10 Easy Ways to Stage Your Home to Get More Money

Are you selling a home in Fairfield County, Connecticut or another area? Staging your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. In fact, with a little bit of elbow grease and some imagination, you can stage your home like a pro. And you don’t have to spend a lot of money. Here are ten easy ways to get started:

1) Start with a plan. We provide a professional to work with our clients to develop that plan but you can do it as well. Make sure the fundamentals are done. Walls are painted, windows cleaned, broken items are repaired. This will help your home look its best and make it more appealing to buyers. Making the space light and bright makes everything look bigger (something you want to do when selling a home in Fairfield County, CT and beyond).

2) De-clutter. This is an essential step in staging your home. Clutter makes a space feel small and cramped, so getting rid of anything you don’t need is very important. This includes things like dead plants, anything the dog has chewed on, excess furniture, knick-knacks, and even clothing. Once you’ve de-cluttered, you’ll be surprised at how much bigger your space will look and feel. Less is more.

3) Create a focal point. In each room, you should create a focal point to draw the eye and help buyers imagine themselves living in the space. For example, in the living room, this could be a fireplace or a piece of artwork; in the kitchen, it could be an island or a breakfast nook; in the bedroom, it could be the bed or a window with a beautiful view. Whatever it is, make sure it’s well-lit and free of clutter to stand out. A pet peeve of mine is pictures that are hung too high.

4) Use mirrors to your advantage. Mirrors can help a space feel larger and brighter, so don’t be afraid to use them. For example, hang them on walls opposite windows to reflect natural light into the room or place them behind furniture to create the illusion of more space. Just make sure that they are clean and free of smudges!

5) Seriously edit your window treatments. Window treatments are an important part of any room, but you don’t want them too heavy or too light. If you have heavy curtains, consider replacing them with lighter ones or taking them down altogether; if you have blinds or shutters, make sure that they’re open so that natural light can come in – and avoid using the outdated-style blinds (especially if they are broken).

6) Bring in a few fresh flowers or plants or attractive faux plants. Nothing makes a space feel more inviting than some fresh flowers or plants! Place them in key areas like entryways, kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces so buyers can imagine themselves living there. Just make sure to keep them well-watered and free of wilted leaves.

7) Clean off the counters in the kitchen, bath and in general. This includes removing the knife set, paper towels, spice rack, anything that stops the eye. Get rid of stacks of paper and books. The goal is to make the space look larger.

8) Style your bookshelves . . . even if you don’t read books. Bookshelves are one of those things that can easily become cluttered. You want the buyers to think you have lots of space.

9) Get cozy with throw blankets and pillows…. but not too cozy! You want potential buyers to feel like they could curl up on your couch with a good book or cuddle up to watch a show on Netflix—but not so much that they feel like they’re intruding on someone’s personal space. Choose an accent color to make the space pop while keeping the other colors muted like white or light grey.

10) Let there be light—natural light! One of the best ways to brighten up any space is by letting natural light in—so open those curtains and shutters. If possible, arrange the furniture near windows so buyers can see how well-lit the space is—and if you have any dark corners, try using lamps or indirect lighting to brighten them up as well.

BONUS TIP – Avoid using toxic cleaning supplies with heavy fragrances. People can get headaches. Please do not use sprays, plug ins, and essential oils in your home when it is on the market. Buyers will want to know what smell you are trying to cover up.

Staging your home doesn’t have to be difficult—or expensive. Following these ten simple tips, you can stage your home like a pro—and increase its appeal to potential buyers. Want help staging your home? CT Homes and Land offers a unique service to our clients who are selling or buying a home in Fairfield County, CT. We offer a professional room by room staging plan paid for by us – free for you. Contact Ellen – the five-star best real estate agent in Stamford, CT.