Blog Post: First Impressions

As the saying goes “you only have one chance to make a first impression.”  Walking into your home can convey many things to your neighbors, friends, and potential buyers. How does your home really look? Homes that are kept clean and clutter free convey the impression that they are all well maintained. Cluttered messy homes suggest potential problems.

Take a walk through your own front door.  Is your front entry crowded with shoes, backpacks, and old newspapers you have brought in from the driveway and set down the moment you walked in? If you have a table near the front door is it piled with things that should be put away?

Look at your flooring.  The front entrances of our homes take it the hardest. This is what people see when they come to your door.  We have dogs at our house, wonderful, fluffy dogs. I am always amazed at how much hair can come off of them on a daily basis. This hair invariably appears to end up at our front entry on days when company is coming over. The one place you should always keep clutter free and clean is the entrance to your home.

The hall bathroom can often be another sore spot that we overlook. If it a small then think about decorating it sparingly.  Consider changing the color. A fresh coat of paint combined with a few simple decorations will make a small room stand out. Don’t forget to change your oil or scented decorations-chances are if they have been there awhile the scents have already left the building.

Another area that we tend to stop “seeing” is the kitchen counter. We put things down and forget that they are there.  Mail, assorted papers, and items taken out from cupboards and never put back can make your kitchen look smaller and feel messy. Think about putting a small wicker basket down, and use it as the catch-all so that mail and papers have a home once they come inside the house. Sort through it each day and throw out what you don’t really need and move the remainder to where it belongs.

When your second grader brings you a new drawing from school, resist the urge to add it to the five others on the refrigerator, instead think about how excited your child will be if instead you put the masterpiece in a small frame. Keep in mind a refrigerator is a large portion of your kitchen, and if it is covered with 25 colorful magnets and assorted papers, it will make your entire kitchen look cluttered.

Do you like fresh flowers? Too often we purchase bouquets and forget about the beautiful flowers we are growing in our own yards. A simple vase filled with home grown blossoms can add a nice splash of color to a kitchen.

In the morning don't forget to open windows and bring some of the crisp spring air inside. Spend just a few minutes getting rid of extra clutter and give your house that spring make-over.  The next time your doorbell rings you won’t have to scramble to hide things before you answer the door.

Pamela Blankenship

Century 21 Adobe Realty, Agoura Hills