Budget Friendly Home Staging Tips for Mass Appeal

The goal of home staging is to appeal to as many buyers as possible with the hopes of making MORE money and a quick sale. So, while you may think that your bong, nude self-portraits, dog fur accent rug, and blow-up doll will add value to your home – trust me, they won’t. And yes, these are just a few of the totally bizarre things that I’ve come across in my home staging adventures (I could write a book).

So how DO you appeal to as many people as possible? Well, you grab a ~~bottle~~ glass of wine (which is what I did after meeting with those clients) and you keep on readin’…

Home Staging Tip #1

Take away overly personal/personalized items

Monograms/Initials. If you have a monogram on your wall or as an accessory on a bookshelf, pack it away. This is like putting a stamp on your home saying ‘IT’S MINE, ALL MINE!!!’ This also includes the outdoors (for those of you with your last name nailed to the front of your home).

Kids Names/Initials. If your kids have their names in vinyl, wood or artwork on their doors or walls, take these down as well. Buyers need to picture themselves in these rooms and shouldn’t know your kids by their first name.

This photo is cute for the lil’ gal living in it, but if it were to be staged, we’d take down the ‘C’ and put some more generic photos in the frames – animals, quotes, things like that.

To see more of this project click here

Personal Paperwork. This includes degrees, bills, trophies and anything that has your name, credentials or otherwise on it. Nobody needs to see what you owe on your Visa bill or how smarty-pants you are with your degrees and diplomas.

An office that is not ready for showings…

And office that is ready for a big sale!

Personal Linens. You may think that your nappy ole robe hanging behind your bathroom or bedroom door isn’t going to be noticed – it will be. Robes, slippers and towels that have been used are super personal items when viewing a home – personally, I twitch a little when I see these things.

There are a multitude of sins in this loo…

Towel hanging on a ring (looks like a daily use towel to me)
Towel hanging over the door
Bath mat that isn’t just for show (the worst)
Shampoos (boutique shampoos for staging are okay)
Razor

This bathroom is a MUCH better example…

See the FAB before and afters here

Home Staging Tip #2

Limit the personal photos

There is a SUPER fine line between what is just enough and what is TOO MUCH when it comes to family photos. It is OKAY to show that human beings live in your home, however, there are limits…

Avoid family photos in the master bedroom, living room or on mantels
Limited amounts of photos are okay in a family room, office, kids room or hallway…focus on the word limited
No nude baby shots or pregnancy photos – toooo personal. Sure, your boobs looked FABulous when you were prego, but not everyone needs to see them (wink wink)
If you have frames hung on the wall that will leave damaged drywall if removed, consider putting a landscape/city/generic photo in the frame

If you choose to have family photos…

Look on Pinterest to see how to do a photo gallery. A well-placed photo gallery wall can ADD to the appeal of a home, particularly for the 20-50 year old market. We had a photo gallery going up the stairwell in our last home and it added IMMENSELY to the visual appeal of our home as potential buyers said, ‘I’ve always wanted to do that!’ However, if you can’t do it the right way in the right spot – just don’t do it
Make sure they are in modern frames and mats – no outdated school photos in plain oak frames (you are so busted). The look of these dates a home. Make sure the photos are in a modernized setting

Home Staging Tip #3

Don’t make buyers confused

If it’s a dining room, make sure it’s set-up as a dining room (not an office). If it’s a bedroom, make sure it’s set-up as a bedroom (not as a storage room). When a buyer walks through your home it should be obvious as to what the function of each room is (regardless of how you live in it on a daily basis).

See this beautiful dining room here!

See this Country Farmhouse Style Home

In a highly unrealistic world, homes would be emptied out and staged with furniture and accessories from a warehouse. However, in the REAL world a) not everyone has money to rent/buy the perfect piece of furniture b) it can be challenging and expensive to live in a staged home if you are in a slow housing market and don’t sell quickly (and have children and/or pets) c) not every town has a business that rents furniture/accessories that aren’t butt-ugly or insanely overpriced.

Here’s your options…

Budget-allowing, purchase the pieces you need to make the room suit its original function
If you DON’T have the budget to buy anything, it is better to have NOTHING than the wrong thing. That’s right, it is better to leave the room empty than to show it set-up with the wrong function. The wrong function can leave buyers confused and can upset the natural flow of a home

It is better to have NOTHING than the WRONG thing

Now, those are just a FEW ways to improve the selling potential of your home…

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