Home staging is an important part of preparing your home for viewing by prospective buyers. It’s more than just getting your home ready for others to view it, it’s about presenting your home in the best light possible. If Shakespeare had written about home staging, he’d probably say, “All the home’s a stage, the furniture and décor are merely players.” In other words, everything in your home is just a prop to help sell your home. If it isn’t helping, then it’s hurting, and you should get rid of it.
Once you’ve finished staging your home, it should have the appearance of being big, bright, clean, and warm – a place where buyers want to live. The home staging process is so important that many sellers hire a professional to add just the right touches to their homes. Here are some things you can do to stage your home.
Scrub Your Home
It goes without saying that cleaning up your home is a part of the home staging process. This cleanup needs to go beyond the normal Saturday morning routine cleaning, and even beyond spring cleaning. You have to make sure every crack and crevice has been cleared of dirt and dust. Remove the grime from around faucets and the grits from between the tiles. Clear the dust and cobwebs from corners and window sills. It’s even a good idea to pressure wash the driveway and clean the garage doors. Leave no square inch of your home untouched.
Remove the Clutter
One of the simplest, yet most difficult ways to make your home moreappealing is to get rid of the clutter. Many professional home stagers say if you haven’t used it in 3 months, put it in a box and store it; if you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it. Be careful about emotional attachments to clutter that can keep you from getting rid of unnecessary items. Keep in mind that prospective home buyers won’t have the same attachments to your things as you do.
Arrange Your Furniture
Though the tendency is to push furniture against the wall, it doesn’t make the room look as open as you think it does. Pulling the furniture forward the center of the room actually makes the room look and feel more comfortable. It creates a natural walkway through the room and creates a cozier feel. But, if you must leave your furniture against the wall, have no more than two pieces of furniture on the same wall.
Improve the Lighting
Lightening up a room makes it feel larger and more inviting, especially in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. The more natural light you can allow in, the better. Rather than using thick draperies, opt for sheers, which will let sunshine in. You can make a narrow window look wider by adding longer curtain rods. Make a short window seem longer by hanging the rod higherand hanging a curtain with vertical stripes.
Generally, you should have about 100 watts for every 50 square feet of room. Illuminate a room using a combination of overhead lights, floor lamps, and table lamps.
Give Rooms a Single Purpose
Avoid having rooms with multiple uses. Having a workout room and an office all in one will only confuse buyers. Instead, pick a purpose and decorate the room to fit that purpose. Remove excess clutter that will turn buyers away from an otherwise useful room.
Hire a Professional
If you’ve gone through everything on this list and you’re still not sure exactly how to make your home look more attractive to buyers, you can hire a professional home stager. You can search for an accredited home stager at StagedHomes.com. Your real estate agent might also lend a hand in staging your home or referring you to a reputable home stager.