Preparing Your Home for Photography and Showings

Staging:

"Staging" could be described as the opposite of "decoration"!  Decorating and interior design is all about personalizing a space...staging a home for sale is all about de-personalizing the space to allow the potential buyer to imagine it for themselves.  If you are able think of it as "not my home anymore" this will make it easier to remove those personal photographs and objects.

Edit 50% of household belongings.   Packing up off-season clothes will make closets look more spacious.  Same concept applies to books on bookshelves, toys in the children's rooms, kitchen items (we all have extras we don't use often), etc.

Exteriors:

• First impressions are important. A new door mat, fresh paint on the front door & fresh flowers are great
• Remove trash cans, gardening tools, etc from sight
• Stow children's and pet's toys
• Coil hoses
• Open patio umbrellas and set out cushions (if weather permitting)
• Dogs in dog run or garage
• Grass and shrubs mowed, raked & pruned as necessary

Lighting Tips:

• Replace burned-out bulbs
• If your home tends to be dark, a good investment is in higher quality lighting.

Interiors:

• Clean!  Sparkling clean attract buyers!
• Declutter!
• Remove/Replace/Repaint anything that is too "taste-specific"... neutral sells!
• Valuables and Medications out of sight or locked up
• Open window coverings (unless they are concealing a less than desirable view) or remove them entirely; rooms are larger when the eye can extend out to the view
• Turn on all lights; Turn off all fans
• Televisions off unless it's a plasma included with the sale
• Toilet lids down
• Remove most, if not all personal photographs (especially large portraits over fireplaces or in the main living areas; replace those with neutral art.)
• Conceal garbage containers
• Remove everything from the fridge (pictures, kids art, magnets, etc.)
• Keep floor coverings to the essentials so as to show off nice floors
• Clean the bathroom countertops.  Leave only a few decorative items out.  Put out best towels.
• Empty the shower of shampoos, etc.
• Clear kitchen countertops.  Leave a maximum of one appliance per countertop area. Countertop microwaves should be hidden from sight.
• Remove all signs of pets (bowls, rugs, pillows, etc)
• Remove any table coverings as rooms look larger and more elegant without tablecloths.
• Declutter fireplace mantel
• Flowers everywhere!