Home Staging Guide: 12 Essential Steps to Selling Your Home

Staging your home for sale is an incredibly difficult thing to do.

This is usually the most significant step in getting your house to sell. Some homes may sell on-demand in the location alone; however, the majority will need to be persuasive to future buyers.

Before you go ahead and put your home up on the market, some essential steps should be considered.

So, if you’re looking to get potential buyers quickly, then here are the 12 essential steps to selling your home:

Neutral colours Are Key

You’ve most likely lived in the property for a while.

Even if you haven’t, home staging isn’t an easy process and it’s common to overlook a splatter of paint here and there.

One way to change the atmosphere a room provides is by painting the walls a more neutral colour.

This could be a light blue, grey, light green, white or a muted yellow. There are plenty to choose from and this is definitely a step not to be missed.

Lack Of Light = Mirrors

With so many houses built close to one another, not all houses will have a lot of natural light entering the home.

Fortunately, there is an easy fix to this. Adding mirrors throughout your property will mean more light bouncing around the rooms.

On top of this, it also gives a greater sense of space and depth to these darker areas of your home.

So, grab some mirrors and begin removing the darkness from your home.

Remove Personal Effects

Around your home, there are bound to be pictures of the family and friends, as well as that collection of souvenirs from your travels.

Depending on how many of these you have, it may be best to remove them for the home viewing. This will allow those viewing your property to be able to visualise the space and see it as their own.

It’s true. It may feel weird to live in this show home that you’ve created, but it will be far more attractive to potential buyers.

Clean, Clean and Clean Again

Everything in this article is incredibly important when home staging; however, this one is arguably the most important.

Imagine walking into a house you’re looking to purchase. There is an incredible amount of space; there’s so much light, the smell coming from the log burner in the living room is fantastic. Then you look closer. The floor is sticky; the sofa has muck all over it and the walls have mould.

Top Tip: Add a small scented plug-in after cleaning to take care of any of those unwanted, lingering smells.

It’s easy to say you’ve cleaned somewhere and miss something. Hence, clean, clean, clean. Make sure everything is spick and span before anyone comes to view your home.

Declutter Right Now!

Pictures will be taken of your home at some point. When this happens, you do not want to give a sense of crowded living space.

Creating more space gives a sense of greater depth to any room. This is far more appealing to potential homeowners, and moving the excess belongings off-site means that every room in the home will be clutter-free for viewings.

Don’t just sort out the larger items. While moving the extra chairs out of the kitchen created some space, think about the cupboards that will be opened when the viewing takes place and the like.

This is one of the best ways to make your home more appealing to potential buyers and therefore, more likely to sell.

Which Rooms Will You Stage?

Not every room in your home need be staged.

In fact, when you’re home staging, it’s best to prepare 2 or 3 rooms, and make sure the rest are merely neat and clean.

This is because not every room will have as significant an influence on home buyers. For example, the living area and kitchen are far more important than the small bathroom downstairs.

Use your time wisely and focus on the things that matter the most.

Small Things Matter

Chips in the woodwork, mould just above the window and sealant that has slowly peeled off over the ages.

Homebuyers will notice this. You may not, and you may think that potential homeowners will not, but they will.

This isn’t a problem, though. These types of issues are widespread in homes nowadays, meaning there are plenty of remedies to fix any small problems that have arisen during the time you’ve lived there.

Dealing with these might require some DIY work and a trip to the local hardware store; and it’ll be worth it, as it could be the difference between selling and not.

Books Are Often Judged By Their Cover

Before taking pictures to put up online, make sure your curb appeal is dealt with.

Repair any cracks in the wall, add a little bit of paint here and there; even removing any dead trees or shrubbery that you’ve overlooked for the past few years will do a world of good.

If you have a front lawn, then make sure it is well maintained and maybe plant some bright and colourful flowers that compliment your house.

Your home’s curb appeal is the first impression a potential buyer will get of your house. Let’s make it a good one.

Take Pictures Seriously

While this may not have been an important part of selling a house a couple dozen years ago, it’s now impossible to ignore.

Photographs must be plentiful, and they must be of a high standard as this will be the first impression for any potential buyers before the viewing.

Your home needs to stand out online. There are thousands on the market, and there are thousands of people planning on moving on a weekly basis.

Therefore, these photographs should sweep potential viewers off their feet. Don’t stumble at the first hurdle.

Floorplans Are Essential

Are you looking for another small but powerful advertising method online?

Include a floorplan.

Nowadays, this is very important. So many people use the internet to look for potential homes, and so many will love the look of a house, but be put off due to not understanding how the house is laid out.

Providing a floorplan shows potential buyers where every room is located and how much space they will actually have in their new home. Trying to ascertain this from pictures alone is nigh on impossible.

Provide The Right Ambience

Whilst decluttering your home is a major step, setting the ambience for potential homeowners is of paramount importance.

When viewing your property, the lighting, smells and climate will all contribute to the impression your home leaves.

So, if it’s cold out, put the fire on. If it’s an early morning viewing, roast some coffee beans for that heavenly aroma.

Introduce Some Plants

You’ve done everything. You’re ready for you all your home staging efforts to be seen by the potential buyers.

But there’s still something you’re not sure of. Something is missing, but what is it?

It’s most likely to be some greenery. Bring in some lovely plants, only a few, and stage them within the room to add a bit of life and freshness to the space.

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