Staging Tips

7/26/12 Successful staging is key to selling your home quickly and at the best price. From cleaning to styling, t…

1/8www.houzz.com/ideabooks/2661221/list/Sell‑Your‑Home‑Fast‑‑21‑Staging‑Tips

FollowLaura GaskillI am a proud new mama in the process of creating a home I love on a tight budget,squeezing in design classes on the side. You can find me on my blog Lolalina(http://www.lolalina.com/), where I share inspiring interiors, design finds, cute baby pictures,and updates on my own progress in decorating my first house.

If you are planning to put your house on the market this summer, it goes without saying that

you are hoping to sell your home as quickly as possible and get your asking price. Set the stage

for success with these 21 tips for styling and upgrading your home, and see results — fast.

Sell Your Home Fast: 21 Staging TipsSuccessful staging is key to selling your home quickly and at the best price. From cleaningto styling, these tips can help

1. Boost curb appeal. This is somethingyou always hear, and with very goodreason. Many people thinking of touringyour home will do a quick driveby first,often deciding on the spot if it is evenworth a look inside. Make sure your homeis ready to lure in onlookers with thesetips:

Power wash siding and walkwaysHang easytoread house numbersPlant blooming flowers and freshgreeneryMow lawn, and reseed or add freshsod as neededWash front windowsRepaint or stain the porch floor asneeded

by Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.by Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

2. Welcome visitors with an invitingporch. Even if you have only a tiny stoop,make it say "welcome home" with a cleandoormat, potted plants in bloom and — ifyou have room — one or two pieces of neatporch furniture. Keep your porch lights onin the evenings, in case potential buyersdrive by. Illuminating the front walk withsolar lights is a nice extra touch, especiallyif you will be showing the house during theevening.

by Whitten Architectsby Whitten Architects

3. Get your house sparkling clean.From shining floors and gleaming windowsto clean counters and scrubbed grout, everysurface should sparkle. This is the easiest(well, maybe not easiest, but certainly thecheapest) way to help your home put itsbest foot forward. You may want to hirepros to do some of the really tough stuff,especially if you have a large house. Don'tskimp — this step is key!

by Suzie Parkinson SÜZA DESIGNby Suzie Parkinson SÜZA DESIGN

4. Clear away all clutter. If you areserious about staging your home, all cluttermust go, end of story. It's not easy, and itmay even require utilizing offsite storage(or a nice relative's garage) temporarily,but it is well worth the trouble. Clean andclear surfaces, floors, cupboards and closetsequal more space in the eyes of potentialbuyers, so purge anything unnecessary orunsightly.

But it's my style! Guess what? It may notbe the style of those seeking to buy a housein your neighborhood. So even if you havean awesome vintagechic look going on,rein it in for the sake of appealing to themost number of people. You can bring yourpersonal style back into play in your newhome.

by Tamar Schechnerby Tamar Schechner



5. Strike a balance between clean andlivedin. Yes, I know I just said to get ridof all your clutter (and you deserve a bigpat on the back if you did it), but now it'stime to judiciously bring back a fewelements that will really make your homeappealing. Think vases of cut flowers, abasket of fresh farmer's market produce onthe kitchen counter or a bowl of lemonsbeside the sink.

by Kate Jackson Designby Kate Jackson Design

6. Style your dining room table. Thedining room is often a blind spot indecorating the home. Between dinners, alarge dining table can look bare anduninviting, so styling it up with visitors inmind can increase the appeal. An oversizearrangement can look too stiff and formal,so try lining up a series of smaller vesselsdown the center of the table instead.


7. Take a good look at your floors. Atthe bare minimum, give all floors athorough cleaning (and steam cleancarpets), but consider having wood floorsrefinished if they are in poor shape. If youdon't want to invest in refinishing floors,the strategic placement of area rugs can goa long way.

by nicole helene designsby nicole helene designs

8. Rearrange your furniture. In theliving room, symmetrical arrangementsusually work well. Pull your furniture offthe walls and use pairs (of sofas, chairs,lamps) to create an inviting conversationarea.

by Ellen Grasso Incby Ellen Grasso Inc

9. Choose sophisticated neutralcolors. Now is not the time to experimentwith that "fun"looking lime green. But thatdoesn't mean you need to go all white,either. Rich midtone neutrals like mochaand "greige" create a sophisticatedbackdrop that makes everything look morepulled together.


