Home Staging Rules of Thumb

The following are a few rule of thumb recommendations to help you understand quickly what is needed to stage a home for selling.  These suggestions answer the question “What do I need to do to make my home show better?”

1.      Remove all items from the home that are smaller than a cantaloupe and place them in storage.  This rule applies to anything:  collectibles, toys, kitchen tools or potted plants.

2.     Hang art work, mirrors, etc. at 5’6” eye level.  If the buyers eyes are lead up and down by art work as they scan the room it lessens the perception of size and space of the room.

3.     Remove distracting family photos and portraits.  However, family action shots (vacation, skydiving, mountain climbing) that are larger than 8”x10” are GOOD.  They represent an active and desirable life style and guide the buyer into an emotional connection with the property.

4.     Remove any item that is not clothing related from bedroom closets.  Show at least 25% of rod and shelf space empty.  Clear closet floors; the floor space visually defines the size of the closet.

5.     Remove small area rugs and bath rugs.  Rugs break up visual floor space and distort the perception of that space.

Remove anything that would identify the owners or children to strangers.  Trophies, diplomas, unframed photos, children’s personalized items, mail and bills are examples.  Also, lock down computers with a password or turn the computer off and place prescription and OTC medicines in a safe location.

These tips are courtesy of Ellen Boettcher.  Ellen is a Certified Professional Home Stager and the proprieter of Staging By Design, an Austin TX based home staging company.  Ellen can be reached at 512-751-1756 or at info@stagingbydesign.com.  Her website is www.stagingbydesign.com .