How to Stage Your Home for Free!

Home Staging is the preparation of a private residence for sale in the real estate market. The goal of home staging is to make the private residence (home) appealing to the highest number of potential buyers as possible. Home staging helps people envision themselves living there, often resulting in a faster and more profitable sale.

Home Staging Statistics from the National Association of Realtors®

Home Staging for Free vs. for Hire

Home staging is a common service offered by interior designers, most often utilized by real estate agents. Home staging is incredibly influential in tough housing markets, when home listings really need to stand out in a buyers' market. You can hire a professional to stage your home, like me! Not guilty for the small plug ;). The benefit to hiring an interior designer is vast. They're not emotionally attached to your home and can objectively stage your home. They often come with great ideas, connections in the home furnishing market, and increase the likelihood of your home selling for the price you want and fast.

Home staging for free is a great option for home owners. Today, I am focusing on how you can stage your home for re-sale without spending a dime. These five tips are important for sellers and real estate agents.

How to Stage Your Home for Free

1. Edit

Edit every space of your home, starting with the closets and storage areas. A full closet tells a potential buyer you have outgrown the home, or the house does not have enough storage. If that's the case for you, then it's the same for them. While your house is listed reduce your closets to at least half capacity. If you can hang 10 coats in a closet comfortably, hang 5 when trying to sell. Same goes for storage rooms. Next, audit all the spaces in your home that are horizontal landings such as countertops and shelves. Remove all non decorative items, and if you have a lot of personal decor, remove that as well. A basic rule to follow is remove half. Countertops in bathrooms and kitchens become overloaded with our things. In the bathroom it is okay to leave out the necessities like hand soap in a pretty bottle, tissues, a hand towel, makeup mirror and that's about all. In the kitchen, remove all small countertop appliances. You can leave out pretty cutting boards, a bowl of fresh produce, and even a pretty utensil holder. Also, please do not have anything on the refrigerator!

2. Neutralize

Remove all personal items and traces of you. It is important potential buyers see themselves in the home, not you. Neutralizing the space makes it more inviting to the masses. Removing personal items is also a matter of safety and security. I advise clients to remove anything with a child's name on it, like the wood cutouts of their name in a bedroom or a framed report card. It may be hard to tuck away all your family photos. However, the goal is to sell fast, so you can put the photos up in a new home. If you have very loud or taste specific decor remove them and let your more neutral pieces stand out.

3. Add Ambiance

I suggest lighting a candle or baking cookies. Also, turn on the lamps in your home to create mood lighting, and if the house is being shown at night make sure the outside is well lite. A dark house is scary and feels unsafe. Plus, you do not want people falling or stumbling around in your home.

4. Optimize Your Floor Plan

Play around with the positioning of your furnishings. Look up space planning images and find the ideal way to lay out your existing furniture. If one room is packed with furniture move a piece into a room or hallway that needs a little extra something. It does not have to be functional for you at this time. The space plan has to be inviting. If you have sectioned off rooms with furniture pieces, open up the seating plan. If you need help reach out to me or a local interior designer, but remember expert advice comes at a small and worthwhile price.

5. Add a Special Touch

Most people talk up where they live to others, sharing the best hangout spots and activities to enjoy where they live. I suggest writing a list of the best bars, restaurants, shops, entertainment, and parks the area has to offer. It is likely potential buyers are unfamiliar with the area. Leave a list of places with a short description for each framed on the kitchen counter. This will make your home memorable and let potential buyers know your neighborhood is a fun place to live.

If you are looking for help or need to make more design changes to your home before you list, then please reach out to me here. To stay in the loop and never miss a blog, then subscribe to my email list at the bottom of this page.

Home Staging for Free-Recap