Whether you’re a seller or an agent, you don’t want property hanging around on the market for months, losing value.

Home staging can help buyers visualize themselves nesting in the space – exactly what you want as soon as they walk through the door.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or cost a lot of money. With a bit of thought and creativity, your home can look like a million dollars.

Here’s our pro guide to stage decorating your home for sale.

1. Banish Sentimentality

Homes are where we build memories with our families. Seemingly insignificant features, such as a notch in a doorframe, can be filled with meaning for us.

However, if a buyer sees a notch in the doorway, they may think ‘Great, another problem I’ll have to spend time and money fixing!’

Once you decide to leave a house it’s time to focus on the next chapter of your life and maximize the value of the last one. Nothing can take away your memories, even if you remove some sentimental features before you leave.

So whether on your own or with a stage decorating professional, take a ruthless look at your home. Don’t be afraid to remove things that mean a lot to you but could put off a potential buyer.

2. Remove ALL Clutter

Notice this tip is not to ‘hide’ clutter.

Many people mistakenly think they can just hide their junk away and it’ll be fine. Unless your house sells on day one, it won’t be. That junk will find its way out and start cluttering up your home again.

Whether it goes into storage or into the garbage can, be strong and declutter your house from top to bottom.

3. Make it Smell Great

We all have a distinctive personal and family odor. Not necessarily unpleasant, but also not something your buyer is going to want to live with.

The way a home smells is almost as important as the way it looks. Think essential oil aroma diffusers strategically placed around the home.

Also, make sure all the furnishings are clean and smelling great.

The worst offenders for offputting smells are our animals. Sure, we love them more than the house, but if they’re going to put off buyers they need to be (temporarily) rehomed while selling.

4. Get the Bathroom Right

Outdated tile, grimy grouting, and weird colors are going to send most home buyers running for the hills. Staged houses take care of this, and this translates into faster sales.

Getting a new bathroom may not be part of the plan, but there are lots of things you can do to make the best of a tired one. First of all, everything needs to be neutral – think clean and simple, with all the paintwork looking at its best.

If you can’t afford to retile, then consider tile paint. It takes a little care, but on plain tiles with no moulding, it can totally reinvigorate them and give your bathroom serious spa appeal.

5. Master the Eclectic Look

You may have gathered lots of pieces over the years that you really like, giving your home a personal, eclectic look.

To give this mass appeal, without going out and investing in a whole new set of furniture, think about how you can tie them all together. Some pieces could be stored, while others that work well together can be used for staging.

Look for pieces that can give your rooms cohesion, bringing all the elements together. Do research to get more info on how to pull off this sometimes tricky look!

6. Nail the First Impression

Some people think that staging decoration is only about the inside of the property. That’s far from the truth. Getting the curb appeal right is vital – you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Again, depersonalize your entrance way, removing clutter and anything that screams you.

Then, make sure everything is clean and tidy – no flaking paint, no untrimmed bushes. Everything from the mailbox to the knocker on the door needs to glisten.

If your front door is looking tired, consider repainting it.

Once that’s taken care of, move on to your entrance hall. Seems like a small (and obvious) thing, but make sure that your front door opens easily, and there aren’t any coats or shoes in the way.

Make your entrance hall inviting with fresh paintwork. Make sure the things that should be there – hall table, shoe rack, coat stand – are neat and tidy, showing there’s plenty of room for everything you need.

7. Finally, Finish those Snagging Jobs!

Most homeowners have a list of jobs they’ve been meaning to get around to.

Now the time has come to sell. Sadly, this is not your opportunity to pass on this list to the new owner. No, the time has arrived to finally tackle it, because nothing is going to come between you and achieving top dollar for your house!

Anything adroop, askew, flaking, chipped or stained needs to be tackled.

When we live in a property, it can be hard to spot things that a buyer would pounce on. Get a good friend to go through the house with you and give you their honest opinion on what needs to be put right.

8. Clean, Clean and then Clean Again

There is no buyer in the world who will be attracted to a house that is not spotlessly clean.

We’re not just talking about your usual weekly clean – this is a dirt-defying, upholstery cleaner hiring, moving all the furniture and repainting where necessary clean!

You will be finished only when Monica herself would declare it perfect – and it will do wonders for the appeal of your home.

The Takeaway: Stage Decorating Like a Pro

Yes, there’s work involved, but take time for stage decorating and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.

The key tips for staging your home all center around depersonalizing and decluttering. Even if you follow these two simple rules, and present your house spic and span, you’ll be a long way to getting the price you want.

For more great tips to help you successfully sell your home, explore our blog today!