Do you remember how you felt when you finally found your dream home? Did you spend hours comparing different properties, or did you know which house you wanted from the moment you walked through the door?

There are a lot of things to take into consideration as a buyer in the real estate market. Between the overall size and layout of a house, the natural light in each room, and the curb appeal, every detail has to be just right for someone to make an offer.

As a seller, this means you have to know a thing or two about home staging.

Staging is the best way to re-create that “aha!” feeling for a potential buyer that you had when you found your home. It’s what turns just another property listing into a place that a buyer feels like they absolutely have to have.

Here are 3 home staging tips to help you speed the selling process along.

1. Prioritize the Most Important Spaces

The first two rules of home staging are cleaning and de-personalizing. You want to give your house a thorough deep clean and take down any family pictures or other items that make the house feel like your home.

But, you need to prioritize your time as you do so. Don’t spend too much time cleaning the guest bedroom if you know you still have to stage the living room. Try not to use staging as an excuse to clean out your closet, either.

You have to stay focused on the task at hand, and prioritizing certain rooms over others ensures that the whole house looks as good as possible. The main rooms you should stage are:

• the kitchen
• the living room
• the master bedroom and bathroom

These are where potential homeowners are going to spend the majority of their time. They’re the rooms that matter most to them as they weigh the pros and cons of a property.

2. Create an Open, Inviting Setup

Whether you’re de-cluttering the living room or trying to spruce up the kitchen a bit, focus on creating an open space. This may mean you have to rearrange your leather lounge suites or dining area. You might even decide to get rid of some furniture pieces entirely.

The point of this is to really show off all the room that each part of the house has to offer. Such a design allows potential buyers to start picturing where they’d put their own furniture if they were to buy your house.

3. Be Neutral

The final staging tip to keep in mind is to be as neutral as possible. This goes beyond personal pictures and eccentric pieces of furniture.

Take a look around each room and look at the colors on the walls, the kinds of drapes you have set up, and the overall interior design style you’ve created. Your home shouldn’t scream “boho chic” or “French country” if you want to give it a good chance of selling.

A neutral design gives people who come into your home a fresh canvas. It allows them to better picture the design style they like in your space, whether that be shabby chic, Scandinavian design, or mid-century modern.

Smart Home Staging and More House Selling Tips

Home staging really isn’t as complicated as some people make it out to be.

The main thing to think about is the buyer’s perspective. You want them to feel like they’re walking into a house that could potentially become their special home – not like they’re spending an afternoon at a friend’s place.

Keep in mind that even the best staging doesn’t close the deal, though.

For more selling tips and tricks, click here.