Top Seven Home Staging Mistakes

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Stage Every Room to Sell

This lens will focus on common house staging mistakes--places in our house that we forget to stage, or items in our house that we just don't think about when it comes to staging.

The more I staged the living areas in the house, the more I realized that it was just as important for me to stage the non-living areas. The contrast between show-room living room and wreck-room laundry room was too great to ignore!

Stage every space. I will say it again: Stage. Every. Space.
Bathroom Pictures, Images and PhotosIncluding the bathrooms!

Home Staging Call to Action

If it's unnecessary, get rid of it.
If it's lying out, put it away.
If it's messy, straighten it.
If it's dirty, clean it.
If it tells about you, pack it away.
If it smells funny, spray it.

The Top Seven Home Staging Mistakes 

In no particular order

Here they are: the Big Seven Home Staging Mistakes.
  • Don't forget your closets.

    Storage is a major selling point, but cluttered storage can kill a sale. Be sure to maximize all the storage spaces in your house. Either sell or use a storage unit to clear out the clutter to make your closets appear as spacious as possible. Buy some inexpensive shelving to organize your closets. And don't forget the kitchen cabinets. Make sure that they are neat and tidy.
  • Don't forget the pantry.

    The pantry is specialized storage space for food. Make sure it is organized and that all items are grouped in a meaningful way. If a potential buyer looks in your pantry and sees a jumbled mess of food and paper goods, they will think that the pantry storage in your house is obviously not adequate.
  • Don't forget the garage.

    I have never understood having a two-car garage packed so full of stuff that the cars have to stay in the driveway. Most two-car garages are at least 400 square feet. Maximize that space as much as you can. Clear it out, have a garage sale, give a bunch of stuff away, donate it to charity, but just get it out of the garage. Arrange necessities neatly by using a pegboard or other similar system. Make sure that you can get both cars in the garage.
  • Don't forget the laundry room.

    The laundry room is often a no-man's land of hidden and hiding socks, half empty bottles of cleaner, shoe polish and all the other odds and ends that you can't find another place for. It's a laundry room, people. It's used for doing laundry. Go through everything in your laundry room and get rid of anything that doesn't pertain to laundry. Everything that's left should be arranged neatly.
  • Don't forget the pictures.

    Most staging books will tell you to hide or store your personal family photos. This is fantastic advice. You want to make sure that your house is as "person-neutral" as possible, so it is very important that you depersonalize by getting rid of wedding pictures, family portraits and school pictures. If, however, that is all you have up on your walls, do invest in some inexpensive, generic pieces of art to hang on the walls so they don't look too bare.
  • Don't forget the refrigerator.

    Most people use their refrigerators as big metal advertizing kiosks. What do they advertize? Your entire life: doctors' appointments, snapshots, the school newsletter, your children's artwork, coupons, the honey-do list--it's all up there. Take it all down and put the honey-do list in your honey's sock drawer.
  • Don't forget the knick-knacks.

    Everyone has them--the coconut monkey head that you got on vacation to Hawaii, the collection of shotglasses from around the world, the toothpick holder collection. There is no need to show off your obsessive compulsive tendancies by showcasing 200 Pez dispensers. Seriously edit your collections to the ones that will appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers. Of those, limit the display to five pieces, maximum. The rest of what makes the house your home needs to get packed away awaiting a place of honor in your next home.

Stylish Touches Can Help Complete the Stage 

Vases, figurines, and interesting objects add to the overall effect

Bormioli Rocco Capitol Flower Bud Vase, Gift Boxed

Bormioli Rocco Capitol Flower Bud Vase, Gift Boxed

Amazon Price: $5.44 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Old World Bookends

Old World Bookends

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Rosewood Hand Carved Trinket Box with Lining from India, 6x4

Rosewood Hand Carved Trinket Box with Lining from India, 6x4

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Storage Decorative Box with Bamboo Pattern

Storage Decorative Box with Bamboo Pattern

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Other Fantastic Home Staging Lenses 

There is a wealth of information out there. I've corralled some of it here for you.
Staging Your Home for Resale
Common sense and practical staging advice, complete with pictures. Lots of great information here!
Home Staging--Find a Stager in Your Local Area
Lens written by a professional home stager. If you're feeling unsure about doing it yourself, find an expert here.
Learn Home Staging
As more houses flood the market, there is a lot of work out there for stagers. If you're considering a new career, check out home staging and the certification process.
Staged Homes
Fantastic information. Especially check out the information on "The Flow for the Prospective Buyer." Great stuff here.

