8 home staging tips that’ll make your home a stand-out
There’s no doubt about it: staging a home before listing it on the market is one of the best investments you can make.
Research has shown that staged homes sell three times faster than non-staged homes. The Profile of Home Staging reported that 82% of buyers’ agents agree that staging makes it easier for their clients to visualize a property as their future home, which can help a home sell faster.
Those are pretty impressive statistics.
Think home staging is too tough to handle? It’s not, especially with the help of this list of 8 simple home staging tips that any homeowner can tackle.
What is home staging?
At its core, home staging helps bring out your home’s most impressive features. Grounded in interior design principles, a home seller updates the finishes, furnishings, and décor of their home to make it appealing to as many buyers as possible. The goal? By taking these steps, buyers will be better able to envision themselves in the home and see its potential.
By refreshing your home in this way, you’re increasing your chances of generating more interest, higher offers, and a quicker sale. It also helps you fetch top dollar because buyers spend less time focusing on the areas that need improvement, and more time seeing their future selves in the space.
How do I prepare for home staging?
Staging your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. In fact, if your home is in generally good condition, it should be relatively easy to tackle on your own.
Keep a few things in mind before getting started:
- Get ideas online: The internet has a wealth of information about home staging, from tips and tricks to aesthetic information and how-to guides, including our handy checklist below! Talk to your real estate agent, too. They’ll have plenty of experience working with clients on their home staging projects, so they'll be able to offer expert advice as you put your plan together – and help you prioritize the most important projects you should tackle first.
- Prepare in advance: Checking off all your home staging projects may take a few weeks to complete, so it’s best to create a plan before you get started. Work out your budget (both from a financial and time-equity perspective). Then you can prioritize your projects in order of importance.
- Purchase your items and materials: Once you’ve got a plan in place, it’s time for the fun to start! Start shopping for the materials and accessories you’ll need to give your home the fresh facelift it needs before buyers begin to visit.
- Roll up your sleeves and dig in! Once you’re in the mindset of updating your space, you’ll find a groove and begin checking tasks off the list in no time! The best part? You’ll also be preparing for the move to your new dream home as you pack, declutter, and clean.
Our 8 DIY tips for better home staging
To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of quick fixes to get your house in tip-top shape for showings.
Bonus: Using these tips to stage your home will also help you take great photos for your listing and, with most buyers perusing virtually first, it’s more important now than ever to catch their eye online.
1. Maximize first impressions
Making a good first impression is one of the best ways to increase the chances that you’ll be able to sell your home quickly. Keep in mind that a buyer’s first impression of your home starts as soon as they turn onto your street.
That's why you may want to:
- Spend some extra time sprucing up the front yard and walkway, and interior foyer.
- Clean up the path to the front door by weeding around it and create a welcoming vignette for buyers with fresh and fragrant flowers.
- Create a tidy space where they can envision themselves welcoming their friends and loved ones into their new home.
The goal here – and one to keep in mind as you read through the rest of this list – is to make potential buyers feel at home.
2. Declutter, declutter, declutter
Buyers should be able to really see their future selves in your home, which is much more difficult when a space includes your family photographs and personal items. Replace these items with coffee table books, candles, and more neutral artwork like landscape images or abstract art in a neutral colour palette instead. (You also may want to consider renting out a small storage space to house these precious pieces and keep them safe while your house is on the market.)
Buyers are also likely to open drawers and closets, so pare down your belongings as much as possible to showcase those hidden spaces. Clear off tabletops, shelves, and counters and opt for neutral storage baskets to hide the everyday items you need, but don’t want buyers to see.
3. Think light and bright
Potential buyers are more drawn to homes that are bright and airy, so the name of this game is to create as much of that feeling as possible:
- Add mirrors to reflect more light and open up the space.
- Replace dark and heavy window coverings with lighter options, both in colour and fabric, and leave them open during showings.
- Add extra lighting to dark corners.
- Pare down furniture so there is plenty of space to move through a room.
If your walls are looking like they could use some TLC, it might be a good investment to add a fresh coat of paint to brighten things up. This is a relatively inexpensive task that can easily be done on your own, and it offers another benefit, too: a neutral backdrop makes it easier for buyers to envision themselves in your home.
4. Leave no corner undefined
Most people have trouble visualizing the potential of a space, and awkward spaces in your home can leave potential buyers feeling confused. Make the most of any undefined corners by hanging crowd-pleasing artwork, or placing a small piece of furniture or even a large potted plant there.
What about that third bedroom that you’ve been using as storage? Consider swapping out the shelves with a simple bedroom set so your space matches the listing info and buyers aren’t left guessing if it will suit their needs.
5. Create competitive curb appeal
It’s true that buyers are more often interested in the interior of a home, but creating an inviting and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space can help push them to make that final decision to make an offer, too.
Tidy up garden bends, plant fresh flowers, give the fence a fresh coat of stain, and make the front door welcoming and clutter-free.
It’s also a great idea to stage your outdoor spaces with some furniture, too. Potential buyers will have an easier time imagining how they’ll be spending their warm summer nights on the back patio of their new home if they can see all it has to offer.
6. Unlock the potential of these 2 key spaces
Kitchens and bathrooms are two of the biggest selling points in any home, so give them some extra love while staging your home.
Paint kitchen cabinets to upgrade on a budget and consider replacing handles and drawer pulls for an easy way to create a more up-to-date look. These simple changes can make a surprising difference and make your kitchen feel like new!
Bathrooms can feel cold and lifeless without any personality, so don’t forget to accessorize! Create that luxurious hotel feels with fluffy white towels, high-end soap bottles, and a few small touches like plants or candles.
7. Storage that sings
Once you’ve spent time decluttering and organizing, you might find that some spaces still need a little extra love to feel neat and organized.
Cue: additional storage. Invest in some extra bins and boxes that will help you organize the last few items that are loose in your cabinets or closets, knowing that buyers will open cupboard doors. On open shelving, mix up the textures and finishes by adding a few simple wicker baskets or pops of colour with photo boxes to brighten up the space.
Storage options should look abundant and easy to organize, because that’s what buyers will want for their own belongings, too.
8. Don’t forget to deep clean
Now it’s time for some elbow grease. Give your home a deep clean, top to bottom (or hire the pros to take care of it for you!). From crown moulding to carpets and everything in between, your home should be sparkling to show at its best.
If furniture or carpets are stained or a little musty, have them deep cleaned.
A clean home also gives the impression of being well-cared for, which every buyer is hoping to find. Plus, a freshly aired-out home just feels inviting – it’s one of the easiest ways to make your home stand out
9. Looking for home staging ideas? We can help!
While there are some inherent costs associated with staging, it’s clear that the return on investment is worth it. Staging will help to generate more interest in your listing, help your home spend less time on the market, and potentially fetch that higher price you’re looking for.
At Properly, we know that when more people see a listing, it’s more likely to sell faster and for a higher value. That’s why our real estate agents partner with marketing experts to help you sell your home for more. You don’t have to face the home-selling process alone - we're here to help!
