There’s no doubt that staging your home prior to placing it on the market is crucial if you want to earn top dollar. But must you spend “top dollar” during the home staging process? Not necessarily. There are many ways you can spruce up your dwelling without breaking the bank. Here are some excellent home staging tips.
Outdoor Home Staging Tips
- Remove all cobwebs, dust, and dirt from front porch and surrounding areas.
- Replace the door handle, knocker, and/or doorbell if they are looking old and tarnished.
- Clean all outdoor lights and replace bulbs, if needed.
- Place a couple of pretty flowering plants by your front porch or door.
- Trim all the bushes and remove weeds.
- Clean all the interior and exterior windows (make it a family affair)!
Entryway Home Staging Tips
- Keep the foyer clear of items like coat racks and clutter.
- Buy a pretty new rug for the foyer (Target has some great inexpensive choices).
- Repaint walls near entryway.
Image courtesy of atticmag.com.
Living Area Home Staging Tips
- Remove all family photos.
- Ditto for knick-knacks, mementos, and souvenirs.
- Remove half your clothing from all closets (to give the appearance of plenty of storage space).
- Consider packing each room by 30% to give the appearance of more space.
- Think about rearranging furniture to create a better flow and the appearance of more space (pick up a feng shu book from the library for help with this).
- Host a painting party! Invite your friends to help you paint the interior of your home in a neutral color, and provide pizza and beer afterward.
- Have carpets professionally cleaned, or rent a steam cleaner and do it yourself. Cover unsightly stains with throw rugs.
- Make sure window treatments are clean and functional.
- Replace all your home’s lightbulbs with at least 100 watt bulbs…people love light!
- Speaking of light, clean all light fixtures so they sparkle and shine.
- Clean all light switch plates, and replace cracked or outdated plates.
Image courtesy of homedesign2sell.com.
Kitchen Home Staging Tips
- Remove all appliances from kitchen countertops.
- Clean out and declutter inside kitchen cabinets.
- Consider repainting kitchen cabinets if they are looking old and outdated.
- Replace pendant lights for a fresh, updated look.
- Set the kitchen and/or dining table with pretty linens, silverware, and flowers.
- Don’t cook any smelly foods, like bacon or fish. Those smells tend to linger around.
Photo courtesy of stagemyownhome.com.
Bathroom Home Staging Tips
- Replace any old shower curtains.
- Recaulk where necessary.
- Place pretty new rugs and towels in bathrooms.
- Add fresh flowers and/or scented candles.
Image courtesy of realestatestagingassociation.com.
At Real Estate Experts, we put a tremendous amount of weight on home staging. Visit RealEstateExperts.net to learn how we integrate home staging and now, virtual staging, into our listings.