Tips for Staging Your Home

Selling your home can be a very stressful time, I want to help you with some ideas to help ease that stress. Staging your home has been a proven way to sell faster and make your home look more desirable to the potential buyers. The first thing to remember is that you have decided to put your home on the market, now its is time create the space so that others can imagine themselves making fantastic long lasting memories as you have done. I'm going to give you a few tips for each room that will help get you started.

A few tips for the kitchen,

• Clear items off the counter tops, this will show off the counter top space. All buyers want a great work surface.
• Clean off the top of the refrigerator, a cluttered to gives the appearance that there is not enough storage
• Clean appliances, under and behind. Remove photos and items from the refrigerator.
• Stack dishes and items in cabinets. Remember if you have not used it in a few months. Pack it away.
• Clean up the cabinets, wash down, and use cabinet cleaner to bring back the luster.
• Clean up the counter tops, repair scratches if possible. If needed replace the top.
• Put out some cookbooks, the buyer can visualize himself or herself cooking.
• Add some color to the kitchen with fruit and veggies in a bowl
• Make sure it smells nice, this is a very important tip! If a potential buyer thinks that home smells it will be a no go for a sale.

A few tips for the bathroom,

• Hang fresh towels, keep your used bath towels out of the way
• Keep the toilet paper roll full, not for buyers use but for visual.
• Keep bathroom smelling fresh, no odors
• Be sure that the bathroom fixtures are clean
• Remove items from vanity tops
• Keep the toilet seat down
• This is a very private room, you want to make the buyer feel that no one has ever sat on that toilet or used that shower.
• Small space? Be sure to show off features and any architectural details

A few tips for bedrooms,

• In your closet, if you have not worn it, pack it or donate it.
• This one sounds silly but, make sure all the hangers match. It is a visual trick and helps to make the space look bigger.
• Keep clothes organized, hang like items together, shirts, pants, dresses.
• Organize shoes - you can hang them on the door or use shoe boxes, just make sure they look neat and organized. This also helps create a visual for lots of storage space
• Buy a new comforter, something you like and can take with you to your new home.
• Make sure the bed is always made
• After you de-personalize buy a few items to replace pictures or personal treasure, you don't want the shelves to look too bare, you want a warm welcoming feel.

 A few tips for dining room / breakfast nook,

• Set the dining table with linens, place mats, cloth napkins, china, and crystal glasses. Check out magazines for ideas, purchase new items that you can take with you to your new home.
• Fresh flowers
• Burning a candle during showings (if you are home) or use the flameless candles
• Set the breakfast table with casual place mats, fruit bowl and breakfast dishes.
• Leave the lights on during showings.
• If throw rugs or area rugs are on the floors be sure that they are clean and odor free.
• Remove any extra furniture pieces that might be too big for the space and make your dining area look smaller than it really is.

 A few tips for office space / bonus rooms,

• Keep your papers organized, invest in a filing system if you do not already have one; you can take it with you to your new home.
• Keep you computer off while not at home.
• Leave the lights on during showings.
• Keep area free of toys and clutter.
• Pet areas should be clean and smelling fresh. (If possible remove for showings)
• You want to sell this space, if it is an empty space consider borrowing items from other rooms or from friends to create a "look". You want this room to have an identity. Sometimes empty space can be confusing for a buyer.

And remember overall to keep your home clutter free and neutral so that the potential buyer can visualize themselves in the home.  I also want to mention that when buyer come into your home they are looking at everything, If there is a chandelier or other fixtures that you will  be taking with you, it might be a good idea to remove and replace those items. You don't want the buyer to think that he or she will be getting that family heirloom chandelier.

Good luck selling your home!