One problem with peel and stick stuff is that it can peel if the area it is applied to is greasy. A cart would just make the kitchen look smaller and more congested. The normal answer about the cart would be if it was attached it would stay with the house. If not attached you could take it with you or include it as you wish. There are a couple of other forums that you might have better luck on getting good answers, kitchens or home decorating.

When are you putting your home on the market? What you want to achieve to market your home is a light and bright, spacious home that photographs well.

This is where the phrase: "A place for everything and everything in it's place" helps guide you. De-cluttering is the very first thing to do. This will give you a good idea of the available space after you have removed un-necessary items from countertops, cabinets and closets (including pantry). Have your countertops completely cleared off and add back very few items. Photos have a tendency to exaggerate the clutter - so be ruthless with your removal of everything. Be very selective when you add anything to the top of your countertops.

Cleaning and deep cleaning is next.

Lighting is very important.

You have nice cabinets and nice appliances, once you have done the above, you may want to paint the walls a different color to brighten the space.

I don't know if a peel and stick backsplash would be necessary once you have done the above.

The movable cart may hurt your sale because you only would have 3 ft of space from the cart to walk around the sides. I would say no to the cart. Kitchen size is important.

You have a nice kitchen!

No peel-and-stick.

Your kitchen will look fine all cleaned up. Just choose a shade of paint with no yellow in it.

Good luck!

agree with previous comments. no to backsplash since you already have backsplash-your granite(or laminate). fake or not-i see no reason to add one whether real or peel and stick..unless you take off the one you have, but then it already calls for a proper backsplash. in short..let the future buyers decide later what they want to change and how they want it. Maybe they won't change a thing, or change it down the road. Obviously I can't see the imperfections you see, but you see more imperfections than anybody right now, you're a seller and suddenly everything is under your inner magnifying glass.

no to cart and/or island-they'll take too much space.

yes to cleaning the counters as much as possible, and leaving just a few things..a pretty jug, a bowl of fruit..a teapot..in short decluttering, plus just a bit of styling

your kitchen is appealing enough

your paint is already light and neutral(at least on my monitor) so wouldn't worry about that either but since you're going to paint anyway, that should be an easy change

don't worry(I know easier said than done) and good luck!

Just a thought to cover the countertop that does not touch the wall. Use a wider than the gap caulk/seal along the whole countertop. Just make it even along the whole thing.

I might possibly update the light fixtures with something more stylish - that's not expensive. I might put an inexpensive, tasteful rug in the middle of that space just to add some color and make photos more appealing and hang a coordinating towel on that range handle. Also as others mentioned clear all the stuff off the counters - that would be top priority. It's a nice kitchen - just make it neat, clean, clutter free and perhaps ad a couple things mentioned above to make it a little more visually appealing/interesting for listing photos.

There does not appear to be a lot of counter space so I would removed everything, including the paper towels. Skip the towel on the stove -- your appliances are nice.

Thank you so much, everyone!! I am so glad to hear that it looks alright the way it is. I will definitely remove all clutter when the time comes, that is easy enough.

I tried caulking behind the counter at one point, but the gap was too wide in some areas. Would it be horrible to run a strip of some kind of molding across the back?

Replacing the lighting fixtures is reasonable - I'm just not sure what people would want to see. The fixtures aren't old, but they are very basic and blah. Better suited for a hallway or something. If anyone could point me in the direction of a particular style that could work, I would really appreciate it!

Try practicing using two boards with a similar gap. You do not want to caulk behind but to lay the caulking so that it touches the countertop and the wall but does not sink into the crack. Think of it as using a ribbon to cover a seam.

You are not just removing all clutter but EVERYTHING. At least for the photos and open houses. That means toaster and coffee maker and paper towels and canisters (unless they are magnificent). For ordinary showings, no problem. I found that a couple of plastic laundry baskets were perfect for stowing things and then stashing in the garage or in the back of the car when we left during the open house.

The only thing that should be on the counters is a colorful bowl of fruit. Nothing else

no to the cart and backsplash

Clean out every drawer and cabinet and make them look almost empty. Make sure everything is arranged neatly inside.

Make sure everything is spotless. That includes door knobs, light switches, etc. Make sure stainless shines and same with faucets.

If you want to spend a few dollars buy pullouts for the lower cabinets.

The kitchen isn't that bad. The one thing that I notice - and it could just be the angle of the photo - is that old boob light. Replace it with something a bit more modern. like maybe 3 or 4 can lights.

No island/cart, not enough room. Add a colorful rug at the sink. Take almost every single thing off the counters and remove the towel from the stove.

Oh, and a simple quarter-round trim piece installed between the countertop and the backsplash would be a cheap solution to close the gap. No, it's not fancy and it's not waterproof (unless you get a plastic one), but it solves the problem cleanly and neatly. Paint it the same color as the backsplash.

I would agree with painting to make it fresh -- an off-white or light greige. I really wouldn't do a lot other than paint, clean, clean and update your lighting -- but I sometimes think the average person doesn't pay much attention to lighting. I keep seeing those 30 year old faux brass fixtures in well above median homes.

