What not to do when staging your home

When selling your home, there will be a long list of chores to prepare for the sale.  Here are 4 quick tips on what not to do when staging your home.

1    Throwing away too much

Although you should not display your antique mini-spoon collection and keep sakes when you are selling your home, this does not mean you must throw them away.  If it means something to you, pack it safely in a box and store it out of site until after your home sale.

As for family photo’s, use sparingly.  Home buyers do need to see themselves living in your home, so do not obstruct their ability to do so by covering the walls with images of your family.  Hanging a few thoughtful portraits in nice frames creates a sense of a well-loved and welcoming home.  The key is balance.

2.  Stuffing clutter into closets

Don’t be mistaken!  When buyers are coming to look at your home they are opening closet and cupboard doors – anything built in may be opened!  So before you stuff your dirty laundry into the closet think twice, in fact, rather than stuffing your closet full you should consider removing items to make more room – space sells, keep that in mind.

      3.      Not cleaning up

If you are serious about selling you home, you need to keep it clean.  Not just for picture day, but for every open house and every showing.  To help you stay on top of what needs to be done, make a cleaning checklist and keep it on hand each time a buyer is coming to view your home. 

Your checklist should include bathrooms, kitchen, outdoors, closets, floors, windows, dusting and organization.

4     Ignoring the exterior

Whether your home is a condo with balcony, townhouse, or detached home do not ignore your outside space!  Stage all patios or balconies to give buyers a sense of an extended living area.  Mow lawns, plant colourful flowers, pick weeds, and pick up anything and everything left behind by pets or children.

You may have a great home on the inside, but, if your outside spaces are forgotten it may hurt the sale of your home – why risk it!