Thinking about selling your house?

Before you start taking pictures galore and showing your home for all to see, make sure that your house is in optimal shape to be presented. Here are some tips and tricks to help stage your home so that potential buyers don’t feel overwhelmed and want to buy your home!

 

 

Entryway

1. Clean and paint the front door. Wiping away unwanted dirt and a fresh coat of paint does wonders.
2. Add new house numbers or welcome mat. These little eye catchers make a difference and can easily update your house.
3. Pack away clutter at the front door. Imagine the Queen of England is coming to your home. Do you think she would want to see your half destroyed sneakers? No? Neither do potential buyers.

Living room

1. Remove unnecessary furniture. Clutter can make a space feel cramped and potential buyers may think the space is smaller than it really is.
2. Replace dark or broken window treatments. Whether this means switching out dark curtains with something lighter or replacing some blinds, natural light is something potential buyers pay attention to.
3. Store away magazines, cords, and wires. One or two magazines on a coffee table is okay, but no one needs to see your ten year collection of National Geographics. Too many cords and wires can be eyesores, so hide them behind furniture if possible.

Dining Room

1. Remove table leaves. Unless you plan to leave your table, potential buyers don’t need to know that it can seat the Brady Bunch. Removing the leaves opens up the room and enlarges the area.
2. Add some greenery. Consider adding some house plants to bring life and color to the room. Whether this is a tall corner plant, small succulents, or fresh flowers, botanical elements help brighten the room.
3. Shine a light. If your dining room doesn’t have a window, consider adding a lamp to brighten up the dark areas.

Kitchen

1. Clean your counters. I know you want to show off your Martha Stewart cast iron set and your beloved KitchenAid mixer, but potential buyers want to see every inch of available counter space.
2. Add a bowl of fruit for a pop of color. A nice big bowl of colorful fruit adds an eye catcher to the room, while also bringing in some freshness.
3. Replace old knobs and drawer pulls. This may seem small and tedious, but new knobs is an affordable way to instantly update your cabinets.
4. Put away the paintings. Your child may be the next Picasso, but displaying all of their artwork on the fridge is not the most attractive feature in the kitchen. If you don’t want to hurt their feelings by hiding them in a drawer, pick up some frames from the dollar store and let them keep their works of art in their room.

Bedroom

1. Add new bedding or throw pillows. A new bed set can change the entire dynamic of a room. Watch stores like Target and Ross for set sales. A cheaper alternative is to buy a few small throw pillows that match your existing bedding.
2. Clear out bookshelves and built-ins. While your entire extended collection of James Patterson books is very impressive, limit the display to the top hits, framed by some cute bookends. You want to showcase your library, while also allowing potential buyers to envision the space for whatever they desire it to be.
3. Organize your closet. The default is to throw all the things you don’t want seen into the closet. Guess what? Buyers want to see closet space too. Pack away the out of season clothing and hang like articles together.

Bathroom

1. Clean, clean, clean. This may sound like a no brainer, but no one wants to see your hair in the drain or your tissues in the trash. Give everything a good wipe down and (after emptying) hide the waste basket away.
2. Put away personal items. Having your toothbrushes and toiletries out may be convenient, but potential buyers don’t need to see whether you use Colgate or Crest. Cleaning up allows them to focus on the area, not the clutter.
3. Add some cute hand towels. Pick up a pack that goes with your color scheme and fold or hang them uniformly. The new towels will give your bathroom a fresh feel.

Outside

1. Mow the lawn. Nothing gives a bad first impression that an overgrown lawn filled with sticks and weeds. Giving the yard a quick rake through and cut will instantly increase curb appeal.
2. Tend your plants. While your yard isn’t the actual house, it is a byproduct of your home and therefore needs to be tended as well. Weed eating your pathway and adding some plants can make a huge difference in the value of your home altogether. If you don’t want to commit to planting in the ground, pick up a few potted or hanging plants to place around.
3. Pressure wash the nasty away. When was the last time you cleaned your shutters? Or deep cleaned your patio/patio furniture? Most hardware stores, like Home Depot and Lowe’s, will let you rent a pressure washer for the day. Put the bad boy to work and you might find that your shutters are actually three shades lighter than you thought they were.