Top Staging Tips to Make a Big First Impression!

I have seen it time and time again… The look on a buyers face when I’m showing them a home that has been staged. They see clean, fresh and exactly what they want to aspire to. They see a lifestyle.

I’ve prepared some excellent tips here on how to stage your home to give buyers that feeling that makes them never want to leave. If you are committed to selling your home, then your number one goal is to sell it quickly and for the most money possible. If you can hold on to that goal and make it number one, it will make it that much easier to de-personalize your space and welcome others to the possibility of living there next.

To get you in the right mindset, I want you to think about the attraction that people have to buying a brand-new home. Besides the obvious of having new “mechanicals” (roof, furnace, electrical, plumbing, etc), people are attracted to the fact that a new home doesn’t feel like someone else’s space, and its clean and fresh feeling. I want you to keep reminding yourself of this when going through my list of tips below.

1. Clean, clean, clean: Clean as if you are having your mother in law over for the first time and she is the most scrutinizing person you have ever met. Buyers will notice everything, especially in terms of cleanliness. Even if you don’t have a new kitchen, stunning hardwood or expensive wall art, a clean house goes a long way. We are talking full out spring cleaning clean and not, the weekly see what I can get done while my toddler naps type of clean. The kids need to go to grandpa and grandma’s and every corner of the finished house space should be clean and polished.

2. De-clutter/Start Packing: You are going to need to pack at some point anyways, make it easier on yourself and better for your buyers by packing now. Pack up extra items that make no difference to decor and that aren’t being used. Empty closets of seasonal clothing/shoes that don’t need to be taking up space. Pack up all of the toys that your kids aren’t currently enjoying. Re-organize bookshelves to look classy by pre-packing half of the contents and adding a few decorative items. You can probably also pack up quite a few smaller kitchen appliances like crock pots/blenders and stand mixers so that your kitchen cupboards look more spacious. Remember to keep minimal items on all surfaces to keep them looking organized. Look at what a difference de-cluttering (and adding a back splash) makes to this kitchen:

3. Organize all drawers and closets: I know it’s hard to think that someone will be looking in these places but potential buyers will want to see how big the closets look and how much room they have in kitchen/bathroom drawers and cupboards. There are probably quite a few items in your pantry or under the bathroom sink that can be thrown out. You have to remember you are selling a lifestyle and if they open up a drawer and see a cluttered mess, that feeling will stay with them as they look throughout the rest of the home. The same goes for closets. A closet with clothes thrown everywhere feels messy and small. Even if it is a smaller closet, give the illusion of space by organizing it and filtering out what you don’t need at this moment. Let the buyers aspire to be as clean and organized as you are! Also, it will save you from having to do all of this work prior to moving and can make the final moving experience much less stressful.

4. Paint and dry-wall repairs: Fix all holes in dry wall, caulking repairs and paint touch-ups. Paint has to be one of the easiest yet most dramatic changes you can make to a space. No over the top bold or dark colours, try and stick to a neutral palette. Neutral palette does not mean builder beige. If you still have the builders cream colour on your walls after 5 years, take it as a sign to atleast update the main spaces and master bedroom with a nice light fresh colour.

5. De-personalize: I know you love all of the family portraits and pictures of your kids that you have around the house but these have to go. You want people to come in and imagine what it would be like for them to live in the house, not get sidetracked by looking at pictures of you and how you live in the house. Replace personal pictures with mirrors and decorative items so it doesn’t feel empty, you don’t want the space to feel sterile with no life. This is probably the one that sellers struggle with the most but if you keep your number one goal in mind, I’m confident you can do it!

6. Remove odors: I feel like this should go without saying but it’s very important. A buyer will not enjoy their home tour if all they can smell is last nights dinner or the kids hockey equipment. Room fresheners such as plugins or candles can go a long way to making your home desirable. You don’t want to over do it with the vanilla or cinnamon, but a small investment of 4-6 plug ins throughout your home can go a long way to making a lasting impression.

7. Front Door Statement: I’m sure you have heard how important curb appeal is. One thing that you can do that can really set the tone for buyers right from the start is to make sure your front door gives the right statement. Take an hour and put a new fresh coat of paint on the front door and hang a wreath. You can take it one step further by also adding an urn (or two) with potted flowers beside the entry way. This will have a huge impact!

I know these tips will make a difference in selling your home quickly and for the most money possible, I know because I have seen it work. What also works is calling me to handle everything else!

If you are looking for advice on how to start the whole home selling process, I would be happy to chat!