Successful Home Staging: 6 Tips to Organize Your Way to a Sold Sign

The main goals of all home sellers are to sell quickly and at the best price. Staging a home properly can easily increase the sale price of your home by $5,000-$50,000 with minimal investment. Following the steps below will make your home stand out from the rest, helping you achieve a successful sale.

1. Disassociate. It’s important to think of the property no longer as your home, but as a property that will have potential buyers reaching for their checkbooks. Say goodbye and imagine handing over the keys to the new owner. Once you’ve let go of the emotional attachment to your home, you can more easily set up the house to appeal to the largest audience.

2. Depersonalize. Remove all personal items, including pictures and personalized décor items. Potential buyers must be able to walk into your home and see themselves and their personal items there. Don’t let them be distracted by your child’s artwork, banners for their favorite soccer team, or a picture of their great-aunt Mitzie. Colors and decorations should be neutral.

3. Clear. Your home and property should be spotless and free of clutter. Start packing up items you won’t need and store them in outside storage. Clear all countertops and tables. Remove large furniture and other items that don’t help show a room’s true purpose. This will also make the rooms in your home appear larger and allow potential buyers to imagine what their own personal items will look like. Don’t forget about closets and cabinets – potential buyers will peek out. Organized, clutter-free storage areas will stand out.

4. Deal with repairs. Make sure all plumbing and electrical are in good working order. Replace burnt out bulbs. Dealing with scratches on trim and woodwork. Fill the holes in the walls. Recaulk countertops, tubs, and showers. All of this will show potential buyers that the home has been cared for. Pay special attention to kitchens and bathrooms, the two rooms that often make or break a home sale.

5. Deep cleaning. Every nook and cranny in your home should be clean and free of dust, crumbs, crayon marks, stains, and stains. Once again, spend a little more time in kitchens and bathrooms. If the floor is stained beyond repair, consider replacing it or offering a buyer’s allowance. Wash windows and screens. Clean the garage and also the exterior of your house. Pressure wash your garage floor, front porch, deck and siding, trim bushes, mow your lawn, and put away kids’ toys and old furniture.

6. Dazzle. Remember that you are trying to appeal to a broad audience, so consider updating walls, countertops, floors, vanities, etc. Does your house need a fresh coat of paint, inside or out? Tone down any strong colors to appeal to a broader audience. Consider what the most important assets in your home are, and stage your home to accentuate those elements. For example, place furniture around a large fireplace. Open blinds and window coverings to reveal large windows and a nice view. Add finishing touches to make your home feel warm, bright, and welcoming to potential buyers.

To prioritize the items that will bring you the most return on your time and money, walk through your house and create a checklist of changes needed by room. Drive around the front of your home to check for curb appeal and also walk around the exterior of your home. Then go through your checklist and choose the items that you think will bring you the most return. Often it helps to have a friend or family member do this exercise with you. Consider hiring a home organization professional to create a checklist for you, help you prioritize items, and/or organize your home for you.

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