1. Depersonalize
Remove and put away anything in your home that is personal to you and your family when staging your home. Take down family portraits, kids’ art, and off-putting book titles on shelves. You want the buyer to be able to envision your home as theirs. Remember the garage and yard too.
2. Declutter
Each space has a purpose and the items in that area should serve that purpose. Remove anything that is not serving that purpose. If you use a room for more than one purpose as in an office and you work out in there. Stage it as one or the other. If there is no gym equipment, show it as an office and pack up all the other items for a while.
In the kitchen, remove the refrigerator magnets and minimize appliances and items on the counters. Keep one to two appliances at the most on the counters. Maybe a coffee maker or stand mixer. If it is something you use often, I would leave it out on the counter. Minimize what is in bathroom cabinets. Remove any bathroom rugs. Closets, pantries, and drawers should not be overstuffed. Instead, make sure they are organized and neat. You want your primary closet to look like there is extra space and not stuffed.
Make sure the kitchen and bathrooms have minimal items on the counters as well. Do NOT have your toothbrushes and hairbrushes out.
3. Clean
Deep clean like the President is coming to your home. You can hire this out for someone to do a deep clean of your home or you can do it yourself. Do not forget inside the refrigerator and the dust bunnies behind the doors too. The kitchen and bathrooms need to be sparkling clean.
4. Function & Flow
Make sure furniture functions and there is flow in a room to show off fixed assets (i.e. fireplace). Make sure there is some open space where people can walk around and get to the actual fixed assets in a room.
5. Lighting
Replace your light bulbs to brighter lighting, especially in basements that may not receive a lot of natural light. You want the lighting to be very inviting. The scale on the back of the box will help guide you to stay on the warmer side between 2700-3000.
6. White Towels and Bedding
When staging your home, white looks more crips in pictures and videos and clean in person. They do not have to be good quality, just clean and not worn out. If you can not get white at least use sets that match the room you are in.
7. Throw Pillows & Blankets
Pillows and blankets can make a room look flush and sumptuous and more expensive. If you are not able to buy any and you have some, try throwing them in the washer and dryer and see if that helps the pillows look better, or look for inexpensive slip covers for the ones you do have. When a room is already colorful, then use neutral pillows and blankets to tone it down. If the room is already neutral, colorful pillows and blankets will give it that visual pop that may be missing.
8. Oversize It
When you are looking to style, it is better to choose 1 or 2 larger items than a bunch of smaller items. Big items, have a big impact and make your home look more grand, while small items make it look cluttered and incomplete. Items that look best oversized are mirrors & artwork. Artwork should not be hung too high. For reference, the middle of the art piece should be about 60 inches from the ground, at eye level. Look around your home or you can borrow items from a friend if you would like.
9. Greenery
At least one plant or flower in every room helps the space come to life. It makes the room not look so cold and flat. Real or fake, it does not matter. You just want to bring the outdoors in a little bit.
10. Create a Story! (Examples)
When staging your home it helps to create stories so that the buyer can envision themselves in the space.
– Set up a coffee bar the buyer can see when they first walk into the kitchen or a tea set.
– Outdoor spaces – A rug on an empty deck creates a nice feel of home and warmth. A fire pit with smores set out.
– A chair with a book on a side table.
– Champagne or wine glasses on a small table in a living room, sitting room, etc.
