As any real estate agent will tell you, the kitchen is the heart of the home. While a messy, overcrowded and tired looking kitchen can be a big turnoff, the following steps will make your kitchen more appealing to prospective buyers.

Make Your Kitchen Functional. Clear the counters as much as possible—completely clear is the best option. Put cooking appliances you don’t often use in storage. Keep drawers clean and organized with only the utensils you need and get a head start on packing by putting everything you want to bring with you in boxes. And while you’re at it, throw away any useless items you come across. Make your move even easier by donating items you never use to a local charity.

Clean It. Go through the fridge and cabinets and throw out all those ingredients you haven’t touched in years. Clean the fridge thoroughly and organize it, and clean all the appliances as well. You may want to consider replacing low-cost items such as toasters, coffee makers and microwaves to give the kitchen a fresh, new look. For cabinets, dust or vacuum up any crumbs that have gathered. Throw away what you don’t need and make sure cabinets are neat and tidy. If you have cabinets that are stuffed with plates, mugs or cooking utensils, either get rid of some stuff or put it in storage for the time being.

You’ll also want to clean the floors thoroughly, in addition to cleaning behind the fridge and stove.

Be sure to check the curtains in your kitchen as well. When’s the last time you cleaned them? Buying new curtains is a very affordable way to spruce up a room. And make sure the windows are spotless.

Consider Renovating. If you have outdated cabinets and counters, buyers will almost certainly take some money off your asking price. The good thing about remodeling a kitchen as a seller is that you can design it for sale. Without spending a lot of money, you can buy new light fixtures, new faucets and handles and even replace these things yourself. If you don’t want to spend money on new cabinets, think about replacing the doors, or at least painting the cabinets. Just be sure that whatever you spend is worth it.

Staging the Kitchen. When prospective buyers come to look at the house, set the table tastefully as if for a meal with a centerpiece and settings. Bake cookies so that visitors are greeted with a pleasant, homey smell. Open curtains and turn on the lights so that people can see the best of what your kitchen has to offer.

For more tips to improve your kitchen, contact our office today.