To sell your house quickly and for the most money, your home needs to be in tip-top shape before it hits the housing market—and one of the best things you can do is pay for professional cleaning services. Check out these tips and resources from MamaSuds to discover the benefits of hiring a cleaning professional when selling your home, and to learn about the steps you’ll need to take to prep your house for sale.

 

The Benefits of Professional Cleaning Services

 

Professional cleaners can help to prep your house for sale and transform your carpets, rugs, windows, and more.

 

• Deep cleaning is one of the best (and cheapest) things you can do to increase the value of your home, along with sprucing up the kitchen, painting the interior walls, and replacing old light switches and outlet covers.
• Professional cleaning costs vary, but most are priced by the area.
• As you prepare to list your home, there are several cleaning mistakes you’ll need to avoid—and a professional cleaning company will have the time, skills, and tools needed to successfully showcase your home in photos and in person.
• Many professional cleaners offer a variety of services, from carpet and upholstery cleaning to oven and window cleaning.

 

Tips for Cleaning, Decluttering, and Staging Your Home

 

These cleaning, decluttering, and staging tips will showcase your home in the best possible way.

 

• Decluttering your home is crucial, and any unwanted items can be donated, sold, recycled, or moved into storage.
• In addition to paying for professional cleaning services, decluttering and organizing services are available.
• You can also use some easy-to-remember tips to help you organize.
• Staging is also important when selling a house, and Anna Cottrell of Real Homes shares three home staging tips for sellers.

 

Cleaning Advice for Pet Owners

 

If you live with one or more animal companions, the need for professional cleaning services is even greater when preparing to sell a home.

 

• From odors and stains to scratches and chewing damages, several pet problems must be fixed prior to listing your home.
• To conquer pet odors naturally, Erica Reitman of HGTV recommends vacuuming all animal hair and dander, washing and drying all pet covers and cushions, and cleaning your pet’s collars, bowls, and leashes.

 

A lot of time and money goes into selling a house, but several cleaning and decluttering mistakes could easily sabotage your home sale. Leave these tasks to the pros to sell your home faster and for top dollar: It’ll be well worth the cost of paying for professional cleaning services!

 

For non-toxic, vegan, eco-friendly soaps and household cleaners, shop MamaSuds today!

• Castile Soap is a vegetable-based, non-toxic, natural and biodegradable product with many uses.
• It can be used to make DIY beauty products and household cleaning products.
• Castile Soap offers benefits like versatility, affordability, and gentle cleansing qualities.
• It can be used as a shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, dish soap then followed up with an acid for stunning results.
• MamaSuds offers quality Castile soap-based products at an affordable price.

The same versatile, non-toxic cleaning products you've used on other projects in your house can be used for hard water stains as well. Follow these simple hints and watch those spots disappear. 

• Identifying the best sources of energy is essential for a successful off-the-grid experience, such as wind, solar, and hydropower.
• Access to water and waste disposal must be obtained before living off the grid. Water should be treated or boiled if from rainwater or well. Septic tanks, lagoons, composting toilets and greywater systems are options for waste disposal.
• Alternative sources of fuel to heat water, prepare meals and keep a home warm include oil, solid fuels like coal and wood, storage heaters, electric boilers, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) and renewables.

Keeping your clean home can be a real chore. However, by focusing the bulk of your cleaning efforts on key spots, you will save time and your sanity. Here are three primary spots in your home to clean on a regular basis to keep your house looking tidy and free of harmful bacteria and germs.

When many people 'go green,' they usually go out and buy paper straws and reusable grocery bags to mark the beginning of their new lifestyle. While these are smart ways to ease into a more sustainable way of living, you can also make a few adjustments to your home. You can make it so your home runs more efficiently by reducing the amount of energy you're wasting and dramatically shrinking your carbon footprint. The following are a few tips on how you can do this.

Update Your Roof

High-quality roofing keeps a home secure and protected from damage. Therefore, replace your shingles if you notice they're curved, broken, or missing. While you work on your roof, check that your home is insulated properly. Check your attic and look for signs of mildew or moisture. If it's time to replace your home's insulation, fiberglass is a popular option. If you would like to use a more sustainable option, newspaper is a great possibility since it's made from recycled materials.

Draft-Proof Your Doors and Windows

Check to see whether the windows let in a draft. If they do, you have a couple of options. You can seal them by using a high-grade polyurethane caulk to cover any gaps. You can also invest in energy-efficient doors and windows, which will significantly cut down on the amount of heating and air conditioning leaving your home. Windows that are energy-efficient tend to be double glazed, which will also make your home feel warmer during those harsh winter months. For a quicker and more affordable option, consider investing in thermal-backed curtains instead.

Use Eco-Friendly Light Bulbs

This is another simple switch you can do overnight. However, you may want to wait until your current light bulbs are on their last legs before swapping them out with eco-friendly bulbs. Throwing out bulbs that work is unnecessary and wasteful, which is the complete opposite of the sustainability message. Eco-friendly light bulbs like LEDs are energy-efficient — but still make sure to turn the lights off when you're not using them.

