Frugal Staging: Home For Sale
HGTV may decorate on a dime, but how many of us have an extra $500 to spruce up a house for sale? Recession or not, details matter, particularly when the real estate market is tight.
Tonight I helped a friend tweak her townhome's appearance. Unlike a few of the rich and famous houses I've helped stage, this project had a zero budget. Here are a few home-for-sale staging tips that cost nothing, yet make a big impact.
- Show as much of the floor as possible. Remove extra chairs, stools, occasional tables, and baskets.
- Clear the kitchen counters of everything you can.
- Empty surfaces of all trinkets and photos. Pull book spines close to the shelf edge.
- Line up canned goods and boxes like a grocery store.
- Stuff extra linens in white garbage bags to help the closets look empty.
- Remove all personal products from showers, baths, counters and bedside tables.
- Keep a set of bed pillows crisp and fluffy for showings.
Showing a house can sometimes go against the frugal mindset. What do you do with all those free shampoos and boxes of Hamburger Helper? Will fast food burst your budget if you take a break from cooking? Should you give away those baby clothes or store them for a consignment sale next spring?
Remember, selling your home is worth a temporary frugal disruption. Keep the kitchen pristine at all costs. Give away your extra stuff. Your space will seem bigger to buyers, and you'll bless the food bank, too.
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8 Responses to “Frugal Staging: Home For Sale”
October 6th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Extra things that need to be hidden while selling a house are why cars have trunks and storage areas and beds are 6 inches off the ground…
October 6th, 2009 at 8:57 am
One thing that made a huge deal to me when we were house shopping was light. Make sure the windows are sparkling clean and as open as possible to take advantage of every bit of light that a house gets.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Every square inch must be immaculate! Have some fresh flowers even if you are on a budget; some chocolates on the bedside table are nice (just slice a Snickers bar and put on a small gorgeous plate); stage some areas like a throw over a chair with an open book and some reading glasses nearby; if you are having a showing, bake bread, slice and leave on cutting board on counter. In other words, even though it is important to elimate clutter, you do want to give the impression of a home with warmth. I think prospective buyers do like a glimpse into interesting lives and you can plant the seed that this home will give them one!
Meredith, it is exciting to know you have staged fabulous homes! I am sure everyone would love to hear more details about that!
October 6th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I like to grind a (used) lemon or lime in the disposal to give it a fresh smell. I also use some nice smelling candles. (I got mine on clearance for 10 cents each) Also make sure the bath room and kitchen fixtures are clean and shine. Keep clean rugs too.
To me, I think that being very clean makes a huge difference.
October 6th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Candles might have a nice ambience but I would never light a scented one. Too many people have allergies or dislikes for certain fragrances. I am allergic to a lot of fragrances and would not even walk thru a house that was scented. Just my 2 cents about scents! The lemon in disposal sounds nice, though.
October 6th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
The property has to be clean. When buyers enter the house, they are trying to imagine themselves living there. A dirty, cluttered interior can really turn them away.
October 11th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Oh yes, please do tell us about the staging of homes for the rich and famous! I would love to hear about that! Were these homes in the Nashville area?
November 26th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I too would love to hear the samples of property staging.
We have a living room/dining room/kitchen combination that is 16 foot wide by 32 foot long with a corner gas fireplace and a refrigerator on the other side of the wall that I call my FIRE and ICE feature of the house.
I need furniture placement help other then the “one way” that it has set like for the last 3 years.
Can you help? I will be looking for your answer in return email.
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