"Dressing" a house

[JumpJockey]

Is it really important to have flowers on the table/ smell of cakes baking, or can people see through that sort of thing now?Have just put our place on the market so we have this weekend to tidy everything away and try to get rid of toddler smears on the walls and wondering of the cliched things are cliches because they work...?!

No I think it looks naffo having a fake breakfast table laid up. Just clear away 80% of your daily crap

Clean, declutter, declutter even more, declutter even further - less stuff makes the house look bigger. Clear away nearly everything on the kitchen surface. Clean the windows. Everything should be light and airy.

I think having a table laid up is so awful really put me off houses, although it is rare now and smacks of desperation.

Jolly good - will be lucky if we can get todder breakfast off the table, let alone lay a fresh one out!

Yes, we're in the middle of all of this too. In fact I am off in a minute to the storage we have just hired (!) with yet more boxes of crap stuff. We've put a whole sofa in there and, I have to say, the house looks a lot better for it. Also look at tangles of wires, and clutter on the floor, that really shrinks the size of the room. A friend also reminded me that putting every bottle in your bathroom into a basket is quite a good trick for looking neat.

If you've got some sugar soap, that makes a real difference to grubby walls. I like flowers (or bulbs in a pot) at this time of year, but then I like them anyway!

As for smells, I have been told that coffee and bread are a bit obvious now, but a vanilla pod in a low oven or scented candles are, apparently, a good thing.

Is is a family sized home you are selling? If so leave a smattering of tasteful toys out - not the plastic tat but the wooden stuff that never gets played with.

You do need to have the place very clean and de-cluttered but be careful not to de-clutter too much as you can leave your house looking sterile.

Do we need to take the fire guard down? It's one of those boxy kinds that attach to the wall. Room looks bigger without, but don't want child getting into the fireplace...

also, spare room if used partly as study, is it best to have the sofa bed folded out to show you can fit a double in? Is a bit of a squeeze tbh, would it be better to leave as sofa and let people use their imagination? Can I leave DD2's bedside crib next to our bed?

Make it as clean and clutter free as possible.Most people are looking for location and general space after that it is the 'feel' of the house that guides buyers. Anyway most people have seen these shows and know all teh tricks they suggest so it is a bit naff. A nice big bunch of flowers won't do any harm but won't really affect selling. As long as the kitchen and bathroom are spotless and the floor space is fairly clear you will be fine.

Jumpjockey I would those few things you have listed are fine as they are your living day-to-day and you don't want to be massively inconvenienced, however, I agree with the others that the house should be decluttered elsewhere - completely neat and spotless, (clean windows etc.). A couple of vases of flowers are very attractive, and air the house to make sure its fresh-smelling...far better than synthetic air fresheners...

I've been house hunting- and to answer your q, yes I can see right through those touches! It makes me smile though. TBH it depends on the buyer- I tend to stare at the walls then compare square footage, but a light and airy house is always welcoming. Don't worry too much- features like a new kitchen or bathroom will sell the house for you, not bread or flowers! :) Good luck

Well I am desperate to buy a house that stinks of fags, needs every window replacing and every carpet ripping up, go figure !

Leave the fireguard. We took ours down for photos because the fireplace is gorgeous but we kept it up for viewings.

I actually appreciate the fact that home owners have gone to the effort of de-cluttering, airing the house and putting some flowers in vases. It makes it a lot easier to imagine myself and my belongings in it.

I have lost count of the times (I have bought 5 times) that I have viewed houses where the dishes haven't been done, the bathroom needed scrubbed, it stinks of fags or the garden could do with a weed. It makes me wonder how serious a seller they are or am I going to waste a whole bunch of money on legal fees only for them to drop out of the sale.

Do you think that's the case cracked fox ? Am a bit worried now if our offer is accepted they'll dick around because there was literally no effort made at the house I want, but it was two men selling which I think makes a difference.

I have bought a flat from a single bloke and it was a hovel but it had lots of potential. IME if you buy from men there tends to be a lot of cleaning awaiting when you move in.

Well we've bunged a load of stuff in the loft, mowed the lawn, put the patio table out (a bit daft as it immediately rained...), touched up a few door frames where the paint was chipped, and relegated the excess books and CDs to storage.

All we need now is some viewings... Anyone fancy a nice 3 bed terrace near the Fenland Poly?