Selling Your Home? 3 Tips For Staging It On The Cheap

First impressions are everything, and sometimes those shopping for a home can have a hard time looking past what is, to see the potential, to see how the house would look with their ‘stuff’ and their own personal touches. This is actually one of the most helpful nuggets of wisdom when it comes to house shopping, but there are lots of emotions at play.

So, unless your house is already in pristine condition, you might want to make some changes here and there that help in putting the house’s ‘best foot forward.’ Full-on staging may not be feasible, but there is still plenty of ways to spruce things up with limited funds. Many cheap fixes can produce some pretty dramatic results.

Clean Like a Critical Mother in Law is Coming for a Visit

There are two types of cleaning most of us engage in. The first is the general weekly scrubbing and what have you that make things feel nice and fresh. Then there is the type of cleaning we do when we are having an event at the home, or your dear MIL will be spending the weekend. This is the type of cleaning you need to do when you are selling the house. You want to hit every nook and cranny. Get rid of the clutter. Shampoo the carpets, dust the curio, etc…

This may seem like an obvious tip, and it kind of is, but don’t underestimate the impact it can have. A clean house implies you have taken good care of it, and this will make potential buyers feel more at ease instantly.

Depersonalize

One of the keys to getting someone interested in your home is creating a space in which this person can see themselves living. That can be hard if the walls of your den are jam-packed with family photos, or every table is adorned with your beloved cat figurines. You don’t have to strip every aspect of yourself from your home, but make an effort to make it as neutral as possible.

This can be especially helpful in the master bedroom—the more you can do to make this space look neutral in terms of gender, and other elements, the better. You don’t necessarily need to create a completely neutral space, but if it the decor is particularly girly or man-cave, or very boldly designed, tone it down a bit.

Little Touches Make a Big Difference

Lots of little, inexpensive touches can make all the difference in making your home more appealing to potential buyers. Consider purchasing new bathroom fixtures—a new faucet, towel rack or shower head can make the space seem a bit shinier and new. Get some paintings to add some life to those bare walls in the living room. Get a new throw rug, or runner, for the hallway. A nicely decorated dining room table can create a more inviting space. Get a new bedspread and curtains to match for the bedroom.