How to Stage on a Budget

When it comes to selling your home, staging is one of the most important steps you can take. In fact, the more you do, the more likely it is to improve a buyer’s perception of your home and, consequently, your chances of fetching a higher sales price. Aside from the customary staging tasks, such as decluttering and organizing, there are several simple yet cost-effective techniques that can help you sell your home quickly, especially if you’re on a budget and short on time. Use the following staging tips to show off your home’s best features without breaking the bank.

Deep-clean 

Staging goes beyond decor and layout. It’s also about making your home sparkle—the more it shines, the better it will show and attract buyers. And your only cost is cleaning supplies and time! So use this as an opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty of cleaning: recaulk showers, tubs, and sinks and scrub the grout; replace worn or moldy shower curtains; and wipe down switch plates, doorknobs, walls, and baseboards, all of which can accumulate a lot of dust and grime. Your home’s exterior is also important, so be sure to remove and clean debris from your balcony and pressure-wash your siding, back patio, and steps.

As important as those details are, however, don’t neglect the obvious—clean and clear the kitchen counters, wipe down bathroom counters, toilets, and sinks, deep-clean floors and tiles (including touching up scuffs and deodorizing carpets), clean windowpanes, dust and polish wood furniture, and remove any cobwebs collecting in corners, light fixtures, and window frames. Finally, if you have a pet, take time to remove any hair with a lint roller or vacuum and clean their eating and sleeping areas (and if you have a cat, their litter box).

Remove odors

One of the biggest turnoffs for buyers is strong smells. Even a fantastic house that’s priced right, beautifully decorated, and located in a great neighborhood can send buyers walking away if it has undesirable odors. It’s easy to become desensitized to pet and cigarette aromas or pungent cooking spices when you’re exposed to them 24/7, so ask your real estate agent, a neighbor, or a close friend to tell you if they detect anything unpleasant. If they do, take the necessary steps to remove the smells, such as by sprinkling baking soda on your furniture fabric, which is an inexpensive solution to an expensive deterrent.

Improve lighting

Accentuate your current lighting by discarding and replacing fluorescent lights with daylight or soft-white bulbs. These give off a blue hue, which can increase the overall brightness of any room, whether it’s the kitchen, bathroom, or home office. And, of course, don’t forget to open all shades and blinds to let in as much natural light as possible.

Add mirrors

You can enhance the light and size of most rooms by strategically placing mirrors in them. For example, try adding a decorative mirror to your front entryway wall, a standing mirror in the corner of your living room, or a wall mirror behind your dining room table. Just make sure to keep them away from windows to prevent an annoying glare.

Rearrange furniture

It can be difficult for buyers to envision themselves in a home if it feels overly cramped. Although the current layout may work for your lifestyle, it may not for the buyer, so experiment with ways to create a more open living space. One solution is to simply rearrange your furniture, though you may need to remove a piece here and there to help clear walkways and make the room appear bigger. If you find yourself struggling with how to achieve the best layout, ask your real estate agent for a few expert tips you could try.

Refresh furniture and accessories

If your home feels a bit outdated or is showing signs of wear and tear, now is a great time to freshen things up. But don’t feel like you have to run out and purchase new furniture or shop for expensive accessories. For instance, if your sofa, pillows, or chairs are stained, a slipcover can solve this problem for a reasonable cost. You could also take a friend and go thrift shopping to pick up some new decorative pieces, such as a vintage print, a table lamp, or an accent chair. You may be surprised at what you can find when staging on a budget.

Discard broken furniture and old decor

Repair or remove any broken furniture or visibly damaged items in your home that may catch the buyer’s eye, and peruse each room to see if there’s any outdated decor. For example, if you have silk flowers (which gather dust too), replace them with affordable fresh-cut flowers such as daisies. Remove statues, old figurines, and dark or worn curtains, and consider picking up a new lampshade or two to modernize the room.

Update your kitchen

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to refresh your kitchen. Instead, polish or replace hardware, spray-paint your cabinets, and add a colorful rug by the kitchen sink or underneath the kitchen table. Also, set the dining room table with simple, contemporary plates, flatware, and placemats for an extra touch.

Today’s buyers tend to be shrewd and savvy, and when house shopping, they want to be able to visualize their belongings in a home. So approach home staging with a less-is-more attitude to make yours more enticing and get the best offer possible.