10. Create a genderneutral masterbedroom. Appeal to everyone with aclean, tailored master bedroom, free ofpersonal items and clutter. You can't gowrong with clean, crisp linens, tastefulartwork and a blanket folded at the foot ofthe bed.

by Talianko Design Group, LLCby Talianko Design Group, LLC

11. Open those closets! Openhousevisitors will peek inside your closets. Closetspace can be a makeitorbreakit sellingpoint for buyers, so show yours off to theirfull advantage by giving excess stuff theheaveho. Again, this is really important, soeven if you need to store a few boxeselsewhere, it's worth it. Aim to have 20 to30 percent open space in each closet to givethe impression of spaciousness.

by The Stow Companyby The Stow Company

12. Clean up toys. Of course there will befamilies with children looking at yourhome, but just because they have kids toodoesn't mean seeing toys strewneverywhere will sell them on the place.When people are house hunting, they areimagining a fresh start. Show them that inthis house, it is possible to have abeautifully organized kids' room, and theymight be swayed.

by Artistic Designs for Living,...by Artistic Designs for Living,...



13. Use "extra" rooms wisely. If youhave been using a spare bedroom as adumping ground for odd pieces offurniture and boxes of junk, it's time toclean up your act. Each room should have aclearly defined purpose, so think aboutwhat potential buyers might like to seehere. An office? A guest room? Anotherkids' room? Whether you buy inexpensivefurnishings, rent them, or borrow somefrom friends, making a real room out of ajunk room will have a big payoff.

by Joel Snaydby Joel Snayd

14. Try a pedestal sink to maximizespace. If you have a small bathroom but ahuge cabinetstyle sink, consider swappingit out for a simple pedestal version. Yourbathroom will appear instantly bigger.

by Webber + Studio, Architectsby Webber + Studio, Architects

15. Use only perfect personal accents.Especially in the bathroom, it is importantthat anything left out for visitors to see ispristine. If you have a gorgeous fluffy whitebathrobe, hanging it on a decorative hookon the door can be an attractive accent —but if your robe is more of the nubby bluefloral variety, you might want to hide itaway. Look at every detail with a visitor'seye — bars of soap should be fresh andclean, towels spotless, the garbage alwaysemptied (you get the idea).

16. Entice people to explore thewhole house. By placing something thatdraws the eye at the top of the stairs, inhallways or in corners, you can piquecuriosity and keep potential buyersinterested throughout a whole home tour.A piece of artwork, a painted accent wall, awindow seat, a vase of flowers, a hanginglight or even a small, colorful rug can allwork to draw the eye.

by Archer & Buchanan...by Archer & Buchanan...

17. Show how you can use awkwardareas. If you have any room beneath thestairs, or a nook or alcove anywhere in yourhome, try to find a unique way to show itoff. By setting up a small work station, ahome command center with a bulletinboard, or builtin shelving, your awkwardspot becomes another selling point.

by 8Foot6by 8Foot6

18. Beware pet odors. Really, this canbe a big one! If you have pets, get all rugssteam cleaned and be extra vigilant aboutvacuuming and washing surfaces. Also besure to keep any extraloved pet toys anddoggie bones hidden when tours arescheduled.

by COOK ARCHITECTURAL Design...by COOK ARCHITECTURAL Design...

19. Create a lifestyle people arelooking for. Generally speaking, youwant to play up what your neighborhood orarea is known for. Have a house in a quiet,grassy suburb? Hanging a hammock inyour backyard and a bench swing on yourporch could be the perfect touch.

by Smith & Vansant Architects PCby Smith & Vansant Architects PC

20. Stage the outdoors too. Even ifyour condo has only a teensy postagestamp–size balcony, play it up with a cutecafé table and chairs, a cheerful tableclothand even a little tray of dishes or a vase offlowers. When people look at this scene,they won't be thinking "small," they will bethinking, "What a charming spot to havebreakfast!"

by Celia Jamesby Celia James

21. Think seasonally. Make sure yourgarden is in beautiful shape in thesummer, and that any extra features youhave, like a pool or a fire pit, are cleanedand ready to go. Take advantage of the cozyvibe of the season in autumn and winter,by building a fire in the fireplace andsimmering hot apple cider on the stove.

More:Photo styling: Say It With Flowers

by Shades Of Green Landscape...by Shades Of Green Landscape...



cgmarketing says:

I wonder if Laura would be so kind as to reveal the paint colour she chose forimages 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 and18

6 weeks ago

Laura Gaskill says:

Hi cgmarketing each of these photos comes from a different Houzz source.Try clicking through to each image you have a question about to approach thehomeowner or professional directly. Hope that helps!

6 weeks ago

Madison Modern Home says:

Laura, you've hit all the right points here. I like how you showed photos thathave neutral backdrops, but also feature those pops of color, which add somuch life to a room.

6 weeks ago

scarbowcow says:

I'm reading through this and thinking, 'This is how I want my (future) home tolook for ME and for MY GUESTS. Forget about doing all of this for futurebuyers. I'd like to have all of this for me, because I think you've described whata lovely, restful, inviting home is like. I'm bookmarking the whole article toreview on that hopedfor day when I have my own place to decorate.

