Ideas + Advice

Guides

14 Home Staging Tips for a Fast Sale

Prepping your home for a quick and easy sale can be a success with these 14 home staging tips.

1. Deep Clean

A clean home is crucial for attracting and engaging potential buyers. Therefore, to give your home a deep clean, make sure you wash the floors and vacuum or steam clean the carpets. Scrubbing the tiles, washing windows, and dusting all surfaces also play a pivotal role in staging. Finally, consider hiring a professional cleaning service if time is of the essence.

2. Maximize Natural Light

Maximizing natural light improves interiors and illuminates your entire home. Proper lighting leaves a positive impression on buyers and allows natural warmth indoors. Creating the perfect atmosphere makes your abode inviting and increases the chances of a sale, so make sure you open the blinds, curtains, and shutters.

3. Keep the Colors Neutral

Stick to neutral colors as your primary choice. While it's okay to add splashes of color to accentuate rooms, neutral tones tend to set the right moods and cover all bases. Even if you prefer bolder styles, your open house may have buyers who prefer otherwise. Therefore, think in terms of the client and use neutral colors to create a balance.

4. Stick to Transitional Decor Styles

Transitional decor styles produce mixed aesthetics that cover modern and traditional designs. For example, glass tables are contemporary accessories that work well with conventional living room sets; chrome trim chairs also look good against bulky, traditional desks. Mixing and matching your furniture, throw pillows, rugs, drapes, and even ceramics creates unique compositions that achieve desired results.

5. Activate the Senses

Open the windows to let stale air out and fresh air inside. Next, place floral scents in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements for aromatic elegance. If you have pets, remove the pet scents and have a friend or loved one take care of them for the day. You can even light aroma candles in dining rooms and bedrooms for beautiful smells. These steps will create an inviting atmosphere with scents to dazzle the senses.

6. Pare Down Your Bookcases

Keep bookcases streamlined by removing most books and replacing them with ornamental elements. These may be decorative glass figurines, ceramics, or even vases with flowers that add to the scents and styles of the room.

7. Fill in Wall Spaces With a Calming Painting

A calming painting works wonders for bare walls. Add some watercolor art to fill wall spaces with soothing yet eye-catching graphics, or consider sectional art as centerpieces above mantles and fireplaces. You will find many artistic mediums and genres that blend seamlessly with the decor or theme of the rooms. Remember, a relaxed buyer will tend to view all interiors, exteriors, and landscapes without feeling rushed.

8. Swap Out Old Cushions

Anywhere you see worn cushions, replace them with fresh accent pillows. You can also spruce up your sofas and chairs with comfortable throw pillows that add trendy styles to the decor. You will find linen, cotton, leather, silk, suede, and other textiles within these famous pillow lines.

9. Take Down Family Photos

Taking down family photos removes the personal connection you have to the home. While it's okay to have a frame or two, an entire wall of family pictures will distract buyers. Instead, place the frames tastefully so they blend in with the room's design and components.

10. Swap Out Hobby Items

Keep the interior decor as neutral as possible by removing unique souvenirs and hobby items. Swapping in non-associating items also adds a professional touch to your home as you stage rooms to attract buyers.

11. Stage in the Most Important Rooms

The most important rooms should be staged first, including the living room, kitchen, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces. Focus on these areas before moving on to the dining and entertainment areas.

12. Make Repairs to Scruffs

You might have to spend a little money to secure the right aesthetics with any home staging project. Making repairs to banged-up corners and removing scruffs are essential in presenting your home in its best light. You may want to paint specific walls or even replace damaged sheetrock showing stains and visible signs of wear.

13. Remove Seasonal Decor

There's no reason to keep heavy quilts on sofas if you are staging your home during summer. Instead, keep the season in mind when decorating your interiors. For example, orange and earth tone textures are ideal for autumn, while a balance of vibrant and neutral tones works well in the summer.

14. Remove Oversized Furniture

Keep the interiors as light as possible. Remove bulky furniture that may clutter your living room and other areas, ensuring ample room for buyers as they maneuver and view the rooms. Use the crawlspace for seasonal accessories and place oversized items in storage units if possible.

— More Great Articles —

Home Staging Helpers

Read the Latest

Editorial Disclaimer: Articles featuring tips and advice are intended for educational purposes and only as general recommendations. Always practice personal discretion when using and caring for furniture, decor and related items.