Home Staging Tips - Part Two

Go through the whole house and try to look at everything like you would be seeing it for the first time. Take some notes: what you have to change, which baseboards must be repainted or replaced, which doors are creaking. Are there stains on the carpet? Where is the wall dirty, which furniture must be moved or removed, where to hang an artwork or mirror, etc. 

After that kind of "general inspection" is time for de-cluttering. 

Remember that this is very helpful not only for the staging process, but for overall moving process. Before you move, you have to pack all yours belongings anyway so doing this right now, is also preparing you for moving into a new house. Go through all your closets and cabinets. Give away clothes, shoes, purses you haven’t used for longer than one year. Check expiry dates on medications, cosmetics and cleaning products in bathroom shelves. Throw away everything what is out of date or what you know that you are never going to use it. Decide which furniture you are going to keep and use during staging your home and what you would like to put in outside storage. If you have lot of stuff, this may be a perfect moment to organize a garage sale. Keep prices low to get rid of everything you don’t need anymore.

Clean your basement – even if is not finished – try to create a nice atmosphere by brightening it up, put some chairs and a table, keep storage area separate.

Clean your garage! Let prospective buyers to see a potential space for their car, instead of scaring them with a mountain of clutter. Arrange work shop and tool area, clean shelves, leave some surfaces empty, organize garbage bins and boxes.

Now let’s come back to the living part of the house. If you had taken some notes during your first tour, then now is a good time to take some action while going through the list. Repaint rooms if needed and the side boards. Some time you may need only a few drops of white paint and small brush to cover the scratches. Oil the wickets, clean all windows, wash the carpets. Remove all family pictures, diplomas, religious items - everything personal. Remember that now your home is becoming product on the market and it has to "speak" to wide audience. Our goal is to find a buyer so it must be neutral so that everyone can imagine themselves living in this house.

Bathrooms and kitchen are two spaces that must be spotless!! Buy new shower curtain, put new towels as a nice colour accents. Hide the toothbrushes in the cabinet during open house. Put some aromatic candles to create a spa like feeling. Clean the cooking area in the kitchen, wash the floor behind the oven, remove grease spots form the tiles around it. If kitchen cabinets are in good condition just clean them, if not – there are some easy ways to make a kitchen makeover.

Check an entry way – it is like a business card of the home. Put small table, garnish with vase of flowers, add a chair and decorative pillow. Use mirror to enhance the space. Make the area light and welcoming. 

Decorate living room and dining room. Arrange all bedrooms, use new bedding to uniform the space, clean all flat surfaces. Put some nightstands with lamps, some accent decor.

At the end - remember that smell is very important and it can have a huge impact on the decision to buy or not to buy. Ventilate your house! You may use some spray like Fabrizee which can gently improve the quality of the air. Remove signs of house pet’s presence at home. Fresh flowers are always welcome and used moderately they can substantially improve the atmosphere of the house. 

 

It is difficult to live in a listed home. You have to be ready to show the space at any time during the day. To make your life easier, prepare some multifunctional storage baskets. For example chest as a sofa side table. You can use them at a last minute storage to put some toys or things you are using on daily bases. If you leave them outside, they can ruin the effect of sparkly clean and spacious house. Everything done? Great! Now is The Show Time!

Author: Margaret

Home Staging Tips - Part One

If you already decided that you want to sell your house, next step is to start thinking about it in a category of a product on the market. Your goal now is to prepare your home for sale fast and for the best possible price. If you know that you changed the roof just 2 years ago, and replaced windows last summer and that your home doesn't require an extra serious repair work – than it is the time to think about how it looks inside and outside. At this point you have two options: you may hire an expert or you can do staging work on your own. In next few steps you will see what to do to make your place looking as attractive for potential buyer as possible.

First try honestly estimate how your home looks right now and what impressions it gives to your visitors. To reach that objective level of analysis, go for a walk or short ride around your neighbourhood. Look at the other homes on your street. How they look and how does your home looks compare to them. Stand across the street and look at the curb appeal of your home. How the landscaping looks, is the lawn ok, are the bushes trimmed?

 Are the windows clean? What about window covers - shutters or blinds – are they hanging properly? Now is time for the action: if you see any paint that peels off from the door or any other place – repaint it. If there are any dry plants, empty pots, or anything else what shouldn't be there - remove it. Clean your front door, put nice fresh flower pottery pot or two to accent the entrance. Check that the house number is clear, and in good shape, check the mailbox and lamps - if they do not attractive anymore take them off and replace or simply repaint them. Clean the door bell and the door handle. Sweep the dust and dirt form under your doormat. If the doormat itself looks tired – replace it, it is not a big cost but huge positive change.

To create nice "welcome" feeling you may put flowery wreath or bouquet on your front door.

 

Next time you may read Free Home Staging Tips on how to transform the inside of your home.

Author: Margaret