Staging Your Home For Resale

Staging a home for resale means preparing it so that it will appeal to the most number of buyers.

If it is properly staged your home will sell in less time and for more money! That's a fact.

That's right. Obtain a bunch of moving boxes and pack away anything that you don't need for everyday living. It's especially important for your closets and cupboards to look tidy and spacious and they won't if they're crammed with dishes, linens, clothing, etc.

If that task seems daunting just remember that you're going to have to do it sooner or later (preferably sooner, right?) so the sooner you do it the better.

1) Start by determining what you can live without. Do you need your good china? Can you keep two sets of linens for each bed and pack the rest? Do you really have to have ten sets of towels available at all times?

2) How about cooking supplies? If you don't use your waffle iron or crock pot on a regular basis, could you pack those just until you move? If you rarely use them at all, consider selling them in a garage sale or donating them to a shelter.

3) How many toys and books do the kids really have to have at their fingertips? What about books, videos, computer games?

Just take the time to evaluate what you really need and get rid of the rest - one way or another. You will be amazed at how much more organized your house will look.

It's important to pack well. Save yourself some time and order all the boxes you need online.

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Check each room to see if it looks cluttered or spacious. Does it need to be freshly painted?

Do you have too much furniture? Can you look at the room and really see the room - not the furnishings in the room?

Is there a beautiful view or a focal point that's hidden?

Try to make the most of the best features of the room such as a fireplace or a lovely view.

For example, my little dining nook has a round table with four chairs and a baker's rack. It's darling. Very Martha Stewart.

BUT: I would need to lose the baker's rack before lising the house.

Why? Because the dining nook will look much larger if that baker's rack is gone.

I also have stacks of cookbooks (very neatly arranged, mind you) on a sideboard. I consider it part of my decorating scheme. Looks good. Plus, I'm a good cook and I use those cookbooks.

BUT: I would definitely need to pack those cookbooks (and lots of other things) before listing the house.

Why? Because, not only will the kitchen look larger but it will be less distracting for a potential buyer.

You can be sure that serious potential buyers will open closets and cupboards. Keep them tidy.
This "Before" picture of my closet shows that I am often in a rush and just shove stuff in there to get it out of the way. So the rest of the room looks nice and tidy. It's a "quick fix".

Well, opening the closet door might indicate to a potential buyer that I'm sloppy about home maintenance - even if I'm not. And I'm not - it's just that I'm not ALWAYS tidy.

But the potential buyer doesn't know me. They can only make a judgement based on what they see when they tour my home.

Here's my closet after I tidied it up. Took maybe 15 minutes and I accumulated a few nice offerings for the local goodwill.

By the way, we have two closets in our master bedroom. My husband's closet is a walk-in closet. Yup, he's got twice as many clothes as I do.

His closet needs staging, too...one of these days before we actually put the house on the market I'll do that.

This website can help you locate, compare and hire temporary help to make your homestaging job go smoothly.



Whether it's a quick cleaning before moving in, deep cleaning before moving out, or just all around help with chores around the home, cleaning helpers are at your service!

Don't have the time or physical ability to carry heavy objects? Hire a couple moving helpers to provide moving help for you: (2 Helpers x 4 hours = Approx $120*).

Check it out!

As cute as those kids are, you need to pack up those framed photos.

Ditto for your mega collections of Precious Moments or Hotwheels, etc.

Keep a few, if you must, but pack most of your collections away. They will just be distractions and that's a bad thing.

You want potential buyers to see and remember the rooms NOT all your personal photos and collectibles. You want the buyer to see how spacious your home is.

You want the buyer to be able to visualize living in that house.

It's a very good idea to rent a storage unit for all those boxes that you're packing. It's also an excellent place for storing extra furniture.

Not only does this give you the chance for some early packing, but it also will show you that there are lots of you possessions that you really don't need at all. Storing everything for a few weeks gives you time to determine what you really want to move.

So what to do with the furniture, clothing and other things you no longer need or want? Have a garage sale. Or better yet, donate to you local charity store.

Photo courtesy of REAL ESTAGING

O.K., you've got your house all staged and listed with a realtor. What now?

Keep your house looking clean and tidy and ready to show at a moment's notice.

If you have children, explain to them that it's important to keep their rooms tidy. But first you have to set a good example.

There's a Squidoo Lens with some great advice and easy to implement tips about staying organized including how to deal with dirty dishes, dirty clothes and mail. You'll find it at this link: Home Organization Tips

It's great advice even if you're not moving, actually.

Photo courtesy ofGreenbroke

Bake cookies or bread when you know your home is going to be shown. The smell of homemade baked goods is irresistable and gives a warm and cozy impression.

You don't have to bake from scratch...that takes time and is messy. Keep slice and bake cookies or a cookie mix (there are some great cookie mixes out there) in your refrigerator or cupboard. Takes ten minutes to bake a tray of cookies.

Or you could simmer a pot of cinnamon sticks or apple cider spices for a short time.

You can burn a scented candle or two for an hour or so, too, but just make sure it's a "baking" scent. Flowery scented candles might give the impression you're trying to cover up an unpleasant odor.

Keep a basket or a nice lidded box in each of your bedrooms - especially the kids' rooms. It's easy to zip through the room and toss loose items into the box or basket.

Turn on lamps and lights. If you have ceiling fans and it's summer, turn those on, too.

Have a photo album available on the kitchen counter or table with photos of your gardens or your yard at different times of the year. If you have lots of flowering shrubbery like lilacs or hydrangias or flowering trees, be sure to have pictures showing how gorgeous they are when they're in bloom.

If you need to move large items...an extra car, boat, or even a horse...contact these professionals for a quote.

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