Home Staging Tips: What Not To Do

Selling your home can be stressful and time consuming and you’d want to get it done as soon as possible. That may also be the reason why you’d want to engage the services of a home staging professional in the first place. Studies show that home staged houses get sold faster than those that haven’t been professionally done or home staged at some point. The reason for this is that organized houses as a whole appear ready for occupancy and that counts a lot. If you’re looking to sell your home faster, home staging might be for you. But you also need to learn the pitfalls in this kind of endeavor and avoid them to be able to stage your home properly.

Here are some tips on what NOT to do when home staging:

Don’t get personal

The reason why you’re home staging in the first place is because you need to ensure that potential buyers see your home as their future home – and that won’t help if you still have some you in it. Take out personal items such as pictures, money, personal documents, and toiletries and don’t leave toys and clutter lying around. It’s also a good time to take down your washed laundry drying on the line, if you have any. Replace family photos with pleasant yet generic visuals like landscapes or other artworks. And don’t just hide them in drawers or cupboards. Buyers have a habit of inspecting and opening random drawers when they feel like it.

Don’t overload the senses with your home staging

Everything has to be as neutral as possible in order to appeal to a broader range of buyers. That is why it is not advisable to bake goods to have your home smell like cinnamon when buyers come in. You never know if they hate that certain smell. Don’t use garish colors when decorating; stick to neutrals as much as possible and just use highlight colors to add life in the room.

Don’t leave empty space

Some home owners pack up too much of their stuff when home staging in an effort to declutter and it sometimes leaves a room feeling too bare. Remember that too much space in a room can feel intimidating, cold and impersonal. Strike a balance between open spaces and furniture that serve a purpose. That is why you shouldn’t leave rooms empty, even if you don’t use it. If your home has an extra bedroom that is empty and unused, dress and fill it up as an actual bedroom.

Don’t apologize for your home

Make sure that everything is sound and everything that needs fixing is accounted for. Before even opening up your home for sale, go around your property and list down everything that needs fixing. That being said, if you ensure that your house is in good condition, then there won’t be any surprises with buyers. But in case they still find some areas lacking, don’t apologize to them for it and appear negative. State your positive reasons for selling to leave a better impression.

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