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Sellers can prepare their homes for staging by removing personal photographs and collectibles, the priority is to declutter and clean before being staged. Then focus on anything sitting around on the floor, counters, or furniture – that doesn’t serve a purpose or have a designated home. Decluttering will help potential buyers visualize themselves and their belongings in each room.
Then, begin to clean each room thoroughly. And remember to dust and clean floorboards, furniture, fronts and backs of doors, windows, ceiling fans, and light fixtures. A good deep cleaning removes excess dust and provides a clean slate for potential buyers to feel happy about purchasing the home and moving in.
The next big task is to carefully look at the walls, ceiling fans, blinds, curtains, and light fixtures. Take notes about any that need to be repaired or replaced. A fresh coat of paint can often brighten a space and transform it into the modern era.
It may be good to rent a storage unit traversing the journey between selling your house and finding your next home. Having a storage unit for a few months will help declutter the house by storing boxes of collectibles, out-of-season clothes, extra furniture, and other belongings until you are ready to move into your new home.
Now the staging can begin!
Make sure each room has a clear purpose. For example, smaller bedrooms can be transformed into a study or office. To prepare for this, remove all existing furniture, wall hanging, lighting, and decor that does not align with that purpose.
Kitchens
We have seen many agents help their clients showcase kitchens by painting cabinets that appear old or well used. However, a bit of paint in a highlighting color can transform a comfortable kitchen into an entertainer’s dream.
After all the appliances are thoroughly clean, display kitchen-related items on the counters. For example, displaying a KitchenAid mixer on the counter with three canisters of varying sizes nearby creates a memory of delicious cookies baking. These four items are helpful and create an emotional reaction from potential buyers. Next, reinforce the purpose of each room by using accessories or display items. This helps people feel welcome and happy as they walk through or spend time in the kitchen.
Entryways
Don’t you hate tripping over umbrellas, backups, and shoes when entering a property? Either help homeowners create a dedicated space close by for these items or help them to assign different places to store them away from the entrance.
Depending on the size of the entryway, make sure there is plenty of room for people to quickly enter and leave the area without bumping into any furniture or climbing over them. For instance, chairs and other non-essential pieces of furniture should be moved to a different room or placed in storage. A small entry table with a bowl for keys is often perfect for homes ready for new homeowners!
Fr
ont Porch
Your client’s front porch is the face of their home. Keeping this area clean of debris, excess furniture, toys, and other items will allow potential buyers to dream about how they could use the space.
If the space allows, your clients may consider displaying a few hanging ferns to continue the nature of the front yard to the front porch. And encourage your homeowners to repair any broken handrails, posts, or steps. Removing any signs of disrepair or neglect improves first impressions about overall home maintenance.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are the perfect place to create a sense of peace and relaxation. Using fresh, light colors and replacing burned-out lightbulbs helps create a restful feeling. This room also needs to be open and airy, with only the basics of furniture supporting the purpose. Any decorative belongings can be removed and placed in storage.
Encouraging homeowners to purchase new bed covers and linens is an excellent way to show off their space and have something new to take to their new home. During the walkthrough with your client, remember to look at all window coverings, ceiling fans, and light fixtures. Everything should be in working condition.
Bathrooms
A quick and easy way to renew bathrooms is by removing everything from the counters, medicine cabinets, and around the tub. Then, select what they use daily and place everything else in boxes to be stored. Then introduce a calming candle, fresh hand towels, and some pretty soaps. Homeowners can take all of these to their new homes.
A nice touch is to replace the showerhead with a sparkling new one, ready for the new homeowners. Remember to clean all tile and caulk on the bathroom walls and floors before anyone visits the home.
Living Rooms
Maintain clear and open walking spaces throughout the living room space to provide easy access. Increasing lighting and opening all available window coverings will help increase brightness and encourage potential buyers to envision themselves living in the room. Remember to cover any furniture showing excess wear, stains, or damage. Remove any floor coverings that are stained or tattered.
Hiring a professional carpet cleaning is imperative for any home with pets. Decreasing the odor of strong animal or cooking smells will improve the visiting experience of potential buyers. Don’t try to cover up strong smells. Try to remove them. It may seem silly, but ask clients not to cook foods with strong odors, such as broccoli, before a showing. Walking into a home for the first time, a potential buyer is very sensitive to smells.
Dining Rooms
Allow your imagination to run wild when staging dining rooms. These spaces provide the perfect backdrop for showing what new homeowners can accomplish in this room. If you have a large and expansive space – use a large dining room table and set it up for a formal dinner or elegant party. Make it the stuff of dreams!
If you have extra corner space, think about including cute corner storage for a few select pieces that match the style of the home and clientele. Brighten up the room with open window coverings and extra lighting if necessary. Embrace this room’s opportunity and create a space each guest will never want to leave.
Clean and Organize Garages
Did you know that staging garages were a thing? A messy garage can negate all the great work agents do when staging the inside of a home. That’s why I always recommend treating the garage just like we do inside. Contact me for more ideas about how you can better stage garages and list your property today!
Share creative ideas for ways your homeowners can reuse the garage space as an additional gaming room or second living space. If the garage is decked as a man cave, run with it! Bring in the entire game-day entertainment equipment and clear everything else out.
Organize Closets
Closets can be a gift and a curse. Lol! If used well, they can create feelings or organization and bliss with potential buyers. However, if used as a storage unit, they can create feelings of stress and disorder. Encourage your sellers to remove everything they are not currently using and store everything else.
Back Patio
Imagine parties, romantic candlelit dinners, and relaxing afternoons on the back patio. Find the best qualities of this space and show off how the new homeowner can benefit from them. Set up comfy chairs with cushions for properties with beautiful views for guests to sit on and enjoy the space.
Back patios with space for BBQ grills and dining – create the area to help the potential buyer’s imagination run wild. Hang up fun lighting, roll out the BBQ grill and hang clean grilling utensils. Create an environment or experience potential buyers can enjoy in this area.
