How to Stage a Home

Start by washing all the rooms, wiping the walls and cleaning the floors. Ensure the kitchen and bathrooms are given extra attention during cleaning. 

Bath and shower curtains must be washed to remove soap scum, the fixtures must be descaled and the grout must be cleaned. A shiny kitchen and bath can blind the buyer to the other defects. 

Messy environments tend to shrink the space available in a given room. Clear all clutter from counters, tabletops, dressers, closets and other flat surfaces. Store or donate any products that are not used frequently. 

Place other necessities in baskets. It is also helpful for storing children's toys, pet accessories, important papers and documents. This means that the less clutter buyers find, the bigger the rooms will appear. 

All curtains and blinds must be pulled up to allow as much light into the house as possible. Check if any bulb is out and then replace it. Homes with well-illuminated rooms look a lot more spacious and attractive. 

Use mirrors to increase light in dimly lit areas or corridors. Clean windows also brighten up the rooms and make them look clean.

Try to paint any bright room with neutral colors. White, gray and beige are ideal as they allow buyers to imagine their furniture in the space. 

Repaint cabinets, woodwork and doors to touch up any scratches or fades. Newer-looking finishes can assist in making a home look new again. 

When possible, damaged flooring should be replaced with new ones. Sand or varnish worn-out wooden flooring and replace old colored carpets with neutral ones. 

It is also important to note that many buyers cannot stand to look at really old floors. With new flooring, a home appears to be more updated and, therefore, of higher value. 

During staging, concentrate on the rooms that buyers tend to visit first: the foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen and master bedroom should be the main attraction. 

These rooms give the first and often the strongest impressions, so try to incorporate the highlights into these rooms. 

Declutter each room and remove unnecessary furniture so that it looks larger. Avoid placing too many large pieces of furniture in living rooms, such as more than one or two couches and a few chairs. 

Limit furniture in bedrooms to the bed, dresser and nightstands. Fewer but better-quality pieces also create a neater and more spacious impression in the room. 

Move other furniture around to provide clearer segregation of areas. Beds should not be placed close to walls but in the middle of the rooms. 

Place the couches to allow for gatherings to occur while also sparing space to walk around. Providing a free and spacious view will enable buyers to envision opportunities. 

Display pads, candles and vases to bring the much-needed warmth and character that the interiors may lack. 

Place cushions on sofas, lay a carpet of neutral color on the floor and hang a few plants or paintings on the walls. These changes give the home a new look and make it look ready for occupancy. 

Enhancing the exterior appearance increases the likelihood of visitors getting into the house. Paint the front door, install more lights outside the house, apply flowers and place a doormat at the entrance. 

Check and fix the areas that may require repair around the compound, such as pathways with cracks or rust on any part of the fence that has peeled paint. These first impressions can go a long way.

• Accentuate the area with pots of brightly colored flowers. They give the area a vibrant look and can greatly enhance the scene. 

• Place beautiful and comfortable outdoor furniture on the patio or deck. They also look and feel very comfortable and welcoming.  

• Rugs can add comfort outdoors to the living space.  

• Divide areas using aesthetic barriers such as screens or fencing. Segregating the spaces can make them look more spacious. 

• Mow the lawn, trim bushes and shrubs, prune trees, weed beds, rake and replace mulch. A clean garden complements a clean house. 

• Put a basket of fresh fruits and vegetables in the kitchen. They bring vibrant colors and can make it feel homely. 

• Roll up the towels and organize them neatly with cute napkins. A neat kitchen can bring about many potential buyers. 

• Fix a chandelier or pendant light over the dining table. Many buyers also prefer this addition. 

• Replace the towels and other items used daily, such as the shower gel and soap. Place new ones when buyers are viewing the property. 

• Lighting, specifically candles, helps provide warmth and effectively mask unpleasant smells. You can place them around the bathroom to freshen it up. 

• Choose a pretty shower curtain and a rug. These small additions can boost the property’s looks.

• Add warm lighting to the room. These warm lights bring about a homely feeling to the bedroom. 

• Place yoga mats around a corner and books on the nightstand. They can be great additions to the place's aesthetics. 

• Add an imaginary nursery with a crib and a rocker. This will help buyers who are planning a family to visualize the crib.

If you stage your rooms to perfection, with no clutter and the house well polished and ready for occupants, you will attract more people and get faster contracts. With the above home staging ideas, you will have your house staged with buyers queuing up.