Beautifully Staged Bath Room (Just Lose that Photo)

The Home Staging Primary Directive

Just like Mother Superior told Maria to Climb Every Mountain, you must Stage Every Space. I can't emphasize this enough, friends: every closet, every odd nook in your house, the mud room. Stage Every Space.

I CAN Sell This House 

While I am not a Realtor, I am an expert in what I did to sell our house. It worked so well for us that I want to share my action plan with you.

I have compiled everything I did to sell our house, from preparing to sell through staging, pricing and marketing, negotiations and a successful closing.

For more information on this and other topics vital to selling your house, please visit I CAN Sell This House

More Home Staging Resources on the Web 

There are a wealth of sites out there in cyberspace with helpful information on how to stage your house. Here's a list to get you started.
Home Staging :: Staged Homes :: Home Staging Training
Staged Homes is the official site of certified home stagers and Accredited Home Staging Professionals. Staged Homes contains information and products on ...
Decorating : Tips / Techniques : 13 Home-Staging Secrets : Home ...
Whether you're designing to sell or designing to dwell, here's how the home- staging pros get that "I have to have it!" look - and how their tips and tricks ...
Home Staging/Stagers Resource Classes, Real Estate House Staging
Online home staging classes & resources for house staging, real estate staging for realtors, decorators & home owners.
Field Guide to Preparing and Staging a House For Sale
General Tips | Staging a Home | Tips for Specific Areas of the House | Books, ... Home staging: the winning way to sell your house for more money, ...
Home Staging - Using Home Staging to Sell
Stage your home to sell. Home staging makes all the difference in selling your home this market. Find out how to make yours sparkle.
What is Home Staging and How Does it Help Sell My House?
"Home staging" is not a new term, but for many homeowners and real estate agents the concept of "professional home staging" is shedding new light on how to ...
Staging Diva Home Staging Training House Staging Business US ...
Staging Diva, home stager Debra Gould teaches how to start a business in home staging, house fluffing, real estate staging. Make money with decorating or ...
Six Elements Home Staging, Interior Redesign, Color Advice and ...
House Staging, Interior Redesign and Color Advice from Home Staging expert Debra Gould of Six Elements Inc. Lots of before and after photos of room ...

What You Should Know About Staging a House

Home staging is very different than home decorating. You decorate a house to live in and reflect your taste and personality. You stage a house to sell. Period.

Notice How Neatly the Pet Stuff is Placed in the Corner.

Which Room Needs the Most Help? 

Desperately Seeking Staging!

Some of my rooms started out looking like these rooms. I'm not proud of that fact, but there you have it. Now it's your turn--vote for the room that needs the most help, or add a picture to the Wall of Shame.

Night time kitchen

1

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Night time kitc... 1 point
In the Garage

2

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In the Garage 1 point
Living room, HDR test

3

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Living room, HD... 0 points
My Sister's S&P Shaker Collection

4

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My Sister's S&P... 0 points
Bedroom: West Wall

5

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Bedroom: West W... 0 points
Photogamer - Refrigerator

6

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Photogamer - Re... 0 points
My Living Room in Jing' An Temple

7

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My Living Room... 0 points

Home Staging Video 

For those of you who'd rather see it than read about it, this one's for you!
powered by Youtube

In Home Staging, Organization is Key 

When it comes time to stage your house, it can be a little overwhelming. We all have stuff, and the longer we stay in one place, the more stuff we gather. This stuff falls into two broad categories: Stuff That Needs To Go and Stuff That Needs To Stay. How do you depersonalize your space when you've got a bunch of stuff that you need to live lying around? Hide it. I don't mean shove it under the bed or in the hall closet. I mean organize it and hide it all in storage bins. So, what are you waiting for? Get to it!
Stanley Consumer Storage 014725R 25-Removable Compartment Professional Organizer

Stanley Consumer Storage 014725R 25-Removable Compartment Professional Organizer

For storing the little stuff that usually ends up in the junk drawer.

Amazon Price: $15.14 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Deluxe Wood Bill Organizer with Drawer in Oak

Deluxe Wood Bill Organizer with Drawer in Oak

As much as we wish we could hide the bills, out of sight = out of mind = bill collectors calling you, so, use a nifty bill organizer to keep all your bills at hand and ready.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

SLIM SLIDE OUT PANTRY

SLIM SLIDE OUT PANTRY

A sneaky little item that can live between your fridge and your cabinets, or between the washer and dryer--anywhere that you have 6 spare inches of space!

