloves when working with these cleaners. They can cause skin irritations.
First impressions info
Refrigerator smells: use activated charcoal in an open container. It works longer than baking soda.
Homemade air-fresheners: take some clove oil, lemon extract, peppermint or vanilla extract. Soak a cotton ball with just one of these items and place it in a plastic bag or container with holes and put it in the room. Don't over do this.
Febreeze spray should be in every house sellers tool kit. It works wonders once the source of the odor is eliminated, Febreeze can add a natural scent to almost any room.