You don't need to redesign your house before putting up your house for sale, but you can certainly make a few improvements here and there. Many people consider the kitchen to be one of the most important rooms in the house, so don't be surprised if the state of the kitchen makes or breaks a sale. Here are some practical tips for improving the kitchen before selling your home:

Clean the Kitchen

Cleaning the house before a sale makes it attractive to all buyers. Clean not only the kitchen but also other rooms. In the kitchen, you should focus on the cleaning tile grouts, the stoves or ranges, refrigerators, sinks, and the spaces around them. The grouts, in particular, should be thoroughly cleaned (bleach may work).

Set Up Cleaning Items

A clean kitchen sends a powerful message about the status of your house. A homeowner with a spotless kitchen is probably not going to let termites thrive in their basement. If your kitchen is dirty, however, then it's anybody's guess how the rest of the house is. Apart from cleaning the kitchen, you can also send this signal of cleanliness by setting up a tray of cleaning items on the counter. Have some clean sponges, soap containers, hand soap and washing liquid on a tray.

Improve the Smell

It's not just how your kitchen looks that matters; even the smell may determine how buyers perceive your house. Therefore, improve your kitchen's smell by using fresh flowers or fruits in strategic corners of your kitchen.

Organize the Kitchen

Another tip is to organize the kitchen and make sure everything is in its place. Make sure there are no unnecessary items on the countertop, pet dishes on the floor, brooms or mops lying around haphazardly, and other such things. That kind of disorganization may signal to potential buyers, even subconsciously, that your kitchen appliances aren't well maintained or that it isn't clean. Don't forget to organize the pantry while you're at it.

Fix Broken Issues

When a potential buyer sees a dripping faucet (or any other small malfunction), they may think that there is a deeper and more serious issue wrong with your plumbing. Therefore, do your best to take care of the small issues such as worn out burner pans and loose corners on countertops to signal to the buyers that everything in your kitchen is functional.

Hopefully, the issues in your kitchen won't cause buyers to view and ignore your house. Talk to your agent for more tips on how to make your kitchen attractive to potential buyers.