Your Comprehensive Home Staging Checklist
You’ve decided to sell your home, and you know that staging the home is a key to a great sale. However, deciding what to do can be a daunting task. That’s why we are providing you with a comprehensive, room-by-room home staging checklist.
General Home Staging Tips
- Declutter the house. If you plan to keep the items, get a storage unit while your home is on the market
- Deep clean your house, including carpets
- Empty closets, cupboards, basements, attics, and garages make a house look bigger
- Don’t let spaces be “unused.” Find a way to make these areas functional.
- Switch out dim lightbulbs
- Make sure doors open easily and without noise
Home Staging Checklist: Living Room
- Add a splash of color with accessories and throw pillows
- Keep the area well-lit. Consider adding lamps.
- Clean soot off the fireplace
- Replace the fireplace screen
- Remove bulky pieces of furniture from the room
- Set the scene – have an open board game or coffee mugs on a tray – so that potential buyers can see themselves living in your home.
Home Staging Checklist: Kitchen
- Remove everything from the countertops, including small appliances
- Add back one or two decorative items to the countertop for color
- Remove most items from the cupboards and pack them in storage
- Restain or paint the cabinets
- Add new hardware
- Thoroughly clean appliances
- Remove refrigerator magnets and art
- Scrub the backsplash clean
- Organize the pantry
- Move trash cans out of sight
Home Staging Checklist: Bedrooms
- Make the master bedroom gender-neutral
- Pack away clothes to make closets look larger
- Hang clothes on matching hangers
- Remove TVs and gaming systems
- Give a spare room a new identity such as a craft room, office, or den
Home Staging Checklist: Dining Room
- Set the table with pretty place settings
- Use a runner rather than a tablecloth
- Use a small centerpiece
Home Staging Checklist: Bathrooms
- Clean everything including the tile and grout
- Re-caulk tub if needed
- Paint over dated tile with epoxy or latex paint
- Remove everything from countertops
- Hide grooming products from view
- Create a spa feel using fluffy towels, candles, plants, etc
- Replace shower curtains and bath mats
- Fix anything that leaks
Home Staging Checklist: Walls and Windows
- Add mirrors to dark areas
- Remove family pictures and replace with other pieces of art
- Paint walls in a neutral color after repairing walls
- Remove paneling or paint over it
- Replace switch plates and outlet covers
- Wash the windows, both inside and out
- Repair screens
Home Staging Checklist: Exterior
- Remove cobwebs from the entryway
- Paint your front door
- Buy a new doormat
- Powerwash your exterior, driveway, and walkway
- Plant colorful flowers
- Add mulch to garden areas
- Trim trees and shrubs
- Seed or sod your yard
- Put lawn maintenance equipment out of sight
- Hide trash cans
- Stage your patio to look inviting
Statistics show that following these tips will help you sell your home faster and for more money. We have experience staging homes to sell. If you have questions about your home, please give us a call.