Are you a Costco member? I think you can buy this fixture with a 5% upcharge if not, but we used one in an office setting and two in a walk-in closet where the configuration made a pendant difficult. You could do something this simple in the center of the room -- $25, and they give good light. Plus they are LED and you have an energy efficiency update at the same time.

https://www.costco.com/Altair-LED-14%22-Flushmount-Light-Fixture.product.100354669.html

Then do something a little fun like this one for over the sink. We did one over a kitchen sink in the house my sister just sold. Minimal cost -- nice update. The paint here is SW Accessible Beige. I would probably go lighter and less beige because of your woodtone. Look at Agreeable Gray in your room.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/allen-roth-Vallymede-9-84-in-Brushed-Nickel-Barn-Multi-Light-Clear-Glass-Jar-Pendant/50370844  

Hope that helps you find a direction or at least get some ideas.

ETA: if you do a piece of trim at the gap, there is a flexible, non-wood type -- we bought some at Lowe's. It will follow the uneven wall and be waterproof. Plus it is ready to paint. The problem I see is that it appears your counter and splash are a patterned laminate. It is going to be hard to make a trim piece stick out and accentuate the problem.

You might be better using a filler and then caulking over that. One option might be the expandable foam -- it is a bit messy so practice in another place. Use the window and door one that is meant for smaller spaces and don't expect it to be perfect -- it will make a mess and overfill the space. That's what you want. You then go back with a knife or blade and trim it to level -- then give it a light smear of caulk. If it's just a small spot or two, something you could wedge in to support the caulk might be all you need (foam peanut, styrofoam piece -- things you may have a lot of after Christmas presents are opened -- wine cork trimmed, wood shim, etc.). If that doesn't work, the one big thing you might want to do is replace the counters and have them done right so there is no gap. That will probably mean a new sink and faucet (go undermount if you do), but those changes will do a lot to update the kitchen. We used prefab granite counters in the secondary baths and I would think you could use them for your kitchen because it is such a simple layout. If the same person could install an updated floor tile (12x24 stone look) and you updated the hardware, it would be looking like a new kitchen. Talk to a realtor in your area and decide whether it is worth it for you and your market. The realtors are also good folks to find someone to do small jobs at decent prices. I would be looking at spending $3-5k to do all of that for resale.

The product to fill the gap between backsplash and wall is called "foam backer rod" or "caulk saver." The big box stores carry it. You squish it into the gap and caulk over it.

I didn't realize there was something intended just for that purpose. That might make the job easier, but whatever works.

It looks like I am in the minority in thinking an unattached island would make the kitchen function better and look more like a serious cook's kitchen. I have a similar kitchen layout and added a $100 stainless table to the center of the room, purchased at a restaurant supply store. It measures 4' x 2'. It's extremely useful in a kitchen like OP's where counter space is limited. When she sells, she takes the table., Or not. Trust me, there's room. I have 3 feet of room on all sides and it's perfect.

My "island" has a pot rack/light fixture overhead. Very handy!

No rugs, no towels, please. They are just distractions from what is a good-looking kitchen

Barbara Pitcher I strongly disagree since 3' working aisles are not considered wide enough. Minimum should be 42" from counter edge to counter edge. Plus there is a huge difference between working in a kitchen and staging it to sell

I agree with cpartist. When showing homes, if there is only 3 ft between the island and the counter space it is difficult to show well as buyers are constantly either bumping into the perimeter cabinets or the island as we look at the kitchen. Remember, the buyers are going to go into the kitchen to check the space. Even if I stay out of the room, you have at least two people (typically) and sometimes more opening cabinet doors and drawers, and opening appliance doors, and bending down to check the lower cabinets.

No, 3 ft isn't nearly enough room without feeling crowded. That is the last thing you want the buyer to feel when purchasing a home - crowded out. That feeling translates to an objection that the kitchen is too small. Don't do it.

100% no on the peel and stick backsplash. If you're going to paint the walls anyway, make sure any damage is patched and primed and then paint. You can also use some clear caulk between the backsplash and the wall to cover gaps. Do a really clean job with the clear caulk so you essentially can't even see it. I caulked with clear caulk between 1/2" pine "baseboards" and uneven walls and it really covered the gaps. (I didn't install the baseboards myself and they weren't installed very well.)

How about changing out the outlet cover plates to match the outlets? They stand out in the picture and I think it would look better if they were less visible.

While I could see a free standing work table possibly functioning in that kitchen, I absolutely do not see it adding value from a staging to sell standpoint. The kitchen as-is looks like it has a good layout and appears to be in great shape. As others mentioned, clear absolutely everything off the counters except maybe a bowl of fruit (lemons and limes or apples). Clean, clear, open surfaces make a small space look larger.

I used an adhesive-backed stainless steel back splash in two different houses (installed by a pro) and it was amazing, and really set off the new stainless appliances we put in. In one case, it was applied over old vinyl wallpaper that didn't look good but was adhered like iron. I think the stainless steel back splash sold the house. It's held up well, because I see one house is selling again. So I'm going to contradict those above who say not to do anything with the back splash that is in less than perfect condition. It would also solve your counter top problem (though they should have been installed properly to meet the wall).

Counters should be bare.

Skip the little cart in the middle. Makes the room look smaller and doesn't in any way replicate an actual island. Go for enhancing the space you have.

Hating the peel n' stick backsplash. Take everything off the counters. I'd throw a 4x6 sisal rug down. It adds a little style and warmth