Amazon Price: $39.98 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Rubbermaid 3H11 Configurations 3-to-6-Foot Classic Custom Closet Kit, Titanium

Rubbermaid 3H11 Configurations 3-to-6-Foot Classic Custom Closet Kit, Titanium

A sleek closet system to bring order to your closet chaos.

Amazon Price: $72.00 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Rubbermaid 3H88 Configurations 3-to-6-Foot Deluxe Custom Closet Kit, White

Rubbermaid 3H88 Configurations 3-to-6-Foot Deluxe Custom Closet Kit, White

Another closet system--it's all about organization.

Amazon Price: $68.71 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Stylish Storage Solutions 

To Hide That Last Little Bit of Clutter

There are some items that you need to keep in the house, even though they might not be suitable for staging purposes. Think important papers and files, kids' toys, etc. Consider these stylish storage options.
Bankers Box 6100401 Recycled storage box with lift-off lid, letter/legal, 12 x 10 x 15

Bankers Box 6100401 Recycled storage box with lift-off lid, letter/legal, 12 x 10 x 15

Amazon Price: $4.97 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Global Distinctions 3-Piece Storage Ottoman Set with Tray Tables, Black

Global Distinctions 3-Piece Storage Ottoman Set with Tray Tables, Black

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Global Distinctions Buy-One-Get-One-Free Inside Ottoman Set, Brown

Global Distinctions Buy-One-Get-One-Free Inside Ottoman Set, Brown

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Navy Blue Microfiber Cube Storage Footstool/Ottoman

Navy Blue Microfiber Cube Storage Footstool/Ottoman

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Storage Ottoman - Brown

Storage Ottoman - Brown

Amazon Price: $79.99 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Note to Self

Get shoes off floor.
Put dishes away.
Polish the counter tops.
Use air freshener.
Dust.
Sweep the driveway.

Examples of Excellent Home Staging 

How to Do It Right

208_AFTER STAGED MODEL by REAL ESTAGING

STAGED MODEL: Our services covered the planning, designing, furnishing and deco...

Front yard by jessicafm

Taken after the listing photographer finished.

curated content from Flickr

Great Information from Realtor.com 

Field Guide to Preparing and Staging a House For Sale
National Association of Realtors guide to staging your house. Tips for various areas in your home, plus all manner of links to cool information about home staging and selling.

Psst! I CAN Sell My House is my other lens 

There's lots of good home selling advice there, too!

Helping you sell your house quickly and efficiently is what I CAN Sell This House is all about. I built this lens to promote my ebook, but I am also adding helpful information about staging, pricing and marketing all the time. If you are trying to sell, or know someone who is trying to sell their house, please stop by I CAN Sell This House and take a look.

I'm adding keen and helpful stuff to my lenses all the time, trying to give you all the help you need to sell your house as quickly as possible with for as much as possible. Please keep checking back!

A Must Have For Do-It-Yourself Home Staging 

Home Staging For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))

Home Staging For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden))

by: Christine Rae, Janice Saunders Maresh

Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 11/16/2009)Buy Now

The For Dummies series is characterized by plain language and straightforward explanations of how to get something done. Home Staging for Dummies is no exception. If you're planning on staging your house to sell, by all means, get this book.

Unify the Look of a Room with Pillows 

Coordinating Pillows to Pull the Look Together

One of the best ways to bring a room together with a unifying theme is through the use of coordinating pillows. Two pillows on a love seat and a coordinating pillow on a chair can unify the space, making it feel finished.

These Thai Silk Throw Pillows can be mixed and matched in any number of ways and to suit almost any color palette. At $24.99 per pillow, you can afford to get several, enough to give several rooms that finishing touch.

"Are your rooms show
rooms or wreck rooms?"

Home Staging Books 

If you answered "Wreck Room," this module is for you!

Whichever home staging book you buy, remember to try and get the maximum return for the minimum outlay of cash.
Use What You Have Decorating : Transform Your Home in One Hour With Ten Simple Design Principles -- Using the Space You Have, the Things You Like, the Budget You Choose

Use What You Have Decorating : Transform Your Home in One Hour With Ten Simple Design Principles -- Using the Space You Have, the Things You Like, the Budget You Choose

by: Lauri Ward

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

301 Simple Things You Can Do to Sell Your Home Now and for More Money Than You Thought: How to Inexpensively Reorganize, Stage, and Prepare Your Home for Sale

