Trying to sell your home can be one of the most frustrating things about owning a home. People looking for a new home can be ruthless and hell-bent on finding their idea of ​​perfection. The slightest wrinkle in the first impression can make them change their minds so quickly. Home staging is a concept that allows homeowners to gain an advantage over the buyer. With a few of these tips in mind, you can quickly make your home the place buyers want to see.

First of all, you need to do a total sweep and remove clutter from your home. Homebuyers don’t want to see all the stuff you’ve hauled into your home over the years. They want to visualize the space and discover how they can make it their own. They will likely open all the cabinets, pantries, and closet doors to see what the storage is like. So it’s time to clear every space!

To keep it from seeming so overwhelming, break this project up and tackle one room at a time in its entirety. Set an expiration date on items. Whether it’s three months or a year, pick a date and throw away anything that hasn’t been used or lost in that time period. The “one in, one out” rule is also great for getting through the home organization process. If you buy a board game, you need to get a bar of one. The same applies to sweaters, shoes, cookbooks, etc. Also, in the end, don’t feel guilty about keeping something that has sentimental value. They are your things and only you can determine what to do with them. On the other hand, don’t feel guilty about throwing away something that once meant a lot to you or a family member, but no longer does. Donate it – it can bring great joy to the next person who owns it!

Realistically, today’s busy families don’t have the time to keep their home in “show-perfect condition” every moment of every day. Baskets are a great way to add a simple decorative touch to any room while also quickly putting things away before a potential buyer arrives. This doesn’t give you license to keep clutter and just strategically hide it. The sneakers are more for a last minute approach when someone sees the house between school and football. Just put the mail in a basket until you have a chance to sort it out and now the table is clean!

Always place books on shelves or tables, stacked in some interesting way if possible. By subject, author, or alphabetically by title, people are drawn to the shelves and will see what’s there. Remove dust covers for a more uniform and decorative appearance. Decorative touches and small items should be displayed in groups of 1, 3 or 5 to attract attention. These groupings must be purposely arranged to highlight predetermined areas. For example, if the fireplace is the highlight of the main room, use accent lighting to draw attention to items on the mantelpiece. Flaunt what you’ve got in style!

If you get the chance, remove furniture from rooms in your home and store it somewhere else for a while. That extra table in the corner can be great for storing a puzzle when the family isn’t working on it, but it also takes up a lot of visual space. Remember that home buyers want to see the space and what they can do with it, rather than what you’ve already done with it. The less they see of your furniture, the more likely they can imagine your belongings and your personal style in the space. Minimizing furniture throughout the house will also promote good traffic flow and take attention away from tight areas. As you remove excess furniture, assess the lighting situation in each room and bring in additional lamps or remove lighting if necessary. Spaces that stand out with a variety of lighting schemes definitely attract buyers.

Show a little extra care to your entry. Most homeowners use the driveway from the garage to the house more often than the front entrance. Potential buyers will walk through the front door and first impressions are lasting. Detailed landscaping, warm lighting inside and out, and adequate room to spread out inside are things that can quickly win over fickle shoppers.

Beyond first impressions, buyers are often forced to critique kitchens, bathrooms, and storage spaces. Kitchens are considered the epicenter of the home and should be warm and inviting for family and friends alike. Bathrooms should appear as clean and calm environments. Store children’s bath toys under the sink while showing off your home. Remember what we said about cleaning up the mess? Unfortunately, cabinets were not exempt from this rule. Clear each closet space so it looks half empty. Messy closets give the impression that storage space is limited, when really you just need to get rid of clothes that no longer fit. This is the wrong impression to give to a buyer! Half empty cabinets seem open and bigger than you think. They also prevent overly nosy people from taking a peek at everything you have.

Finally, take the time to hide the fact that you have pets. A beautiful clean aquarium filled with your collection of prized tropical fish is not the problem. But your beloved pup who leaves his toys everywhere could be. Prospective homebuyers don’t care if their favorite family pet is the sweetest animal that ever lived; they are not looking for an animal to be sold to them. They want to buy a house built from the low plans of country houses. So store toys, leashes, and dishes out of sight when you’re not using them. And remember that smells are just as important as visual elements. If carpets need to be cleaned and refreshed and litter boxes changed, then before a potential buyer shows up at the door, this needs to be done.

Staging a house is not a convenient process. But neither is having a home on the market for more than a year. Taking the time to organize your home and show it off at its best may be a minor inconvenience for a short time, but in the end, it can also be the thing that gets your home off the market faster than ever. expected. Take the time to make your home just perfect. Check with your real estate agent for any suggestions you may have after each visit. Before you know it, staging and selling your home will be a thing of the past!