They say that first impressions are the best impressions. It’s human nature to form opinions very quickly based on initial interactions – especially when it’s about something meaningful to them. Here is when we focus on staging and cleaning.
And few things are as important to people as purchasing a home.
So to ensure that you sell your home quickly – there’s no better way than to stage it properly.
Staging is essential for two main reasons;
- Empty rooms have a funny way of looking smaller than furnished ones. So staging your home appropriately ensures that prospective buyers can see the possibilities of each room in your home.
- This, in turn, helps buyers visualise themselves living in your home.
So, here are a few tips to stage you home the right way!
1. Cleaning Your Home’s Exterior
Speaking of first impressions, the first one a potential buyer will make is about how your house looks from the outside. As they walk up the driveway, they will already decide if they like your home and if the inside is even worth looking at.
So to boost your curb appeal, you should:
- Ensure the walls outside are washed and cleaned
- Walkways are free of moss and grime
- The house number is easy-to-read
- Windows are washed
- Fresh, new doormats placed at the entryways.
Since washing your home’s exterior is a task that involves machinery, specialised tools, and expertise, hire a cleaning service to take care of it for you.
NexDo’s home exterior cleaning services will save you time and money – and with our flexible timings, we’ll always be able to fit into your schedule!
2. Maintain Lawns and Outdoor Spaces
If your home has some great outdoor space, it’s already a winner.
To make it more inviting to potential home buyers, you can always add in some outdoor furniture.
However, if you don’t want to spend too much money, the easiest thing to do is simply spruce your lawn up.
Start by weeding, watering, and mowing your lawn. Remove debris and unwanted items and give your front or backyard that flawless finish.
Take special care of walkways to your house too. You should also consider adding a pop of colour through flowerbeds where possible.
For instance, the lawn mowing services at NexDo will help neaten things up, get rid of those pesky weeds – making your lawn look picture-perfect.
3. Cleaning Up!
Moving on inside your home, the first thing to do is clean up!
Clean homes look polished and well-cared-for, showing buyers that the house is in good condition.
All nooks and crannies of your home should be dust and dirt free. Pay close attention to your carpets, too – since dirty or stained carpets make a whole room look shabby and unkempt.
Remember, there may be plenty of instances when buyers want to look underneath your beds, behind furniture, your bathrooms, and even inside your kitchen appliances.
Cleaning your home top-to-bottom is difficult and time-consuming. So to make it easier and more effective, you can always hire a professional cleaning service to clean your home and ensure every last stain and bit of dirt is removed before you start allowing buyers in!
4. More Cleaning – Declutter
The bottom line is that clutter in a home removes focus from all the good qualities of a room – and makes it look small, untidy, and dirty.
So, before showing your home to buyers, get rid of all the unwanted things around your house. Put toys back where they belong, donate clothes and furniture pieces you no longer need or use and free up counter space everywhere.
A word of caution, don’t simply push unwanted items into your closet or under your beds; you never know if a buyer would want to take a look under there too.
5. Remove Your Personal Items
When touring a potential new home, buyers need to be able to see themselves living in the house.
This means they can’t be distracted by pictures of you and your family, report cards on the fridge, and other highly personal items around the home.
You should also remove all of your personal toiletries – aside from handwashes – from bathrooms.
6. Liven Up The Space With Plants
Adding a couple of plants to breathe life into your home does wonder!
Make sure the plants you use are appropriate for indoor use and fit the space just right. Check out this handy list of the best, low-maintenance plants!
They make for great decor pieces and help purify the air inside too.
7. Reconsider Your Wallpaper
Wall paint and wallpapers are a very personal choice – and not everyone’s tastes are alike.
Unless the walls of your home are in neutral, warm colours, it would be in your best interests to redo all your walls.
While this may be the most expensive tip on our list, trust us – it should not be overlooked.
8. Lighting
If there is potential that buyers could tour your home when it begins to get dark out, it’s important to invest in lighting.
Ensure that all rooms have the three types of lighting:
- Ambient lighting – For general lighting
- Task lighting – Under cabinets, reading lamps, etc
- Accent lighting – To highlight artwork, walls, etc.
9. Furniture
Too much furniture and your room will look small and cluttered. Too little, and your room will look large and overbearing.
Invest in quality furniture pieces and accessorise them with pillows and throw blankets.
Arrange furniture around the room to maximise the space while leaving enough room for people to walk around.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money doing so – since there are places where you can even rent furniture out too – however, the key is to make sure you clearly define each room’s use.
10. Repair All Damages
Small amounts of damage are bound to happen in a home that’s been well-lived.
However, when it comes to an open house and having potential buyers, it’s essential to take care of torn wallpaper, faulty switches, and any cracks in floorboards.
Fix up any chips and dents on wall mouldings, and ensure that your windows and doors can open and close smoothly.