6 weeks ago

mrwritesf says:

I'm with scarbowcow...I'd certainly love all of this in a home I owned, even if itdoes make the place look like it's stuck back in 1955 (you forgot to make surethere are cookies baking during home tours). However, as a condo dweller,only a few tips apply (floors, clutter, general cleanliness, patio/balcony [thoughI don't have one in my unit]). Curb appeal, porch, gardens, etc. aren't within anowner's direct control although general maintenance of a building/complexspeaks for itself. Good surrogates would be amenities such as garage parking,roof deck, pool, hot tub, fitness room, theater, club room/demo kitchen andcommunity grill/BBQ.

6 weeks ago

geezee26 says:

These are mostly all great ideas and just plan common sense. But, I don't thinkopening your closet is a good idea. Most people don't have a very neat closetor wouldn't want people to see their personal stuff.

6 weeks ago

tradess2012 says:

Most of the points made here are not that new, but still make sense....and thenyou have potential buyers who complain about the HOA fees being to high.

6 weeks ago

catsandroses says:

Comments

Photo styling: Say It With Flowers



I'm a Realtor and all the above points ring true.. despite what one may hope,buyers DO look in all closet and all drawers. the stager I work with says that50% of surfaces like bookshelves should be empty and all drawers (kitchen,etc) be 30% empty. keep all closet neat and don't forget the linen closet,sheets, towels, etc. should be neatly folded, get all excess toiletries, etc, out ofthe space and one extra set of sheets and towels per bedroom.. that's it! also,you are moving.. box or remove anything of sentimental or monetary value aswell as all meds.. you don't know who is wandering through at an open house..and children love to pick up small stuff.. I had a client who was loathe to putaway her Baccarat collection of small glass animals until I told her that Johnnywas wandering through the house carrying her $100+ glass bunny. when I sellmy house I am planning on renting a storage area to get the excess out andhopefully will donate much of in the process. these suggestions make anenormous difference in the time on market for a home.

6 weeks ago

Carol Taylor says:

Most times simply removing one piece of furniture from a room makes itappear larger.

6 weeks ago

tsudhonimh says:

"If you don't want to invest in refinishing floors, the strategic placement of arearugs can go a long way."

NOTE TO SELF: Look under ALL area rugs to see what they seller is hiding.

6 weeks ago

flameworker says:

I had an awkward spacetiny room at the bottom of basement stairs, 1960'stype paneling with no windows with my husband's guitar collection mounted onthe walls. I used a fairly bright yellow paint on the paneling, painted the ceiling demigloss white to capture any reflected light, removed the guitars. Next, I placedan overstuffed red chair with ottoman, a floor lamp and a tiny table. Prettysparse, but then I draped a fluffy throw over the chair, placed a book and anopen box of chocolates on the ottoman and a wine glass on the table.

Realtors left notes telling me how much they enjoyed showing my home.

P.S.One more hint: A silent home has no "heart". I left a cd on loop settingwith very soft sweet harp music on for showings. My realtor said she normallyadvises against music, but in this case she thought it really created a niceambiance.

6 weeks ago

marthaelena says:

A big turn down for me and many people I know is the odors of a house. It is not only pet odors. If you have musty or mildew odors (sometimes is justplain old house smell), there are many sites online that will give yousuggestions on getting rid of it or minimizing it. I know of a product that theprevious owner of my house used to eliminate some odors and it workswonders.

On the other hand, the yellow flowers work best in the front entry according tosome experts, and I agree. There is something about the yellow color that isinviting and makes you cheery.



inviting and makes you cheery.

6 weeks ago

Casart Coverings says:

Moving is difficult both physically and emotionally. Your pictures make it somuch easier to visualize all the results of hard work and how we'd want ourhome to look like on a daily basis. Great post and comments too. I've heardthat if you bake bread or cookies (and then leave out for open house visitors),this can replace any unpleasant odors with that "welcome home" experiencefor potential buyers.

6 weeks ago

richdeco says:

I agree with most of the advice but I'm also a Stager. Walking into the backs offurniture is never a good thing. You need to open up the room to make itinviting. No backs of sofas or chairs in the line of sight.

6 weeks ago

colleenrock says:

Great points Laura. With the exception to time, most of these points are notcostly. As an agent in Northeast Ohio, given the increased inventory in homesfor sale, a question I ask homeowners is "what makes your homeunforgettable?" Depending on the home's particular competition, this could beanything from sparkling clean to uniquely utilized space, to an exquisitelydesigned kitchen or bath.

