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Despite our best efforts, it’s easy to judge a book by its cover. Or rather, a house by its presentation. It makes sense, however. It’s difficult to walk into a dark, cluttered or dated home and feel drawn to that property. Our interest might wan even if the house is actually in good shape underneath. It’s hard to be imaginative and see ourselves making the space our own if there's too much going on in it. So, the solution? Stage to sell! Here are a few staging ideas you can utilize if you’re hoping to list and sell this year!  

This is the first step because it’s absolutely essential. There might be good things already in place but with all the clutter, it’s impossible to tell. The first step in any staging process is to remove any and all clutter from the space. If you don’t have space to store away all the kids’ toys, paperwork, mail, and knick-knacks, maybe you could get a small storage unit just for the time it takes to sell. You will also need to depersonalize. This means taking down all personal photos, political or religious pieces, and even kids drawings stuck to the fridge. It’s not that these are inherently turn offs to buyers. But rather, it makes it more difficult for the buyers to get a sense of what they space could be if it were theirs. You want them to be able to sample, in a way, what living there would be like. So, it needs to be inviting but sparse. Cozy but minimalist. 

Another aspect to decluttering is to organize and streamline the storage spaces. Yes, you want to hide things out of sight. But you also must remember that buyers will open closets and look in the linen cabinet and kitchen cupboards. Unfortunately, this means you don’t want to just stuff your storage spaces full to the brim. Purging old belongings may help. And a storage unit can be a backup if you need more room. But if buyers open a closet and clothes start falling out on them, they will get the sense that there isn’t enough storage in this home at all. General good practice is to only fill cabinets and closets about 50% full. This way they appear more spacious and buyers can see how much storage is there. 

Next, once the clutter is removed, you’ll will want to deep clean. Get under and around all furniture. Scrub bathrooms and kitchens in all the corners. Dust all furniture. Clean baseboards and behind toilets. Make the home sparkle and shine so that it’s appealing to buyers. This will help you secure more offers and do so quickly!

This step extends to many aspects of staging. But the common goal is to maximize light in each room. Get rid of heavy blinds or curtains. Install new blinds if needed. Refresh rooms with a fresh coat of paint. Preferably a light, airy or neutral hue to better reflect the natural light. If a room is particularly small or doesn’t have much natural light, be strategic about the placement of mirrors. And consider soft lamps in the corners to help brighten the darker areas of the room. 

Lastly, in order to present the listing as ready to sell, you should expect to put at least a little bit of time and effort into repairs. These might all be smaller and more cosmetic. However, anything broken or banged up in the house will put buyers off and make them feel the home isn’t taken care of. They might wonder what deeper (and more expensive) problems are lurking in the property. Make a checklist of items to fix, such as creaky doors, broken doorknobs, or leaky faucets. Recalk the tub if it’s worse for wear. Replace hardware in the kitchen if needed. These small details may seem insignificant, but they go a long way in updating a home and making it feel cared for and move-in ready.

Follow these initial ideas to start staging your home to sell! And give us a call with all your storage needs!