There isn’t ever a down-time in the Ottawa housing market, but the spring months are definitely the busiest each year.

If you’re a homeowner looking to sell, making adjustments to one of the most important rooms in the home – the kitchen – can help your house stand apart from others. Here are three of our favourite tips to help your kitchen appear larger and brighter, without breaking the bank.

Tip #1 for Refreshing Your Kitchen: Declutter

It may seem obvious, but clearing as much as possible from your countertops – including cookbooks, flower vases, and small appliances – can make a big difference. Consider storing items you don’t use every day, and create a dedicated spot for things like your mail, so it doesn’t end up collecting dust in the corner of the kitchen.

Tip #2 for Refreshing Your Kitchen: Downsize

Not downsize in terms of square-footage (obviously!), but downsize the amount of added fixtures that are unnecessary – hanging lamps, barstools, and islands, for example. Kitchen islands were a ‘must have’ feature a few years ago, but if you aren’t doing a lot of baking or meal prep on it, getting rid of it can create the illusion of a larger, more open kitchen.

If you have items like barstools in your kitchen that you’re planning on taking with you to your new home, consider putting them in storage or in another room so prospective buyers can envision the space with (or without!) their own furniture.

Tip #3 for Refreshing Your Kitchen: Brighten the Colour

If your kitchen cabinets and colours are outdated, adding a splash of white paint is an inexpensive way to bring new life to the space and make it appear more open. Whether it’s on your walls or the cabinets (or both!) a crisp white finish can refresh the space and make it feel like new.

The kitchen is often said to be the most central spaces in the home. Be sure to impress buyers with these small, inexpensive upgrades and help your home stand out from the crowd in the busy Ottawa market.