When electing to stage your home. More than likely you are staging your home to merchandise it for sale. You understand the importance of giving potential buyers a wow feel and offering an emotional connection to how life would be like to live in your home. A professional Home Stager with experience is your best option for the greatest results. However, if you need to do things on your own, there are some quick and easy ways to really tweak your home and make it look & feel desirable to a Buyer.

1. The first thing you should do to begin the staging, is to clean out and declutter every room. Many times we do not even notice our “junk and clutter” As a rule, all of your personal belongs, papers, mail, loose cords & chargers, small appliances, toiletries, shoes, clothes, toys and more should be packed away or thrown away if warranted. Really consider what is worth keeping and what is worth putting away neatly in the garage or storage space. Deep cleaning after all this is a must. Deep Cleaning baseboards, walls, floors, carpet & area rugs, windows & sills, blinds/curtains, bathrooms & kitchen thoroughly etc. Consider all the small repairs that have been bugging you about your space. Touching up paint, fixing cracks in walls & ceilings, replacing or repairing: warn window treatments, carpet or flooring & light fixtures, reglazing tubs & sinks and any other small repairs you have been putting off.

2. Remove all personal items such as family photos, religious artifacts, extravagant artwork, personal collections etc. You want to give potential buyers a ready-to-move-in feeling with an element of design & comfort.  You don’t want them to feel like they’re walking in to someone else’s space.  Keep in mind that you want your space to look as clean, bright, spacious & cozy as possible for your budget. You can also use candles, vases, plants (greenery), throw pillows, lamps and light fixtures to upgrade a room.

3. Purchase new neutral bedding and towels. Fresh linens, curtains and towels can give a room a brand new feel. Is that why upscale hotels make you a little happier? You want the viewer to see the greatest potential of the home. The little details matter, so be sure to steam curtains, fold towels neatly, straighten out & de-clutter cabinets, pantries & closets, make the beds and match color schemes and patterns throughout.

4. Put out fresh fruit, flowers and greenery (can even use faux). This is a great tip for staging kitchens. You can use a bowl of fruit as a center piece on a kitchen table or the counter. Placing table settings, stemware or trays with a tea or wine setup in kitchen nooks & dining rooms can make the space look alive. Tray setups can be used in Master Bedrooms & Living rooms as well. Use your “good china” & set up that dining room table. Flowers and other plants can be placed in bathrooms and bedrooms (don’t forget your front entrance). This is a very easy and affordable tip anyone can do.

5. Show all of the creative possibilities your home has. Think outside the box. Look at your home from a different prospective. Use stools around the counter, create an office space, upgrade light fixtures, rearrange your furniture to open up the space so it feels larger & the energy flows freely as you walk through. Consider your larger windows, sliding glass doors & fireplace as a focal point in rooms and address them as such. You may even want to ask a friend to give you some suggestions. Everyone will have a unique design vision for a space.

In conclusion, if you are working on a smaller budget… there are effective ways to do it yourself, so your home is market ready. If you consider my advise and look at what you can do within your means, you will see that you can do a lot yourself. However, if you don’t have the time or feel you just don’t have the eye for it… We would absolutely love to assist!!! We always offer free consultations. We can come in and do it for you or provide DIY step by step instructions for a minimal fee. If you would prefer guidance from a professional home stager contact us today.