You’ve set the stage outside and now it’s “SHOW TIME” to display the inside of your home. The efforts you spend here can helped create that all important positive first impression.
22 Steps of Staging for Success
- Perform a spring cleaning. Clean houses sell more easily.
- Add light to all rooms; replace all burned out bulbs and faulty switches.
- Brighten with fresh paint. White, off-white or beige walls make a room seem larger and brighter.
- Clean closets to make them appear larger. (Hint: untidy or over-crowded closets suggest inadequate storage space. De-clutter!)
- Clean or replace worn carpets. (Hint: you may not recover all of the cost, but your house will most likely sell faster)
- Clear kitchen counters of appliances and miscellaneous items. (Hint: clear counters appear more expansive. De-clutter!)
- Organize kitchen cabinets, pantry and linen closets.
- It is critical to have a clean oven/range.
- Clean all sinks.
- Polish bathroom fixtures and mirrors.
- Clean tile grout; regrout if necessary.
- Bathrooms must be neat, spotless and fresh.
- Clean fireplace.
- Clean furnace and replace filters.
- Keep room temperatures comfortable. You want your buyer to “move in” mentally.
- Make your house more inviting by placing freshly cut flowers in several rooms.
- Be aware of cooking or pet odor. Keep your house well ventilated and/or freshen rooms with cinnamon or vanilla (i.e.: potpourri)
- Eliminate ANY clutter.
- Clean and brighten naturally dim rooms (i.e. Table lamps, paint, flowers etc.)
- Repair doors, drawers and windows that stick.
- Tighten loose door knobs, towel racks, cabinet handles and switch plates.
- Check all plumbing; fix leaky faucets, and clean away water stains.