Buyers expect a lot from houses today, which makes selling your home a little bit of a challenge. Here are photos of actual homes that were staged to put on the market this year, and the staging tips that helped them stand out. These 12 simple staging tips can help your home be the house everyone wants to buy.
1. Freshen up your curb appeal.
The front of your house is the first impression not only at a showing, but also online. Clean up your sidewalks, mow your lawn, and add some color by landscaping or simply planting flowers in a flower pot.
2. Declutter your home.
Think of decluttering as early packing. Remember staging your home is different than styling your home. In the above picture, we simplified and gave space between items in the styled bookcase and it made the room look bigger.
3. Finish your fix-it list.
It is time to tackle your list of all the little things that you have been meaning to fix. The last thing you want is someone to walk through your home with a running “to-do list” or even worse…a running calculator that keeps adding up.
4. Clear your kitchen countertops.
You want the buyer to see the kitchen’s assets, like the backsplash and countertops. Cleared countertops give prospective buyers the sense that there’s more than enough space in the kitchen.
5. Edit your furniture.
You don’t need to always fill spaces; instead you want to show people the space you have.
6. Fresh flowers always bring a good vibe to a home.
7. Cut the kiddos’ toys.
If possible, pack up the toys your kids never use. The above photo is from the cutest two bedroom home. In the kids’ shared bedroom, the owners edited out unused toys and neatly stored the toys the kids do use in the closet. The result is a bedroom that looks spacious and functional.
8. Repaint statement walls.
Match them to the color of your other walls. The goal is to neutralize your home. Statement walls can make a room look smaller in pictures.
9. Stage your outdoor space.
Simply putting outdoor furniture on an empty deck can give a buyer the idea they can expand their living space to the outside.
10. Use only necessary bedroom furniture.
Don’t forget to make your bed look neat and cozy.
11. Give your closet some breathing room.
Pack away clothes and shoes that are not “in season” to give your closet added space. Again, you want the buyer to sense there is “more than enough space” for their stuff.
12. Open your windows.
Let people see your home is a bright and airy place to live.
Read It!: Feel at Home: Home Staging Secrets For a Quick and Easy Sell
Want more great tips and trick for staging your home? Check out this great book.
It is hard to depersonalize a home you have loved, but remember, the goal is to get into a new home where your can start making it yours again! When your home sells and you need to move … check out this Curbly post for a bunch of tips on creating a stress-free move.
