You’re searching for your dream home…day after day you look online and see the same boring, old spaces and nothing stands out to you.  THEN, you find it!  It looks spacious…it is tastefully decorated, painted with a color that makes you feel right at home and best of all— you can picture yourself living in this space! 

Creating a function to each space in your home is essential in the staging process.  Surprisingly, it is difficult for a lot of people to imagine a space other than how it is currently portrayed. 

1. Bring each room back to its original purpose

If you've been using the dining room as an office or a bedroom as a storage space, furnish the space in order to re-establish it’s original purpose. If you do not have anything on hand to fit the room, consider borrowing or renting a few pieces. When staging your home to sell your goal is for buyers to visualize how they would live in each space.

2. Show off your square footage

You are moving out right?  So, why not get the ball rolling and remove bulky, over-sized furniture from your home and show off how large your rooms actually are!  Leaving large pieces in place often gives the illusion of a small and closed-in space. Rooms frequently have furniture lining every wall, which does not leave a good impression on potential buyers.  Begin the staging process by moving any unneeded furniture, then rearrange the remaining pieces to balance the room.

Tip:  If your kitchen or dining room table has a leaf that can be removed, make the table smaller and remove chairs to gain more space.

3. Create balance in every space

If you own a lot of large furniture – don’t place it all on one side of the room. Be sure to space it out evenly so the visual weight of the room is balanced. 

Tip: If you split your room into four quadrants, there should be equal amounts of furniture in each section to balance the space.

4. Stage each room as if the queen was visiting your home

Add a bowl of fresh fruit or fresh flowers to the kitchen counters. This creates a fresh look in photos and represents a well maintained home.

Dress up the dining room table with individual place settings and consider a centerpiece.

Prepare the bedrooms with simple but tasteful curtains and add decorative pillows.  Rooms photograph better when accented with fluffed up, decorative pillows rather than floppy standard sized pillows.  Curtains that compliment your color scheme are an effective way to frame windows and add richness to your space, without breaking the bank.

For bathrooms, create a spa-like setting with rolled towels and a fresh plant that fits the décor. Orchids are affordable and add a beautiful visual element to the room!

Never leave an outdoor area empty!  Show off a great outdoor patio or spacious deck with furniture to portray how outdoor days can be enjoyed. 

5. Neutralize the space with clean paint colors

Create a space that will be appealing to the MOST buyers.  Dated wallpaper or unique accent walls do not always charm every buyer.  Choosing a simple, yet warm color scheme can make an amazing difference.  Not only does it make your home appear move-in ready, it also welcomes potential buyers to a warm, inviting space, the moment they step through the front door.

Learn more from our pros about how to sell your home fast and get your asking price now!