How to Stage Your Home to Sell: A Room-By-Room Guide
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When selling your home, it is important to consider the potential buyers that will be walking through your home and the environment they expect to see...one that is clean, decluttered and which they can see their families living in. Kevin Kneeland with Brick & Barn | Compass shares, "Trusting a stager to depersonalize and organize removes the distractions so that a buyer can focus on how valuable your particular property will be for them."
There are home staging tips that apply to all areas of the home. Once these are accomplished, follow the Living. Simplified. room-by-room guide, and your home will be ready for its photo shoot and open house in no time!
Throughout the House: Make your home appealing to everyone that walks through the front doors.
Clean the windows (both inside and out) to maximize the light, open curtains, turn on lamps and overhead lights
Deep clean the entire home
Declutter all closets and cabinets as well as extra furniture and home décor
Depersonalize the home by removing all personal items including family photos
Repaint any bright, bold colors with neutral colors
If you have dark curtains, replace them with the neutral-colored ones
Pack away most toys
Clear off all flat surfaces
Fix squeaky doors and loose floorboards
Update lighting and replace dead lightbulbs
Store away any signs of pets
Clean ceiling fans
Clean the floors and carpets removing any stains
Highlight key features in your home such as a fireplace or custom cabinetry
Curb Appeal First impressions are very important so start with the outside of your home.
Add fresh perennials and remove dead plants or foliage
Mow the lawn
Replace the doormat
Repaint the front door
Replace outdoor furniture cushions
Power wash the exterior, walkway, steps, driveway, decking and siding
Update mailbox and house numbers
Trim the trees and the bushes
Remove dead leaves
Clean gutters
Add flower boxes or potted plants or plant flowers
Touch up/repaint the exterior of the house
Fix cracks in the sidewalks
Clear away yard debris and hide trash cans, recycle bins, and garden hoses
Put away tools, toys, pool and grill accessories, rusted and dated outdoor furniture, and trash cans
Upgrade lighting fixtures and doorknobs and make sure the doorbell functions
Accessorize your porch, deck, or patio by adding new furniture
Dress up any imperfect planting area with mulch
Entryway You want potential buyers to step beyond the entryway and walk through the entire home so make sure that those first few steps are inviting.
Have an entry table available. Your realtor will also want to use this space for brochures and business cards and add a potted plant or fresh flowers
Make sure the furniture is proportional to the space
Fix the front door if the hinges are squeaky
Declutter the coat rack, shoe rack and entry closet
Kitchen Potential buyers love a remodeled kitchen but if that’s not in your budget, there are small changes that you can do that make a difference.
Clear off countertops including all small appliances, leaving only a bowl of fruit or vase with fresh flowers
Repaint cabinets
Remove magnets and notes from the refrigerator door
Replace cabinet hardware
Repaint the walls
Declutter the cabinet interiors leaving only the bare minimum
Deep clean the inside of the microwave and oven
Clean the refrigerator inside and out
Fix leaky faucets
Clean and organize the pantry, leaving empty space to make it look bigger
Empty all trash cans and move them out of sight
Dining Room Make sure that the is set up with the proper furniture.
Set the table
Remove items that don’t belong (like a desk or home gym equipment)
Use mirrors to make the room feel brighter and larger
Improve lighting (open blinds, hang light-colored curtains, update lighting fixtures)
If using table leaves, remove them to make the room look bigger
Add house plants, a bowl of fruit or a flower arrangement
Family Room Family rooms are meant to feel comfortable and open, the perfect place to gather with friends and family.
Remove unnecessary furniture to create more space
Update lighting
Hide cords and wires
Open the blinds to let more natural light in
If the walls are painted in a dark color, consider painting them with a lighter neutral color
Remove personal photos and decor
Add warm touches like accent pillows and a throw blanket
Put away books, magazines remotes and clear all flat surfaces
Light up the room with lamps
Scrub soot stains and replace the old fireplace screen
Bedroom It might be difficult to stage every bedroom in your house, especially if you have young children at home. It’s okay to focus on the master bedroom, making this room feel like a respite from the rest of the home. If you have the time, apply these techniques to all of the bedrooms.
Use neutral colors for the walls, floors, and bedding.
Keep accessories to a minimum, but do have soft lighting and inviting bedding
Position the bed in the optimal location (usually the wall opposite the entry door)
Use a nightstand on each side of the bed with a lamp
If space allows, create a relaxing reading nook
Declutter closets and bookshelves
In the closet, organize clothes on uniform hangers; pack away all out-of-season clothes
Put jewelry and other valuables in a safe place
Bathroom Now is the time to do a complete deep clean of your bathroom. The bathroom doesn’t need to feel sterile, but a spa-like atmosphere can be very inviting for potential buyers.
Clear off countertops
Declutter closets and cabinets
Add fresh, fluffy towels in a neutral color
Remove the bathmats
Update caulking and grout
Repaint walls and cabinets
Fix leaky or running toilets and replace the toilet seat; close toilet seat; put away plunger
Organize and declutter any drawers, cupboards or closets
Empty and put away the wastebasket
Replace the shower curtain
Pack up and hide all your personal products including medications
For Pet Owners Potential homeowners will be immediately turned off if they smell pet odors in the home.
Scrub away pet stains on the carpets using products made especially for pet odors
Use air fresheners that eliminate odors, rather than simply mask them
Repair or remove any furniture that’s been scratched or gnawed on
When you leave the house for a viewing, take all pets with you
Make a pet hair sweep the last thing you do before you leave the house
According to Kevin, "Staging is the best investment of money for time that any homeowner seller can spend to maximize the return of that investment by at least 10%."Remember, once a room feels empty to you, you’re almost done staging!
More Organizing Ideas
Need even more ideas on how to organize your home? Living. Simplified. is ready to help. Take a look at these blog posts or send us an email at lauren@livingsimplified.net and we can work together to reach your organizing and decluttering goals:
The 6 Best Laundry Room Organizers