Get Your Home Ready To Sell with Staging in 10 Steps

Get your home ready to sell

The way you present your home to potential buyers can have a big impact on how quickly you sell your house or flat – and the price you achieve. We all have our own individual styles and tastes, which may not appeal to everyone. Sometimes buyers struggle to see the potential of your property, or to imagine their own possessions in it. The way you stage your home when selling can make a big difference to its appeal.

To help you widen the appeal of your home and show it off to greatest effect, we have put together our ten top tips for preparing your house to sell.

The Preston Baker 10-point home staging guide

1. De-clutter and tidy – Clutter makes rooms look smaller and makes it difficult for people to visualise their own possessions in there. Tidy away CDs and DVDs, make the beds, clear away any washing up and make the place shine.

2. A lick of paint – Touch up any damaged decoration, chips and scuffs in your paintwork. If you have bold paint colours, consider changing them for lighter, more neutral tones to help buyers see the potential of your property.

3. Fix and repair – Make minor repairs such as filling in and repainting cracks, replacing broken items, fixing dripping taps and adjusting hinges.

4. Banish bad smells – Make sure your home is well aired and remove sources of odour. Empty waste bins, put out fresh towels, sheets and pet bedding. Try to avoid synthetic air fresheners. Good smells, like fresh coffee, can really make your home seem welcoming.

5. Kitchens and bathrooms – Your kitchen is the most important room for most buyers. Make sure it’s clean and tidy, remove any grease and ensure that drawers glide smoothly and cabinet doors are level. Bathrooms are vital too – make sure tiles and mirrors are gleaming, put the toilet seat down and put out fresh towels.

6. Lighten up – Make sure rooms are well lit. Replace any bulbs that aren’t working, clean windows inside and out, switch on lamps in gloomy areas and use mirrors to lighten up darker rooms.

7. Warmth and comfort – Make your home cosy and welcoming. If it’s cold, put the heating on or light a fire. If it’s hot, open doors and windows to allow a flow of fresh air.

8. Kerb appeal – Make a great first impression by ensuring the front of the property is clean and tidy. Move bins out of sight, trim any shrubs and keep driveways and paths clear. Clean or paint your front door, ensure door furniture is shiny and the doorbell works.

9. Dress to impress – Dress up your interior with nice soft furnishings for a comfortable, homely look. Use fresh flowers to brighten up any room, and fresh fruit and veg in the kitchen. Ensure all windows have curtains or blinds – bare windows look less appealing.

10. Give rooms a purpose – Help people to visualise a use for each room. If you use a small bedroom as a study, put a single bed in there to show how it fits. Lay out your dining room with dining furniture to show off its potential.