If you’re selling a home but don’t plan on staging it, you might be self-sabotaging. According to the National Association of Realtors, 49% of agents believe that staging impacts how buyers feel about the house. But what makes it so great?
When you stage a home, you give buyers the chance to imagine themselves living there. Aside from having a psychological effect, it also shows that you took the time to make the space inviting. Just make sure that you stage it effectively.
Keep reading for the ultimate home staging guide that will help you sell your home in no time.
Give Attention to the Right Areas
Although it’s tempting to throw all your efforts into staging every detail of every room, that might be overkill. Studies have shown that staging a few important rooms is often more than enough to win over buyers.
The living room, master bedroom, and kitchen are some of the rooms you should make sure to really put some work into. These spaces are the ones that buyers enjoy looking at the most, and therefore will have the biggest effect.
If they feel comfortable and can see themselves living in these spaces, they’re much more likely to sign.
Eliminate Clutter
If you have closets full of junk and a guest bedroom that you throw things in, close the door, then hope for the best, it’s time to sort all of that out. Eliminating clutter and junk is essential when selling a home.
Aside from making you look messy, having too much clutter also makes your house look smaller. As you’re trying to convince people that your home is worth buying, clear things out to give the appearance of having more space than you really do.
You should make a point to store clothes that you don’t wear regularly or that are out of season, as well as games, excess decorations, and anything else you don’t often someplace else.
Get Rid of Personal Items
As you might be aware, getting rid of or hiding personal items is one of the most important staging tips. Why? The whole point is to help buyers envision themselves living there, and seeing pictures of you in Jamaica last year might ruin that.
Aside from hiding pictures, you should also make sure that all of your clothes are out of sight. The same goes for things in the bathroom, like toothbrushes and hair products, as well as any religious items you have around the house.
Hiding these personal items might make your home feel strange to live in. However, it’s a really easy way to help potential buyers better connect with the space.
Stay Neutral
When staging a home, it’s a good idea to make sure that your aesthetic is more neutral as opposed to loud. You might enjoy your hot pink bedroom walls, but they might not have the effect you want them to on potential buyers.
As is the case with pictures and other personal objects, colors that are too eye-catching or loud let your personality shine through. This can turn off would-be buyers, even if they don’t realize why.
By going neutral, you also help buyers see and appreciate all that your home has to offer. Instead of only paying attention to those hot pink walls, they’ll also better appreciate how large of a closet your bedroom has.
Clean, Clean, Clean
You’ve heard of spring cleaning. Home staging cleaning is its older, more impressive sibling.
When staging a home, you want every inch of your house to shine, from the ceilings to the baseboards. Giving your home a deep clean shows buyers that you take good care of the property, and also works to make your space more inviting.
Make a point to do all of those dreaded tasks you’ve put off doing for as long as you can remember. Yes, cleaning the refrigerator and washing windows might not be fun, but you’ll thank yourself later when it helps someone commit to buying your house.
Bring Life Into the Room
It’s true that you don’t want your home to look like an episode of Hoarders, but plants and flowers are one decoration that might be a good idea to sprinkle around.
Greenery is a great way to bring a sense of freshness and life to a house. A potted plant in the living room, some succulents in the bathroom, and a vase of fresh flowers on the dining room table can do wonders.
If every plant you touch seems to wither and die, don’t worry. Fake plants can create a similar atmosphere that doesn’t require as much maintenance.
Let the Light Shine
People love light, and more than that, people love natural light. No one wants to buy a dark space, so make a point to let as much light as possible into your home.
Make sure that you open all the curtains and blinds in each room. You should also turn on the different lamps and lights you have lying around. Aside from making your space look inviting, it will also help buyers navigate better.
Having a brighter space helps create a home that feels welcoming. It also helps it look more spacious!
The Home Staging Guide You Need
If you’re selling your home, figuring out how to properly stage it can be a chore. Yet by following this home staging guide and the tips mentioned, you can be certain that you’ll attract a plethora of interested buyers.
Did you find these home staging tips to be helpful? If you did, make sure to take a moment to check out some of our other articles for more helpful guides and tips.
