Staging your home

STAGING YOUR OWN HOME

If you want to try your hand at staging your own home, then here are a few tips to turn your home into a model home.

Cleaning:  The house should be Q-tip clean.  Every surface should sparkle and every groove should be dirt free.  And above all, wash the windows.

Clutter:  Pack up family photos, stacks of paper, medicines on the bathroom counter, the books overflowing the bookcase.  Hide trash cans, ashtrays, the laundry hamper, the kitchen sponge, the cat’s litter box and food dishes.

Color:  Dark walls make the house look smaller.  Walls should be off-white, or have earthy tones if the room has lots of light.  Ideally, the carpet would be “real estate beige”.  Open or take down the curtains, so that rooms will have as much light as possible.  Leave on the lights in darker areas.

Focal Point:  To think like a professional stager, stand at the doorway of each room.  What features do you want to accentuate?  Where’s the focal point?  (A room should have only one.)  So if you have a fireplace and a big-screen TV, take out the TV.  Arrange the furniture so the eye is drawn to the focal point.

Furniture:  Most rooms have too much furniture, which makes rooms look smaller.  Reduce the number of pillows on the couch to zero, or have an odd number, like three.  Remove blankets and reduce the number of paintings on the walls.

Dining Room:  Take out the leaves from your dining table and put no more than four chairs around it.  Set the table as if for a meal, and put an appealing centerpiece in the middle.  Reduce the number of dishes in the china cabinet, leaving only a few.

Kitchen:  The exterior of the refrigerator should be bare.  Store any appliances you don’t use daily out of sight.  Hide the trash can, and put the sponge and soap under the sink.  You can spruce up an outdated kitchen simply by changing the knobs and hinges.

Master Bedroom:  Buy a new bedspread, if necessary.  Clear off bedside tables and chests of drawers.  Hide the alarm clock.  For the closets, pack up any clothing you’re not using this season.  It will make the space look larger.

Bathrooms:  Replace bar soap with liquid.  Coordinate all towels, using one or two colors.  Fold them in thirds and hang them neatly.  Clear everything out of the shower except for one bottle of liquid soap and one bottle of shampoo.  Clean or replace the shower curtain.  Make sure all grout is clean and in good condition.  Remove all cloth toilet lid covers, and keep the lid down.  Hide the trash can.

Outside:  Keep the lawn mowed and the edges neat.  Trim shrubs, especially around windows.  Put flowering plants near the front door.  Does the house need painting?  Consider painting or staining the front door; it’s one of the least expensive ways to spruce up the entry.  If there’s furniture on the porch, make sure it isn’t plastic but rather good wicker or wrought iron.  Power-wash or stain the deck.  Remove or hide old cans and bottles, auto parts, boats and RVs.