Property staging has become an essential marketing tool and a must in the industry over the last few years. In addition, 93% of properties using professional home stagers sold in one month or less on average. When staging a property, think of a fancy hotel room. Leave only the essentials and a few nice decorations to make it feel more like home. Less is more!
Take away anything personal & pre-pack house
- Remove all pictures that are related to your family
- De-clutter all closets ensuring that floors are visible (shoe cubbies, bins, baskets are fine on floor)
- Instead of multiple, loose items on closet shelves, place in bins or baskets
- Clear kitchen counters of everything not used daily (toaster, coffee maker, utensils may stay)
- Remove everything from sides and tops of refrigerator
- Prepack books: about 1/2 to 1/3 from any bookshelf
- Generally, the thickest and fluffiest white or taupe towels look best throughout bathrooms; with neutral shower curtains if there is a shower rod
- Remove any empty hangers from closets; prepack out of season clothes and shoes
- If your home has a coat closet, ensure that all seasonal coats and shoes fit in it; remove separate coat racks and clear mudroom hooks of bulky items
- Check all indoor and outdoor light bulbs for function, and clean out glass domes (bright lighting always helps)
- Prepack up to half the items in any china hutch or display cabinet; remember less is more and buyers will be less distracted
- Remove any homeowner-specific collections that distract potential buyers (plates from every state; shot glasses from every Hard Rock Café, anything collectible)
- Check all woodwork: baseboard, door moldings, window casings, doors and staircase for marks that can be removed with a Magic Eraser vs the need for touch-up paint
- Check switch plates and light covers for any cracks and worn screws; new screws look clean and tidy
- Check hallways/high traffic areas for necessary touch up
Deep clean every room
- Vacuum all carpet (recommended that you hire a professional carpet cleaner)
- Dust everything including ducts, vents, baseboards, blinds (don’t forget to look up)
- Wash all rugs, towels, *curtains if necessary
- Scrub floors (if there are scuffs, try and get them out with a magic eraser)
- Make sure that cracks in the ceiling or walls are repaired
- If you have pets, consider hiring a professional to deodorize your carpets.
- Polish all interior woodwork
- Keep all stairways and corridors clear.
- Make beds.
- Water houseplants.
- Consider hiring a professional cleaning service once every few weeks while the house is on the market.
- Exterminate any insect problems.
Outside the home
- Clean gutters, sweep roof eaves if necessary
- Wash windows inside and outside
- Hire a chimney sweep for wood-burning fireplace(s)
- Check exterior siding, trim and decking for flaking paint
- Sweep cobwebs under eaves and around light fixtures
- Ensure there are no oil or rust stains on exterior patios or driveways; or, have concrete pressure washed
- Depending on season spread fresh mulch in flower beds if needed, shovel, or rake leaves
- Plant colorful annuals in any exterior pots or window boxes
- Sweep sidewards & replace the “Welcome” mat
- Remove unnecessary items such as gardening equipment
- Touch-up peeling paint, window frames, porches, and shutters.
- Keep the trash area clean.
