Inexpensive Home Staging Tips You Can’t Afford to Skip

Inexpensive Home Staging Tips You Can’t Afford to Skip - For some sellers, the idea of staging your home may seem strange. After all, you’ve put lots of thought and care into decorating and furnishing your home. The problem is that buyers are most attracted to homes that feel spacious, open, and bright - yet all the “stuff” that comes along with real life might not generate that feeling. On top of that, they need to overlook it all to see the house for what it is. It’s worth taking the time to eliminate the clutter and stage your home in a way that highlights its best features.

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Start With the “Stuff”

Before you can stage your home, you have to start by removing the clutter. For the purposes of selling, remember that clutter means anything that’s excess, including too much furniture, pictures on the walls, tchotchkes, and even things that are tucked away in cabinets and closets (because buyers will open them, and they want those to be spacious too!). When deciding how much to get rid of, there isn’t exactly a magic number, but try to aim for two thirds of what’s in your home.

Decluttering is the most time consuming part of staging, so we recommend spacing it out over several days so you don’t get overwhelmed. Use this time to sort through your belongings, deciding what can be sold, donated, or trashed.

For everything that goes in the “keep” pile, make a plan for what can be boxed up and stored while the home is on the market. This category should include clothing that’s out of season, excess furniture pieces, and any decor or photos that are overly personal. Shedding those extras that make it feel like your home is a critical part of the process. The reality is that everyone has different tastes, and you don’t want to lose potential buyers who can’t see past a style that doesn’t suit them.

Add in Neutral Decor

Once you’ve depersonalized, what you want to leave behind (and in some cases add) is neutral decor that sets the backdrop for house hunters to picture themselves right at home. Going neutral doesn’t mean your home has to look bland, though. Try mixing textures, furniture styles, and quiet colors to avoid looking or feeling generic, even while you go more neutral.

You can even decorate with some natural elements. Bringing in house plants, flower arrangements, bowls of fruit, or even found items like pine cones and acorns placed in a vase can warm up your home without adding anything that’s too eclectic. To get an idea of what people in your area are looking for, search local real estate listings to see how others have decided to stage their homes for sale.

Spruce Up Problem Areas

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to get your home buyer-ready is to paint. If you have spots on walls that are chipped or stained, these walls are screaming to be repaired and painted. Even if you don’t have damage or marks, you should paint over any bold colors, or simply paint to freshen up the space. Going with a light neutral color is always a good idea because it brightens a room and ensures you’re appealing to just about any sensibilities.

While you’re in fix-it mode, go through the home and make any other minor repairs you have put off so the house looks move-in ready. You may also want to analyze the condition of your furniture and determine whether it needs a refresh. Rather than spending a lot of money on new furniture, you can keep costs low by reupholstering the pieces you already have. When researching furniture upholsterers near me, you'll want to focus on experienced and licensed professionals. Also, keep in mind that while the average cost of furniture upholstery is $652, prices will vary depending on the size of the furniture and the fabric you choose.

Create Curb Appeal

With everything you do to make the inside of your home sparkle, don’t forget to show some love to outdoor spaces, too. HGTV suggests your curb appeal efforts should focus on keeping your lawn neat and trimmed, picking up debris, and cleaning exterior surfaces. And while neutral is the name of the game when it comes to interior paint, your front door is the one place where it can actually pay to paint a bold color. Just be sure to go with a tasteful hue that coordinates with the style of your home and other exterior colors.

The goal of staging is to eliminate the barriers that keep buyers from seeing a home’s full potential, both inside and out. The good news for sellers is that this process doesn’t have to be costly or overly time consuming. Simply focus on these key tips to make sure your time and money are well spent.

Photo credit: Rawpixel

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