Dear Heather,

I am just about to put my home on the market, and the kitchen is looking a bit tired. Do you think I should redo it before selling?

Kitchen Quandary

Dear Kitchen Quandary,

Fortunately, it is not necessary to rob a bank to remodel the kitchen before selling your home. In fact, you don’t need to spend money to spruce it up, unless it needs to be painted. In which case, always play it safe with a neutral colour — white or cream is best. You can arrange it, and make it a desirable kitchen by using simple, proven staging techniques. Let’s explore how this can be done:

• First and foremost, clean it; make it sparkle;

• Scrub the baseboards and vacuum the corners;

• Polish chrome fixtures, dust ceiling fans and replace burnt-out light bulbs, even over the stove;

• If you typically cook meals that leave a lingering odour, consider dining out or bringing home takeout while your home is on the market, or the day before showing. You don’t want a buyer walking into the house, sniffing the air and exclaiming, “Yuck, smells like cabbage.”;

• Don’t ever leave dirty dishes in the sink nor in the dishwasher. Buyers open dishwashers. Don’t ask me why;

• Wipe down all the cabinets, inside and out. Polish the hardware — if it’s worn or dated, consider replacing knobs / handles, this can make a huge difference;

• Stainless steel appliances always look more modern, simply replacing appliances can really jazz up a tired kitchen.

• Tidy up your cupboards, throw out anything you won’t be using in the near future or that is out of date, spare space in the cupboards suggests they are plenty big enough for everything you need;

• Alphabetise your spices. Turn all coffee cup handles facing the same direction. Buyers will notice and think you are meticulous about the rest of the home, too;

• Consider replacing dirty drip pans under the burners on the stove. Pull off the stove knobs and polish them;

• Remove all cleaning products and sponges from the sink counter, and put them in the cupboard below;

• Get rid of magnets, photos, children’s artwork or notes attached to the refrigerator, yes really! They instantly create ‘muddle’;

• Consider placing large bowls of polished fruit on the counter, next to gourmet olive oil or a full bottle of red wine. Use a stand to hold an open cookbook of colourful photographs. Keep counter items and appliances to an absolute minimum;

• Placing a rug under the dining table defines the area and makes it appear separate, yet still part of the rest of the kitchen. By bringing in a small table and two chairs, the dining area can spring to life. Suddenly, the use of this space is evident;

• If the dining area is spacious, set the table for an intimate breakfast for two;

• Tidy books in the bookcase, arrange them in order of size, get rid or box up any that are ‘tatty’;

• Bring in plants to liven up the space. Arrange them in corners, or on tables, where they add warmth, but don’t get in the way or take up usable counter space;

• Don’t block windows, let in the light.

I am sure once you get going you will start getting creative and discover that your kitchen really just needed a make over, not a complete replacement.

Heather Chilvers is among Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s leading sales representatives. She has been working in real estate for 25 years. If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332 1793. All questions will be treated in confidence.