Home staging, which recreates the look of a model home, has been shown to improve sales – both in speed and price, but sometimes the thought of staging your entire home as you try to live there as well can be a bit daunting.
If the idea of house staging for a visit from a prospective buyer or to have photographs made is too much, then consider picking out the room that is your home’s biggest asset and staging only that room.
Perhaps your living room is a family’s entertainment retreat with a big screen TV, fireplace, and the furnishings to make you comfortable. In addition to a thorough cleaning, put away the clutter and family mementoes, and only leave out one remote. Then set out a snack and dip tray on the coffee table, maybe with glasses and cans of soft drinks, paper plates and napkins like you were ready to entertain. Adjust the lighting as you would if you were getting ready to watch a movie or a big game. Create the illusion that the room is ready for guests, when the time arrives. That will be the image that buyers take with them.
Maybe you have finally put together a chef’s dream kitchen. Once again, do a thorough cleaning and decluttering. Then think about how it might look if you were going to cook for a party, but hadn’t made a mess yet. Some fresh vegetables or fruit on a cutting board, a few utensils set out ready to use, maybe some flowers on the counter like they were headed for the dining room, and suddenly your kitchen comes to life.
Want to focus on the dining area? Then set the table with your good dishes and put that nice arrangement of fresh flowers on the table.
Maybe you’ve got a fantasy bathroom with a spa tub or multi-jet shower. Set the scene as though you were planning on a long soak. A few candles, maybe some flowers, a really nice towel and maybe a book or a glass and bottle of wine by the side of tub can show the room’s potential for relaxation.
Has one of your children got every kid’s ultimate room? Play that up. Clean the room, but then set out some toys or electronics that complement the room’s theme.
Maybe outdoor living is one of your home’s biggest assets. A patio can be set for entertaining, or the pool can be brought to life with a cooler of drinks and a few floating toys.
Once you stage home with one room, you may find the process is enjoyable and decide you want to do the whole house, or it could be something you build on as you discover what each room needs to bring it to life. Maybe this week the living room, next time two rooms and soon the whole house.
