Selling your home and want to try home staging yourself? Here are the best tips to help you make your home appeal to buyers!
Declutter and Depersonalize
Decluttering is the first job you should tackle when home staging. Potential buyers want to see themselves in your home and envision how they can make it theirs. Clutter and mess will be distracting to buyers, as their eyes will be drawn to your belongings and not the rooms.
Go around your home and simplify spaces by removing everyday items. This includes TV remotes on your coffee table, work in your office, piles of laundry in the laundry room, to-do lists on the fridge, and excessive amounts of pet toys that like to hang out everywhere. The kitchen can have a lot of items hanging around on counter space, so any appliances should be put away for the time being. Don’t forget closets either, as buyers sometimes take peaks inside to see how much space you have.
Make sure to remove your personal items hanging around as well. This means personal photos, awards, and memorabilia that are scattered around your home. You likely went to great lengths to make your home your home, but now that you’re trying to sell, not everyone has the same tastes. By removing your personal items, buyers can have an easier time envisioning their lives inside the house.
Clean, Clean, Clean
A clean home will feel well-cared for, which is vital for most buyers. No buyer wants to go buy a home that gives the impression of being neglected. So ensure your home is clean, odor-free (especially important for pet owners) and that there are no unfinished DIY jobs. This also means doing cleaning tasks you’ve been putting off. Clean your baseboards, ceiling corners, window blinds, and give everywhere from your bathrooms to your basement a deep clean.
Stage the Most Important Rooms
Staging your home yourself can take a lot of work and sometimes money. But it doesn’t have to. If you don’t have a lot of time or are on a budget, there’s no need to stage every room. According to the National Association of Realtors, the most common rooms people stage are the kitchen, dining room, living room, and master bedroom. These rooms have the most significant influence on a buyer’s decision-making process, so focus on these rooms when home staging yourself.
Ensure the furniture, sheets, and carpets are stain-free. If you can paint the walls a neutral hue such as soft white or warm gray, that’s great. If you can’t, just make sure to touch up the paint if there are any scuff marks or chips. Simple details and decorations, like minimalist artwork and real plants or flowers, will give the spaces a little “oomph.”
Remember, the four main rooms are important, but that doesn’t mean other rooms should be forgotten about. For bathrooms, guest rooms, home offices, or kid’s rooms, just make sure they’re clean and tidy.
Rearrange Furniture
Sometimes, to make a room feel more open and inviting, you just need to move around the furniture. Floating your furniture, or positioning it away from the walls, is a simple trick to make the space bigger and create a natural focus point. This technique creates the illusion of space by giving the walls room to breathe and can divide big rooms that have several purposes (like a dining room and living room with no partition in between).
Removing furniture is also a great option. When taking furniture out of a space, you may think to shove it into the garage or another room. But treating other rooms like storage will give your home that chaotic, messy look. When removing furniture pieces, place them in storage to keep them out of the way and secure until you need them again.
Appeal to the Senses
When home staging, you want to appeal to the senses. It not only makes your home viewing a pleasant experience, but it makes your home a lasting memory in their mind.
So take the day to get out of the house, come back, and ask yourself, “What do I see, smell, touch, and hear?” If people are going to be viewing your home in person, cleaning will help with sights and smells, but think about baking cookies right before buyers arrive. It’s a sweet smell that will leave a great impression! If you have pets, consider confining them to one area of the home while your house is on the market, or consider having them spend time with a friend or family member. Barking dogs (or chirping smoke detectors) can annoy and hurry a potential buyer along. Consider leaving some light instrumental music on during showings.
Look at the Front of Your Home
The front of your home is what gives the very first impression to home buyers. And first impressions are critical – so don’t forget to spend some time on it! Make sure the grass is cut and edged, weeds are pulled, and dead bushes have been removed. Simple flowers on the front stoop and a wreath on the door can help create a welcoming environment. If you really want to go the extra mile, consider getting the house itself cleaned or power washed. They’re little things, but they go a long way in leaving a lasting impression on buyers!
Staging your home? Store your stuff at Bay Street Storage!
Stage Your Home with the Help of Bay Street Storage
Staging and selling your home can be a lot, but Bay Street Storage is here to lend a hand. Whether you need a place to keep your personal items and furniture while home staging or want to keep valuables someplace safe while selling your home, we have self-storage units available for you. We have two convenient locations in Post Falls for you to choose from, and we’ve got all your storage needs covered. No matter what size unit you need, we have something to accommodate you. We’re here to make your storage experience easy. If you need any help, let us know!