301 Simple Things You Can Do to Sell Your Home Now and for More Money Than You Thought: How to Inexpensively Reorganize, Stage, and Prepare Your Home for Sale

by: Teri B. Clark

Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Do Your Own Home Staging (Self-Counsel Press Reference)

Do Your Own Home Staging (Self-Counsel Press Reference)

by: Tina Parker

Amazon Price: $17.96 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Home Staging: Creating Buyer-Friendly Rooms to Sell Your House

Home Staging: Creating Buyer-Friendly Rooms to Sell Your House

by: Lori Matzke

Amazon Price: (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

This Sold House, Staging Your Home To Sell In Today's Market

This Sold House, Staging Your Home To Sell In Today's Market

by: Diane Keyes

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/16/2009) Buy Now

Soften the Look With a Well-Placed Throw 

Complement Your Staging with a Soft and Inviting Throw

Nothing says "relaxing and comfortable" than a lovely Chenille Sofa Decorative Throw. Your prospective buyers will be able to picture themselves curled up in that sunny corner with a book and a cup of tea. When a prospective buyer feels immediately at home, the $32.99 price tag is more than worth it.

Welcome? You can do better than that!

Need Help Staging and Selling Your House?

Keep a positive attitude, make a plan, and work towards your goal every single day. I CAN Sell This House can help. Follow the link to request FREE sample chapters of the ebook I CAN Sell This House: Secrets to Selling Quickly in a Buyers' Market.

Did You Stage Your House to Sell? 

I think staging is extremely important to selling a house, especially in this market. Statistics show that furnished houses sell more quickly and for more money than unfurnished houses. So, how about it?

Did you stage your house to sell?

Loading Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Yes, and here's what I did.

CherylK says:

We're working on it! We're cleaning out all cupboards, closets, drawers, to start.

Posted November 15, 2008

jfield says:

Yes, I absolutely did. I staged each space to suggest one primary purpose for each room. Once I was done, we had much more livable space while our house was on the market!

Posted November 12, 2008

Nope, but I wish I had.

TheGreenerMe says:

No, I was lucky the first time, but now I'll definitely need to in this economy!

Posted January 16, 2009

 

Should I Hire a Professional Stager? 

To DIY or Not to DIY. That is the question.

Home staging isn't particularly difficult, but you really need to take an honest look at your personality traits before you decide whether to stage the house yourself or hire a pro.

Ask yourself: Am I too emotionally attached to the items in my house? Am I a pack rat? Do I think my house looks good just as it is? Could someone tell tons about me just by looking at how I've decorated the house?

If you answered "yes" to even one of those questions, I think that you should probably hire a professional. If you're too emotionally attached, you won't be able to edit to the degree necessary to successfully stage the house.

home staging Pictures, Images and Photos
If you're a pack rat, it will be very difficult for you to declutter, store, throw away, give away or sell your stuff. If you think your house looks great the way it is, you won't be a very good stager. There are always things that can and should be done to stage a house.

The fourth item sort of goes along with the others--if so much of your personality is splashed all over the house, it will be hard to take it all down and depersonalize the space.

If you are a person who can disengage emotionally from your house and all that's in it, if you are highly motivated to sell, if you think you have stuff that you really need to get rid of and if you have creative eye and the ability to suggest purpose for spaces through limited placement of set pieces and decor, then staging might be for you. You might even go into it as a profession after you sell your house!

Seen Any Great, or Not So Great Room Staging? 

Add your best Staging DO or Staging DON'T, and we can all learn from and help each other.

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  • Reply
    ideadesigns ideadesigns Nov 4, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
    This is a beautiful lens, great information. I will pass it on to friends trying to sell their houses! 5 stars!
  • Reply
    poutine poutine Aug 10, 2009 @ 4:04 pm
    Great ideas for staging.
    Never did it myself before but will
    have to try it next time I sell my home.
  • Reply
    Larkinrealty Larkinrealty Jun 30, 2009 @ 8:50 pm
    Great ideas for everyone who is looking to sell their home!
  • Reply
    jfield jfield Mar 25, 2009 @ 5:57 pm | in reply to chefkeem
    Thank you for the blessing, chefkeem :) I found the staging information that I learned to sell our old house made for much more livable space, selling or not!
  • Reply
    chefkeem chefkeem Mar 24, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
    I rent. Bummer. Can't use this fantastic information. However, 5*s and a Squid Angel Blessing are definitely in order! :-)
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by jfield

Hello, all! I'm Jenni, and I'm happy to be here on Squidoo. I was a Special Education Teacher for many years. Then, I left the profession to go to... (more)

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