6 weeks ago

Seattle Staged To Sell says:

Hi Laura. What a wonderful blog and you really do emphasis all the points thatI try to make to my clients. Sometimes is is hard for homeowners to follow suchadvice, since they are STILL attached to their homes. As a professional home stager, I often find myself educating my clients thatwhen they are selling their home is not about them anymore, it is about thepotential home buyers. Once the home sellers come to truly understand this,then they'll be able to create the life style for their home for the next homeowner through home staging. This is a funny blog that I wrote about a home owner that just could not getdetached. Thanks again for writing this rich content wonderful blog about home staging. http://www.seattlestagedtosell.com/2011/10/19/iopenedthedoorandmyheartsank/

6 weeks ago

Sauveteur says:

We are moving to Normandy, which means that this apartment in Limours willso be for rent, after nearly 6 years of living here. Well, that is what we thoughtanyway. We had to give 90 days notice and we understood that during that 90days people would come in an tour our apartment while we were still livinghere. It's the standard arrangement here. In anticipation I spent the 6 weeksprior to giving our notice doing exactly those things you listed and more. Then,2 weeks ago we gave our notice. A realitor and owners came by and viewedthe apartment. The next day the owners phoned to tell us that they wantedanother realitor to come by and that this realitor would be selling, not renting,the apartment. Just two days after the realitor and photographers came by therealitor set up an appointment to show our apartment. It was a happycoincidence that my orchids and african violets were in full bloom. The morningof the visit I went to the green grocer, as is my standard habit, and purchased



of the visit I went to the green grocer, as is my standard habit, and purchasedfresh vegetables. After soaking them in water and cleaning them, I placedthem in a bowl near the stove along with the soup pot where I would preparethe soup for dinner in about 45 hours. Because I had plans that afternoon,after the showing, I set the table too. Basically, I did nothing that I don'tnormally do on that day except for the 6 weeks prior I had cleaned andprepared. Well, except that I spent an extra 1020 minutes reinforcing thedog's training to 'sit' 'stay' 'come'. The prospective buyers came and spentabout an hour looking through the apartment, which is only alittle over 650 sqft. I sat on the sofa and read until they came to sit by me and chat.

The apartment is sold and only going through the legalities now. One tour >one sale. No more tourists in my home! What was left out in the article:

Make sure that every light bulb works. Do not place any scented plants anywhere in your house for tours. Do not use candles, especially scented candles. Anything small and valuable needs to be removed and stored away. Keep personal photos to a minimum. Open the drapes, even just a bit in every room. Turn on all the lights before the doorbell rings. Greet your guest, take their coats and purses while you chat and hang themwhere outer wear is usually hung. Don't allow the dog to leave your side or it's bed. If you have a cat, make sure that the cat box is not visible or smellable and thatcanned cat food is not seen or smelled. Empty and line all trash recepticles. Have a hot pot of tea or coffee available and offer it to them. Don't hover over your guests, because that is what they are: guests who maywant to live their lives where you have lived yours.

6 weeks ago

pattimay says:

Looking at photo 11 reminded me To those selling your homes, whenshowing don't forget to take down, hide, put away, or take with you yourvaluables. Whether costly or sentimental.

5 weeks ago

nellson says:

After staging and selling two properties in three years, my husband and Irealized how wonderful it was to live in the uncluttered space. We just bought athird house in a new city and we plan to keep it up. This article was a greatreminder on how to create that ambiance while we are in the middle ofrenovating. Thanks Laura.

5 weeks ago

tradess2012 says:

Fantastic comments especially about the yellow flowers....but I do use citrustype of tart candles hidden. The extra towels, great idea....shopping today, andyes, noticed the open drawers in the bathrooms a lot....jeez....at least closethem (note to buyers)....valuable are long gone into my safe....

5 weeks ago

Staging Diva Home Staging Training says:

Excellent home staging tips here and I love the photos you've chosen toillustrate them! Especially like that for "Style your dining room table" you didn'tinclude the advice to use place settings. I often find this distracts from the roomitself. Great article!



itself. Great article!

5 weeks ago

Lanie Brown says:

Reposting for my Sellers. Thank you for presenting commonsense tips verybrightly.

5 weeks ago

Tracie says:

Most of these are great except for number #14. Baths with pedestal sinks are amajor turnoff for me when house hunting. They have no counter or storagespace. I'd rather see a vanity that hugs the wall or the corner.

5 weeks ago

bpetrohan says:

Women generally HATE pedestal sinks.

5 weeks ago

All Things Home Organizing™ by Gayle Grace says:

Really great ideas here...decluttering every space, especially closets, cabinetsand pantries and actually "staging" those areas is a bonus.

3 weeks ago

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