How NOT to Stage a Home

Getting your home ready to sell is no easy task, but there are crucial steps to take to ensure you get the best offer possible. One of those steps is home staging. While this task definitely takes a lot of time and energy—and sometimes money—it’s well worth it, as a messy or shabby-looking home might not appeal to buyers. After all, we all love a clean and attractive home! Here, we provide some tips on what *not* to do when it comes to staging a home to help save you some unnecessary work.

Deep Cleaning Too Soon

For showings and staging photos, you don’t necessarily need to scrub every baseboard or get on your hands and knees to dust every corner of your home. It’s a lot of work, especially if you’re going to be living in your house for a while. It’s best to do a basic clean and declutter to start out—wiping down surfaces, sweeping/vacuuming, etc.—then leaving the nitty gritty for when you’re actually ready to move out.

Leaving Knickknacks Out and Failing to Declutter

Having too many items in your space can turn off buyers, especially personal knick-knacks and decor, family photos, and the like. These things can also make a room look smaller than it really is. It’s best to tuck away any decor not specifically for staging in order to provide buyers with a clean, open slate they can envision their own stuff in.

bright pink room staging flop — Staging flop: The bright assortment of colors in this home may be attractive to some, but given how bold all the paint is, it can turn a lot of buyers off. There is an array of knick-knacks and other personal decor scattered about, making the space feel crowded and unkempt.

Not Repainting Walls

If you happened to try out a new paint color—say, lime green or bright pink—and don’t think it’ll appeal to the average buyer, go ahead and repaint before taking any photos or hosting a showing. Bright, bold colors can be a turnoff, especially if a buyer knows they’ll have to repaint themselves. Consider going for a neutral shade like white, beige, or gray that won’t be a distraction.

Poor Furniture Placement

You may like the unique way your furniture is set up, but that doesn’t mean those touring your home will! In fact, it might be a dealbreaker if it rubs them the wrong way. Buyers will immediately try to imagine their own furniture in that potentially funky layout, and if it doesn’t fit their vibe, they’ll pass on your home. You’ll also want to avoid having too much furniture in one room as it can make the space look smaller. Instead, organize furniture in such a way that it maximizes the space and looks inviting to all.

crowded furniture staging flop — *Staging flop: The way the furniture is set up in this room is awkward—not to mention there several mismatched decorations and a lot of clutter.*

Covering Windows

Natural light is your friend! When having a showing, be sure not to cover your windows with curtains or blinds to allow as much light into the space as you can. This will make your home appear brighter and more appealing to those who have their eye on it.

crowded room staging flop — *Staging flop: This room feels dark—and thus can appear smaller—due to the closed windows and string mood lighting. Best to just open up those curtains!*

Packing Away All Your Things Into One Room

Before you stage your home for marketing materials or showings, take inventory of what you have and if there’s something you’re eventually going to get rid of, dispose of it right then. You’ll save yourself time in the end (touch it once, as they say!), and lighten both your mental and physical load. Cramming a bunch of boxes in one room is also a no-go as, likely, whoever is touring your home will want to see all the rooms—and closets. Make sure any of your stash items and boxes are organized, or consider renting a temporary storage unit to house boxes you won’t need until you’re in your new space.

crowded storage room staging flop — *Staging flop: This is what potential buyers could find if you store all your extra things in one room!*

Great Home-Staging Examples

Now that we’ve shown you what not to do, here are some examples of good home-staging situations to take note of.

Notice how there are no personal items on the countertop of this bathroom! The sellers cleared out everything, leaving only a few items of staged decor to create a blank canvas and make the entire space look super clean.

This living room is sparse yet homey, thanks to staged decor like decorative pillows, neutral furniture, greenery, and an attractive rug, leaving lots of room for inspiration for the potential buyers.

While the sellers of this home left some decorative items on the shelves, they’re not cluttered and it helps those viewing the home to gain some inspiration for what they might store there themselves. The table is also the perfect size for the space, not too big or overbearing.

Let Me Help You Sell Your Home

The biggest mistake you can make when it comes to selling your home? Not hiring me as your seller’s agent! 😜 In all seriousness, I would love to help you put your home on the market, stage it, and market it to my vast network. Having me and the Hudson Residential team on your side will get serious eyes on your property and help you get your home off the market fast. Contact me today at 919-961-3277 or Annie@HudsonResidential.com to get started!