An open house is one of the best ways to showcase your house to buyers. Home owners are prepared for the open house, not having to drop everything and rush out of the house with a few hours' notice.

Sellers can thoughtfully and lovingly prepare their homes to impress potential buyers, ensuring that it feels homey and clean-- someplace someone else might want to live. But what are the best ways to prepare for an open house? It's not as complicated as one might think!

Outdoor Maintenance

Curb appeal is just as important as the state of the inside of the home. Curb appeal is the very first impression given to a buyer and shoddy landscaping, ill maintained gutters, or a weed filled driveway can turn up a nose before they even see the inside.

Investing in a pressure wash system or a "home wash" hose to spray residue off the siding will give the house an instant facelift. If the house is supposed to be white, it should look white! The windows should be sparkling and reflect the sunlight, not be caked in grimy dirt. Rain gutters should be securely attached to the house and completely free of any and all debris.

Make sure the front door of your house is inviting. After all, it's the passageway into what could be someone's new home! If the knob and lock are dull or rusted, freshen up with new hardware. If the door could use some work, a fresh coat of paint in a cheery color is a cheap facelift. Give the outdoor lighting a check; if it's outdated or dirty, either replace it or clean it.

And while it's a small touch, it's effective: invest in a new welcome mat. Stepping over a fresh and easily readable "Welcome!" sets the tone of the open house.

Reduce Clutter

Clutter is a turn off to anyone, but it's especially bad for the house's potential to sell. When counters are filled with bills, the refrigerator is covered in kids' art projects, or the living room is a maze of beloved antiques, a potential buyer will only see the lack of space caused by this clutter and not the space that's actually there.

Renting a storage unit or a POD to store unnecessary furniture or decorations will make the house shine and make it easier to keep it picked up for those last minute showings.

Remove personal items like pictures, trophies, or personal artwork. Buyers want to see themselves in the home and seeing smiling faces of another family scattered throughout the home can be a turn off.

Keep Organized

Hiding things behind closed doors may seem like a good solution for keeping the house clutter free, but people looking at the house are going to want to see every nook and cranny before they think about investing.

Make sure closets are well organized; clothes should be hung up or folded on shelves, shoes should be lined up neatly. Drawers should be free of junk and utensils that are organized make the kitchen feel larger and more usable.

An open house is the time to let a house shine, so of course cleanliness, organization, and a fresh front are the best ways to showcase the beauty of the home during an open house. Simple fixes that can be completed over a weekend are all that's needed to get a house sold.