1. Clean - it is the most important step. Make sure every nook and cranny of your home is spotless. This also includes cleaning out your garage if you have one.
2. De-clutter - Not only should you remove obvious clutter (like papers strewn on a desk) but you have to think about furniture as well. Too often people have too much furniture in a room. It makes the room appear small. If, for example, you are 2 dressers in your bedroom, pare it down to one. Put the other dresser and contents not used currently (season clothing) into storage.
An often missed area for decluttering,is the inside of dressers, cabinets, and closets. Hard to believe that some buyers would look in your dressers since they are not buying them but they do. They are also trying to assess if they will have enough cabinet storage and closet space. If your cabinets are chock full of stuff, it gives them the impression that they will not have enough storage if they buy the house.
In the kitchen, don't forget that decluttering also means clearing off countertops as much as possible. If you don't eat toast everyday, pack the toaster away. Same goes for other kitchen appliances that we may keep on the counter for convenience even though we don't use them daily. (Pack away that electric can opener and use a hand held one until you sell the house.)
3. Deodorize - Make sure your house smells fresh, clean and inviting. This may mean spraying Febreeze on your sofa, drapes, etc. You can add pleasant odors with candles and/or fresh baked goods.
4. De-personalize - Pack away personal items like family photos. Replace them with neutral art work. You want prospective buyers to see themselves living in your home, not your family.
5. Neutralize - It may be time to paint that gorgeous red wall beige. Though it may go well with your decor and taste, remember that not all buyers make like what you've selected. If you go with neutral wall colors, again it makes it easier for the potential buyer to see him/herself living in your space. This also includes rooms that are very masculine or feminine. It may work better for you if you replace your beautiful floral bedspread with something that is more gender neutral.
6. Update/Modernize - You don't have to spend a lot of money here but you should look at things like lighting. Are your bathroom lights for example current looking or do they scream 1970s-80s? Same goes for kitchen, dining and hallways. For a few bucks, you can make a huge impact for the positive.
7. Curb Appeal - Don't forget that a lot of buyers will not come into your home, no matter how great it looks on the inside, if they are not impressed with the exterior. Again, this can be accomplished on the cheap. Cut the lawn, pull the weeds, remove dead plants, plant pretty potted flowers and put them on the porch, paint the front door if necessary.
How dated are your exterior light fixtures? Again, something newer but not necessarily expensive could make a world of difference.
Buy a nice new welcome mat to invite the guests in.
If you have a deck or patio, don't forget to embellish this usable square footage of your home. Clean the deck or patio, remove what is not necessarily essential (perhaps the grill if it is not in outstanding condition, or cheap plastic chairs). Stage the area so that it is inviting - you can purchase inexpensive patio furniture, or if the area is small, you can get a nice cheap bistro set for under $100.
8. Choose Real over Fake - If you have any silk or plastic flowers/trees, remove them from the house. If you love them, pack them away. Put real plants/trees in their place. Put fresh flowers out as that not only is beautiful but it helps with odor control.
Have fun with the project. Look at it as an opportunity to get a head start on packing. Just remember that it is called ';staging'; because it is all an act. That is, it is not how you live day to day (you probably don't keep your dining table set for a party of 6 unless you are actually planning on using it that day but setting it for an open house sets the stage for how the potential buyer can entertain in the home.) Best of Luck.What are some good ideas to ';stage'; a home that is for sale?
set the dining table as if you're going to have a dinner party.
open a cookbook on the kitchen counter to a mouthwatering recipe %26amp; photo.
leave an open book face down on a comfy reading chair, as if you've just stepped away %26amp; are going to come back to it.
Add a vase of fresh cut flowers to many of the rooms
turn down the bedclothes in an elegant manner, as if it's inviting you to climb in - kinda sorta like this:
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fill the bathtub with some water, and then float some lit candles %26amp; flowers in it.
open all of the curtains %26amp; blinds %26amp; turn on all of the lights.
This type of staging only works if your house is absolutely 100% immaculate - like a model home where no one actually lives. Otherwise it just looks like you didn't tidy up before the potential buyers came.
If you have a good Realtor, they should help you out. Mine was fantastic. She had several suggestions that were great. My house sold in ';11'; days. Your home should look like a ';model'; home that builders have. I couldn't believe mine sold so fast. Had scented candles going....mood music on the stereo,,, cut flowers in many areas,,,,even the patio table. The place looked great. I hated to sell after all the preparations. It really looked sharp. I close next Wednesday. It went on the market May 1st.
You're doing the right thing by packing up all the clutter. I saw on 'Flip that House' to use light to help not make the rooms too dark, and to have the scent of freshly baked cookies fill the house.
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