Where to Start When Staging a House

You’re moving.  Whether you are selling your home for a wonderful reason, or this is not what you had planned, putting your home up for sale is stressful.   When that ‘For Sale’ sign is put on your front lawn, the daunting task of selling your home becomes real.  The ‘to-do’ list can be overwhelming, leaving you feeling physically and emotionally drained.  

Packing up your entire life is a task that can seem impossible.  The work of getting your home ready to sell can leave you feeling exhausted. Suddenly someone is telling you the beautiful collection you’ve spent years curating isn’t attractive to potential buyers.  Your possessions are now considered ‘clutter’ and family heirlooms, distracting.  It’s difficult to hear and feels harsh.

But the reality is, you have put your home up for sale.  With this, your mindset needs to shift.  You are embarking on a new journey, and the quicker you can sell, the quicker you can start this new journey. Selling for top dollar wouldn’t hurt either!

It doesn’t have to be as overwhelming and emotionally exhausting if we take each job and break it down into workable pieces.

1. Deep Clean

The first thing that needs to happen when you are readying your home for sale is cleaning.  Your home needs to be spic and span before it goes on the market.  A thorough deep clean of every room is necessary.  Buyers will be looking at your home under a microscope and any amount of dirt will be off putting.  No one wants to inherit another person’s dirt.  Make sure you have had your home deep cleaned before your first showing.  

2. Editing

The best way to see your home the way others see it is to take pictures.  Stand in the doorway of each room and then in the four corners and take pictures. It’s important to get a good look at every angle.  What is it that stands out to you?  Is it the bookshelf, with all your possessions beautifully displayed?  Is it the gallery wall with your family pictures?  These are things your eye is drawn to, but when selling, it’s not the ideal focal point. Potential buyers have a hard time looking past your possessions to envision their possessions in the space.  You want to make it as easy as possible for them to see what the room has to offer. Perhaps it’s the large picture window, a beautiful fireplace, great built ins, or maybe it’s just the size of the room that you want them to see.  Make it as easy as possible and take these distractions away.  Remember, you are moving, now is the time to start packing.  If you are not going to need these items in the next 3 months, decide to donate, throw out or pack it away.  

3. Update

We live in a time where reality television, like Property Brothers, and House Hunters portray beautifully styled homes, that are move in ready.  Most buyers want to move in one weekend and host a party the next.  They are not interested in working too hard to make their new home up to date.  This does not mean you need to spend thousands of dollars, updating every out-of-date thing in your home.  A fresh coat of paint, and stylish light fixtures may be all you need to create a more appealing space.  Taking down heavy window coverings and putting up roll away blinds is also another great way to bring in natural light and freshen up a room. Walk through your house and see what could be changed to create a more modern feel.  

4. Storage

It is tempting to think you can tuck away all the possessions you want to hide from potential buyers into your closets, however, one of the most sought-after things buyers are looking for in a home is storage space.  When you jam your closets full, it portrays that you do not have enough storage space.  The better thing to do is empty your closets and cupboards by 50 percent, giving the illusion that there is plenty of storage. Now is the time to go through those closets and cupboard and see what you want to take with you to your new home.  If you haven’t used it in over a year, it’s time to let it go.  Pack what you want to take into neatly labeled boxes, or plastic totes and put them along a wall in the garage, in a room in the basement, or if possible, a storage facility.  Do the same with kitchen and bathroom cupboards.  

5. Give Meaning to Every Room

Whether you are using your dining room as an office, the corner of your bedroom for weightlifting or part of the living room as a craft corner, now is the time to reset your rooms back to their intended purpose.  Potential buyers should not be confused by a room’s intended use. Remove excess furniture, and equipment and only have the minimum, necessary furniture in the room.  This will help buyers see themselves in the home, with their possessions.  We want to take away any confusion they may have with what they could do with the space.  Giving each room one intended purpose helps the buyers not have to guess what the room is for.  

These are a few things that can help you sell your home, quickly and potentially above asking price. Selling a home is stressful and overwhelming, we want to help you with this process.  If you would like our assistance, we would be happy to help you with packing, organizing, editing, and or course cleaning.  

Stay tuned for tips on putting the finishing touches on your home, taking it from ‘nice’ to ‘wow!’