9 Tips for Staging Your Home

When it comes to selling your home, appearance is everything! This is especially true now with buyers choosing to view prospective homes virtually before they decide to schedule an in-person viewing. Staging your home in a way that it photographs beautifully and shows its best side off when a prospective purchaser comes for a viewing, doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg! Here are 9 ways to stage your home for free.

1. Deep clean...
   
   Buyers like to look everywhere when they are viewing a prospective home. This includes, and is not limited to, cupboards, drawers, even under the kitchen sink! What this means is that one of the easiest, and best, ways to prep your home for staging is to deep clean. From floors, to windows, kitchen counters, to grout, make sure that everything sparkles.
    
2. Don't forget the exterior!
   
   The first impression of a property, whether a buyer is viewing it online or in person is the exterior. A quick scrub of the exterior walls, making sure that the grass is cut, and that there is no debris lying around is a quick, easy, and free way to make the exterior look great. You can even add a few potted plants for an extra a bit of charm.
    
3. Declutter
   
   Clutter can draw focus away from the important features that are important to buyers and can make a home appear small. Declutter your home by getting rid of everything you don't use or need. Remember that buyers like to snoop, so don't just stow everything away! A house on the market needs to look ready for its next occupant.
    
4. Depersonalise
   
   Once you have decluttered, you need to pack away all your personalised belongings, like family photos and keepsakes. By Depersonalising your home, it makes it easier for a prospective buyer to picture themselves living in the space. Remember, a buyer wants to look at the home and not at all your stuff.
    
5. Facelift the furniture
   
   Pictures with furniture that is threadbare, and just tired looking do not do any justice to the home. Giving your furniture a facelift and re-arranging it to best showcase your home's layout can make a world of difference. This does not have to be an expensive exercise, new cushion covers, a throw over the couch, and new lampshades can make a home look inviting and help the buyer see the potential.
    
6. Clear the kitchen
   
   The kitchen is the heart of the home and is often the make-or-break on a buyer's decision. You want the kitchen to feel bright and spacious, so clear off those countertops and open the blinds or curtains. Make sure the kitchen is sparkling clean and avoid cooking anything with a strong smell before a viewing.
    
7. Tidy the bathroom
   
   Buyers will notice whether the bathroom is clean or not, so this is a key area to pay attention when you are staging your house. A bathroom should be clean, tidy and free of clutter. It is a good idea to update your bathmats and shower curtains, and hang a clean set of towels to really make this space inviting.
    
8. Don't overstuff the cupboards
   
   As mentioned before, buyers love a good snoop in the cupboards, so trying to hide all your clutter is a serious no-no! Another reason is that buyers want to see how much cupboard space there is, and by overstuffing your cupboards they will look small and a buyer will come away thinking there is little to no storage.
    
9. Add some extra touches
   
   To really draw a buyer in, there are a few extra touches that will make your home photograph beautifully, and look and feel inviting. Fresh flowers and open windows bring warmth and freshness to a home, and make it somewhere that a buyer can see themselves living.