How to Stage Your Home: A Complete Guide

When you’re selling your home, there are plenty of things you can do to help move the process along. One of the most effective strategies is staging your home.

If you're new to the world of home staging, this guide will provide you with valuable insights on this powerful real estate tactic. You'll learn how it works, the benefits it offers, and some general tips to get you started on your staging journey. So, let's dive in and discover how to stage your home!

What is Home Staging?

Simply put, home staging is the art of enhancing the visual appeal of your house to attract potential buyers. This process usually involves making a variety of design or cosmetic tweaks throughout the property, all with the goal of highlighting its best features, creating a good first impression, and helping potential buyers imagine themselves living in the space.

Although this sounds simple, proper home staging is strategic and often relies on advanced interior design techniques carried out by professionals. It may require making significant modifications like introducing new furniture, applying a fresh coat of paint here and there, or making small repairs, if needed. Whatever it takes to make the home more marketable.

Benefits of Home Staging

The key benefit of staging a home is that it can increase curb appeal and help you sell your home for as much and as fast as possible. And in today’s digital age, a staged home can contribute to higher quality online listings on popular real estate websites like Zillow, Realtor, and Redfin.

Experts agree that home staging can have a positive effect on buyers. Almost a psychological tactic, when buyers can easily see themselves living comfortably in the home, they‘re more likely to buy. On the flip side, when the home is empty, it becomes more difficult to envision themselves living there.

Home Staging Costs

It’s fair to wonder how much staging your home might cost. The answer is, of course, it depends! Factors include the size of your home, whether your home is empty or not, if your home needs repairs, and whether you opt for a DIY home staging or hire a professional.

If you opt for DIY home staging, costs are flexible. You may have to pay for paint, new furniture (if needed), decor, repairs, cleaning supplies, and storage (we’ll get to that later). It ultimately boils down to what adjustments your home needs to effectively stage and stay within your budget.

Professional home staging is typically more expensive, but it can be worth it. A full-service home staging could include everything from a consultation and redesign, to rental furniture and a day of staging. On average, a professional home staging costs around $1,800, according to Bob Vila.

10 Tips for Staging Your Home

Whether you want to stage your home yourself or hire a professional, there are some general tips you should be aware of that will help you navigate the process.

1. Declutter

You know those picture-perfect houses you see in magazines and online? There’s never any clutter in sight, like nobody even lives there. Well, that’s how a well-staged home should look. So, step one is to go around your house with some boxes and declutter. Toss those piles of papers, stash away seasonal items, and get rid of any non-essentials. This simple step will make your house look more spacious, organized, and inviting.

2. Deep Clean

A squeaky clean home gives off great first impressions and makes your home seem well cared for. So, it's crucial to ensure that every nook and cranny, from the ceiling to the floor, is spotless. Pay special attention to the floors, walls, stove tops, and countertops, as they are the most important areas. Don't overlook those hidden corners and crevices that often go unnoticed. Make sure to add a touch of freshness to your home by using subtle air fresheners, fresh flowers, or essential oils to deodorize the space.

3. Depersonalize

When you're trying to sell your home, it's important to help potential buyers imagine themselves living there. It becomes much more difficult for them to do so if your house is filled with personal belongings. Although it might be tough, it's best to store these items away and keep them out of sight when staging your home. This includes everything from family photos and children's drawings, to your toothbrush and clothing. By doing this, you create a blank canvas for buyers to envision their own lives in the space.

4. Make Small Repairs

Major repairs and remodels can wait, but it's important to address unsightly flaws before staging your home. This includes fixing hairline cracks in the drywall, chipped paint, and leaky faucets to the best of your ability. Don't overlook purely cosmetic issues like scuffs and scratches on the walls. Remember, a home that’s in good condition seems cared for while a home in disrepair seems neglected.

5. Adjust Your Home’s Color Scheme

Color is highly subjective. What you see as bold and fun, others might perceive as tacky or distracting. To avoid color-related complications, it’s recommended you stick to a neutral color scheme as much as possible. This could involve painting the walls or temporarily replacing your vibrant pink accent chair with something more understated. Stick to shades like gray, tan, white, or taupe for a safe bet.

6. Rearrange Furniture as Needed

As mentioned previously, it’s crucial for your home to appear as spacious as possible. While you can’t increase the square footage, you can strategically arrange your furniture to create a more open atmosphere. Proper furniture placement enhances the flow of each room, showcasing its functionality. Consider storing some pieces of furniture to create a wider and more spacious walking area. Additionally, avoid placing furniture directly against the walls and make sure to allow ample natural light to flood in, giving the illusion of extra roominess.

7. Define Each Room

If you're like many people, your home office also has some exercise equipment, toys, and a futon. While this is completely normal, it's a big no-no in the world of home staging. Instead, each room should have a specific purpose. This helps buyers see how the square footage can be utilized to the fullest (and it also reduces clutter). So, make sure your home office is just an office, not an art/yoga studio.

8. Up Your Curb Appeal

With so much focus on the interior, it’s easy to forget about the first thing possible buyers are going to see when they arrive – the exterior! Your home's exterior plays a vital role in enhancing its curb appeal and forming that all-important first impression. So, take time to pull weeds, mow the lawn, wash windows, and whatever else is needed to make your house look as great as possible, both inside and out.

9. Decorate Wisely

When it comes to decorating, it’s important to strike the right balance. You want your space to appear inviting, clean, and stylish, but not overly busy or too formal. Often, too much decor can start to appear personal, and even inauthentic. Again, you want potential buyers to feel like they could live there. Avoid anything that’s too distracting, personal, or generally unappealing.

10. Rent a Portable Storage Container

You may be wondering what you’re going to do with all your personal items, knickknacks, and extra furniture while staging a home to sell. Renting a portable storage container – such as the U-Box container by U-Haul – is the perfect solution! With this convenient solution, you can keep your belongings safe and sound on your property while your home is being staged. You can easily access your items as needed. When you’re finished, we’ll pick up the empty containers from your property.

Ready to get your home staging journey underway? As you prepare your home for future buyers, learn more about renting U-Box containers and how they can help you tidy your home and maximize the space.