Staging Tips: How we prepped our property for sale

We’re currently in the process of moving, and I thought I’d share a few tips about home staging. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to staging, but there are a few things to bear in mind when it comes to making your home appealing to someone new.

Declutter

Nobody wants to visit a house full of junk – even if you don’t see it as junk. One man’s treasure is another man’s trash, so it’s best to squirrel away that miniature porcelain pig collection for now. Also, having a lot of stuff out and on display gives the impression that there’s a lack of storage, which may also put buyers off.

Keep it Neutral

We did a bit of redecorating before we put our place on the market, but now is not the time to experiment! Our eyes may have been temporarily drawn to Dulux’s Raspberry Bellini when shopping for paint, but keeping a neutral colour palette means that there is nothing garish or off-putting to the vast majority of people. Some people have very strong feelings towards certain colours, so it’s best not to risk it. If you have a bright orange room at the moment and you don’t seem to be getting any further with your sale, perhaps consider toning it down!

Flowers/Scent

I love flowers in the house, and they’re a great way of injecting a bit of colour, especially if you have a neutral colour scheme going on. However, I personally hate lilies. I can smell them a mile off and the scent is way too strong for me. I know that this is quite specific, but it’s worth thinking about choosing some blooms with a lighter scent. You may also want to think about how the house smells in general. Overpowering air fresheners or the smell of bleach from your pre-viewing clean may work against you.

Plants

Get some plants to spruce up your space and add a bit of colour and life. However, nobody wants to see wilty plants with one leaf left on them, as it gives the impression that plants can’t survive in the house. Choose some nice hardy ones, or if your fingers are far from green, fake it! These have the added bonus of longevity if the selling process goes on a bit longer.

Set the table

If you have a dining table, you should definitely set it. Not only does it look way better than an empty table, it gives the impression that the space is used and the house is lived in, without being too specific to the current tenants. Which brings me nicely to…

Personal photos

They may make your space feel personal to you, but I know that when I’ve viewed properties that have loads of family photos everywhere, it just makes me feel like I’m in someone else’s house. When selling, the goal is to make the space feel homely enough that a buyer can imagine themselves living there, but not so homely that they feel like they’re intruding on someone else’s life. It’s a delicate balance, but putting away some of those family photos will help you walk the tightrope!