Are you thinking about selling your home soon? If so, it is probably a good idea to start preparing for prospective buyers to come and view it. Although you may have a beautiful home that is stylishly appointed to suit your tastes, it may not suit the tastes of others that want to buy it. Read these quick, inexpensive ways to stage your home and have it ready for buyers before it hits the market.

1. Better lighting! Make sure to always clean light fixtures and replace burnt out light bulbs before showing your home to anyone. High wattage and daylight bulbs are highly recommended and helpful, according to Lisa Kinnear, a certified staging professional and owner of First Sight Staging. Cleaning and changing out these bulbs allows buyers to see the best features of your property and it is way more inviting than walking into a a home with dark areas and corners. I’ve done this in my own home (without trying to sell it), and it has made such a significant difference in my moods!
2. No heavy drapes. Back to lighting, you don’t want buyers to walk into a dark, uninviting room so remove any heavy drapes that may block nice views and light from the outdoors. You want to make sure they are able to see every part of your home and natural light is a great way to make that happen. Give your buyers something to look forward to if they truly do end up buying the home.
3. Replace some hardware. “Replacing mismatched or dated hardware on doors and cabinets is an inexpensive way to update a home and create a cohesive look,” says Kinnear. Although buyers are totally capable of doing this themselves, if you do it for them, they have something better to look at when they’re viewing your home and it’s one less thing they have to worry about when they move in.
4. Clean your house!!! This is a vital thing to do when trying to sell your home. A clean house is a well cared for house that won’t have issues… at least that is what most people think. And most of the time it is true. If you are the type of person that cleans your house very well, chances are you have or tried taking care of something broken around the house. Before showing your home, make sure sweep, mop, and dust from top to bottom or hire a professional house cleaning service if you’re just not in the mood.
5. Update the paint. There has been plenty of times where people have not been interested in buying a home because there are too many walls painted different colors, some being too bright. This gives buyers the idea that they are going to have to spend countless hours painting their new home before they can move in. And if they aren’t up for it, then they’d have to hire people to get it done and spending more money is the last thing they want to do. Remove that thought for them by painting those bright, colored walls back to neutral colors. It really can make an entire house look brand new.
6. Clear the clutter. Too much clutter in your house can really distract buyers. After all, they are trying to envision what their belongings would look like in your home. Help them out by clearing kitchen and bathroom counters, removing some family photos (if you have a lot), throwing out old clothes that are filling the closets, minimize the amount of furniture to make your home appear larger, etc. If it makes it easier, try the four box method – four big boxes that read “Keep, Sell/Donate, Store, and Trash.” It is my favorite thing to use when I clean out my drawers and closets every few months!

Hope these staging tips help! Happy Selling! 🙂