Making the switch to a more sustainable lifestyle doesn't mean you have to empty your wallet in the process. These changes are practical to implement and can actually save you money in the long run. But best of all, you'll be doing your part in trying to reduce your carbon footprint, making the world a safer and more sustainable place to live.

Be sustainable in the way you clean! Click here to check out our safe All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate!

Keeping your home organized doesn't have to be a challenge. However, it's easier to stay inside and work on home improvement projects when it's nasty outside. Try the tips below to make life easier all year long and keep yourself occupied on cold winter days.

Maybe you’ve just moved into a new home, or you’re hoping to rearrange a well-loved space. You’re seeking a comfortable, homey feeling but you don’t want to spend a fortune, and you want to keep it natural. Luckily, there are several things that you can do to make sure that you stick to natural products, while still making sure your home feels welcoming.

Lighting

When decorating a space, consider where the lights are placed and the type of lightbulbs you are using. Many homes use incandescent light because they have a warm yellow light. But these light bulbs burn out fairly quickly compared to LED lights, and it takes more of them to light a space. Try replacing your incandescent lights with LED lights and placing them strategically around the room. You can use lampshades and other coverings to diffuse the light, giving the room a similar feeling to incandescent bulbs with much less expense.

Textiles

Area rugs, throw pillows, and blankets are easy ways to add color and texture to a space. These items are available in a wide range of colors, patterns, and designs to suit many different aesthetic styles. Even in a kitchen setting, adding a plush area rug to a high-traffic area can help to break up the space and add a homey feel. Living rooms and bedrooms are signature spots for adding cozy throws and pillows.

Fragrance

Our homes smell like a lot of different things. Sometimes, when we have been cooking or baking, that smell can be fantastic, but there are other times when you want the smell gone as fast as possible. Increasing air flow between rooms can help disperse smells, but you can also cover it up using a diffuser. Essential oils are a great natural way to disperse good smells throughout your home, without having to rely on the chemicals or artificial smells. Cinnamon and citrus oils are particularly popular for covering up unpleasant odors.

Wall Décor

Canvases, photographs, and tapestries are wonderful ways to add a homey feel to a space. You might plan out a color scheme that wall art helps to tie together, or you may let your personal preferences lead and simply select images, patterns, and colors that appeal to your intuitive side. Contrasting colors, like colors, and tone on tone art are all options for beautifying a space. If you have outer walls that tend to get cold during the winter, consider covering them with hangings or tapestries. Not only does this look great, but it also provides a little extra insulation.

There are a lot of things that you can do to make your home a little more like you, but it doesn’t have to break the bank, and you can still stay natural. Use these tips to create your ideal living space.

 

There is nothing quite as exciting (or as exhausting) as the last trimester of pregnancy. The baby is coming soon and there are so many tasks to do in those last few months to be ready for your baby's arrival. Even if you are adopting or making use of a surrogate, preparing your house for the changes a new child will bring seems almost overwhelming!

As you head into the last few months before your baby’s arrival, taking the time to prepare your home will help you better handle all the changes that come. Getting your home cleaned and organized before you are juggling the demands of a newborn and your other responsibilities will give peace of mind and help you be prepared to handle any new mess or clutter that crops up. Consider tackling some of these key areas as you clean to better prepare.

 

Kitchen

The kitchen is the center of your home, where food and family meet on a daily basis. Take a few hours to inspect and prioritize these areas in your kitchen.

Refrigerator

Dedicate time to cleaning out your refrigerator and freezer before your baby arrives. Check expiration dates on items and throw away anything past expiration as well as any food or leftovers that have been lurking in the back of your refrigerator. Wipe down the shelves with warm water and vinegar.

Pantry

Just like your refrigerator, dedicate a chunk of time to going through your pantry and throwing away food items that are past expiration. Unopened cans or boxes that are not at expiration can be donated to your local food pantry. Stock up on quick, healthy snacks that you can grab on the go when you are home with your new baby. Keep a shelf stocked with bottles or breast pump supplies and be sure to rearrange a little space for kid’s snacks and food as they grow.

 

Laundry Room

Babies produce an incredible amount of laundry, much of it stained. Be ready to tackle stains and higher volumes of laundry.

Cleaners

Stock up on baby-safe cleaners for your newborn's clothing, sheets, and towels. Take it a step further and purchase laundry cleaners that are both good for the environement and safe for your baby.  

Hampers

Make sure you have adequate hampers with distinct compartments to sort your baby's clothes separately from the rest of the family.

 

Baby’s Room

You’ve probably been in a nesting stage for a while, but now is the time to double-check, dust and clean your baby’s future room.

Changing Table

No nursery room would be complete without one of these. Stock up your table with extra diapers, wipes, power, creams, as well as extra clothes. Organize the drawers in a way that makes sense for you during changing. Or don't use one at all (I never did!). I kept a basket with changing supplies in the room we were in the most and just changed my babies on the floor.

Closet

If you’ve received any baby clothes, sheets, or other future supplies, take time now to organize them in the nursery closet. Clothing that won’t fit right away can be packed away or hung at the back. Extra crib sheets and pillows should be stored on higher shelves.

 

Tackling cleaning and organizing tasks as you prepare for your new baby is a smart way to spend those last few months before they arrive. Do some organization and be sure you have a plan for future cleaning and organization as well.