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A spring clean and a spruce-up of your home can add real value, if done in the right way. Whether you’re putting your house on the market now or thinking about a sale in months or years to come, it’s never too soon to plan to maximise its potential selling price.
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A high level of ‘kerb appeal’ – the impact made when your house is first viewed by prospective buyers – can boost your home’s value dramatically. Tim Green, from Archway Joinery, says: “The first thing you should do is get the front of your house in order, so guests and onlookers are left with a strong first impression.
“Never overlook the power of a deep clean in making your home appear more well-kept. Even simple tasks like mowing the lawn or trimming the bushes can have a huge impact on the perceived value of a property.”
Elaine Penhaul, founder and director of home staging firm Lemon and Lime Interiors, recommends looking at the front of your house with a critical eye. She says: “Repair the broken gate, paint the windows and fascia boards – and fix the shed roof. “If your home looks badly maintained from the outside, then many buyers will be put off and assume it needs renovating on the inside as well.
“Rather than spending a fortune on refitting new window frames, spray your existing ones with a lick of paint to give them a new lease of life, which can add up to £10,000 to your house value.”
An attractive front garden can help you sell your home – and it’s vital that it’s not neglected. Professional home and lifestyle organiser Elizabeth Wickes agrees. “If you were going to view a property and all the plants in the front garden were dead, you’d think: what else hasn’t been maintained in the house?” she says.
“Wisteria looks stunning, and estate agents do say that it adds value.” It has even been suggested that wisteria could add as much as £10,000 to your home. However, it can also take up to five years to flower, and any wisteria you plant now is unlikely to affect the value of your home unless you’re thinking about a house sale in years to come.
But there are options that are faster to implement – though you might still want to allow a few months or more for them to establish. Wickes says: “Box plants look so stylish in a pot. Low-maintenance evergreens, red robins (photinia), roses, fragrant lavender and hydrangeas can add value too.”
Studies suggest painting your front door red can add the most value to your home – although there’s a wide range of colours that will help improve your sale price. Your front door is also an opportunity to reflect your personality.
And if you go for a bold colour choice, it can also make your house easier to spot on a busy road. “Go for a classic colour that suits the period of your home. Sage or racing green always work well, pillar-box red is beautiful and blue is still popular,” Wickes says. “But the most important thing is making sure your front door is high gloss, clean and not flaking. So, check the paint and touch it up – and invest in a nice doormat.”
Having a declutter or clear-out doesn’t just make your home nicer to live in, it can also increase its value and help it sell more quickly. “You can add £10,000 to the value of your home by simply creating more space, removing furniture from overfilled rooms and painting walls,” says Wickes.
“If you’re planning on downsizing later, think how much lighter you’ll feel when you take less stuff to your new home – and why would you pay to move what you don’t need?” She’s a firm believer that you should use everything you have in your home.
“I work with lots of people who’ve lived in their properties for 20 years or more, and usually memorabilia is the hardest thing to let go of. So, I’d always come to that last. Start off with something straightforward, like a crockery cupboard or your junk drawer."
Once you see how easy and quick that process is, it’ll give you the confidence to tackle the bigger projects for a greater sense of achievement. But decluttering isn’t always easy, particularly if you’ve lost a loved one and are surrounded by their belongings.
“Grief is so complicated, and people move at different paces, so you need to be kind to yourself and move things out gradually or you’ll feel resentful,” says Wickes. “Approach it from a practical perspective. If you have large pieces of furniture that hold sentimental value, perhaps a spring clean, fresh flowers and having a sense of space will encourage you to move them.
"If you pack things away rather than throwing them out, it gives you time to think before making a big decision.”
• Read our tips on how to declutter and organise paperwork.
A survey by Tapi Carpets listed mould as one of the top home-buying turn-offs. So tackle any build-ups that might have happened because of condensation or poor ventilation over the winter months.
Wipe off all visible mould using a scourer and cleaning solution (be careful of using bleach if you don’t want to strip the paint). If you do decide to freshen up the surface, use an anti-mildew or stain-blocking paint to make sure it doesn’t reappear. Spring and summer are particularly good times to get your boiler serviced, when central heating engineers aren’t as busy.
Look at your home’s energy efficiency, because a better EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating can boost your home’s value. There might be small things you can do to make a difference, such as changing old-style light bulbs for more energy efficient ones.
Craig Phillips, who co-runs the Youtube channel Mrs and Mrs DIY, says that adding additional draught proofing around doors and window frames makes your home more energy efficient and comfortable to be in.
“When the weather cools I always ask people to go round and place their hands around the inside of door and window frames, letter boxes and cat flaps to see if they can feel any cold draughts. “If air’s coming in, it’s letting heat out too, which is bad for both your bank balance and the environment.”
A kitchen upgrade can add up to 10% to your house price, according to figures from thepropertycentres.co.uk. But if you’re not ready for a new one yet, Rajashri Chakraborty, interior designer from Design Scheme, recommends freshening up your cupboards with a lick of paint.
“Pick two contrasting colours for a real update. I used dark Hague blue and white on a recent redesign, and it gives it a modern touch,” she says. Worktop overlays, new cupboard handles and removing clutter can add impressive finishing touches.
You might remember earthy shades and wicker from the 1970s and ’80s, but they’re enjoying a revival. “Wicker lamps and lampshades add an earthy touch – team them with a piece of nice wooden furniture like a coffee table and your home will look and feel cosier,” says Chakraborty.
A bathroom renovation can also add a small percentage to your home’s value. But if you can’t face (or afford) ripping your bathroom out, Chakraborty recommends upgrading parts of it. “If you have an unhygienic shower curtain, think about replacing it with a hinged glass door,” she says.
If you have carpet in your bathroom, change it for new flooring. Vinyl is inexpensive and gives a warm, modern feel.
If you think you’re stuck with your old patio and decking, because replacing it is too costly and disruptive, home interiors expert Claire Douglas has good news. “If you have a tired patio or ugly concrete path, you don’t always have to undertake a huge demolition and reconstruction project,” she says.
“With the help of a pressure washer, some masonry paint and a good stencil set, you can transform the look and feel. This project can usually be completed for under £100 over a couple of days and is well worth the time and effort.”
Decking can be revived relatively easily too, she says. “Old, slippery and unattractive decking can be both a hazard and an eyesore. By giving it a glow-up you can enhance the space ready to host alfresco dinner parties.
“Use a pressure washer, decking cleaning and reviving solution, and some decking oil, to get the timber looking like new. This project costs £50 to £100 and takes a day or two, depending on the weather and how many coats of oil or stain you need.”
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