Lydia Denworth (2014) has said, “Our eyes, ears, skin, nose and mouth are all receptors. Everything that comes into the brain enters through one of these doors.” that awareness through our senses is perception. She also said, “Perception is an active process of constructing a reality,” With the goal being to sell your home, let us look at how you can ensure that your home is appealing to all 5 of the senses.
Sight: This is such a huge area for first impressions. Curb appeal being the first area to focus on. Make sure that the yard is freshly mowed, hedges trimmed, clean up any debris, and have some potted plants by the door for a welcoming feeling. Paint is a great way to add more visual appeal. Did you know that you could gain $5 for every $1 you potentially spend on painting your home? According to Consumer Reports, tones of light grey for the living room and common spaces, beige or pale greens for the bedrooms, a sunny yellow or wheat tones for the kitchen.
Touch/Feel: is where we will talk about clutter. Make sure that carpets are freshly vacuumed, floors are moped and streak free. Counters are clear. Pack up personal photos and taste specific décor. You want all of the potential buyers to feel like they can live within your space. Preferably that is an upgrade, and how they truly deserve to live.
Sound: Make an effort to minimize noise within the home, have pets stay off property if possible, consider insulating your garage door to minimize street noise, explore insulating your dishwasher so it is quieter.
Smell: Such an important area. Make sure that the home does not smell like any bio accidents from pets, is clean and fresh, but not loaded with chemicals. Consider baking a batch of cookies or bread, before leaving for a showing. Even looking into diffusing essential oils. The smell of orange is reported to reduce anxiety and encourage feelings of happiness.
Taste: I am not going to ask you to feed anyone, but instead we will focus on the kitchen here. This is an area that can yield a high return. Explore if cabinets need to be repainted, or if simply replacing knobs and drawer pulls could update the look. The cheapest thing you can do to upgrade your kitchen is to minimize everything in it. Clear out the counter tops and leave nothing but the coffee pot on the counters.