Home Staging Tips for the Do-It-Yourselfer

Think first impressions! It only takes a fraction of a second for someone to start forming an opinion from a first impression. When selling, put your best efforts into the front of your home – This can pay off big time!

Powerwash the exterior of your home (including the roof and driveway)
Repair anything that needs to be repaired
Make sure your house number is clear and easy to spot
Make sure all the house and landscape lights are working (They will be riding by after dark!)
Pick up clutter and throw away trash
Put out fresh mulch
Trim hedges and clean up flower beds; Keep lawn cut and maintained
Make sure your patio/porch furniture is clean and can be sat on
Consider “staging” your front patio/porch with some seating and decor (don’t overdo it)
Inside: neutralize your paint colors, de-personalize by taking down family photos, name plaques and oddities, and de-clutter to create more space. Pack away valuables.

Kitchens and Bathrooms Homeowners are most interested in viewing your kitchen and bathrooms, first the master. If renovations for updated appliance and features are not in the budget, there are other ways to breathe new life into those rooms.

New cabinet hardware is an inexpensive way to update
Clear the clutter on the countertop – limit to only necessities, no personal items out in the open, neatly store non-necessity items in the pantry, closets or in cabinets
Begin to pre-pack for your move – pack up things you don’t use or don’t use often
Clean windows, mirrors, countertops, cabinets, appliances, floors, baseboards and moldings
Keep in mind that during the showings people will be looking in cabinets, drawers and closets. If these spaces are filled to the rim with your belongings, they will assume there is not sufficient storage space for theirs.

Furniture and Room Flow The ease of the flow of the room is one of the best things you can do! You want a potential buyer to remember how open your floor plan is rather than how much furniture you have in it. You want them to remember how easy it was to make it down the hall to the kids’ rooms versus that the hallway was too tight for an entryway table.

Return each room to its intended purpose – your makeshift office in the extra bedroom needs to return to a functional bedroom (If you say you have 3 bedrooms, show 3 bedrooms)
Pre-pack extra furniture to clear out each room
Limit decor and books you have on each shelf – less is better
When possible, arrange furniture in the room so there is a straight pathway to walk in and out and through
Furniture and window coverings should be clean and odorless
Beds made and laundry out of sight
Surfaces should be dusted and windows and floors clean
All lightbulbs should be working
Limit the number of throw rugs especially if they are slippery – safety first
If you are decorating challenged, ask me for help – I do live and virtual consultations!

Mary Jones is a residential Realtor® in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area of North Carolina working with eXp Realty. Although in NC, Mary can help service her clients across the US through the eXp network of amazing brokers. Certified in Home Staging, she also provides Virtual and In-person Home Staging Consultations.

Mary Jones, eXp Realty | RaleighHomesRealtor.info | 919.302.0552

Facebook/Instagram @RaleighHomesRealtor

Content provided by Women Belong member Mary Jones