Staging is the silent salesmen that shows buyers how your home functions. Buyers struggle to pictures themselves in your home without it.

It may seem obvious to you where the kitchen table goes, that the den could be an office, and where the TV goes in the living room. However, buyers have no clue. Your home is literally an empty box. This empty box leaves buyers with many questions as to which room is for what. Buyers also tend to fill that empty box with their negative thoughts.

Staging provides a way to immediately demonstrate the use of your home. It’s also an art. The furnishings and decoration choices spark the buyer’s imagination. They get them thinking of your home, as their own home.

Staging a house on a budget

This can be extremely fun! Typically you can stage with your existing furniture. Remember, we’re demonstrating the function of each room. Have a dining room table, TV & sofa in the living room, bedroom set in the bedroom, etc.

You do not have to have brand new designer furniture. However, it should not be so old it distracts from the space. Consider a sofa liner, different bed sheets, removing drapes, and inexpensive things you can do to utilise what you have.

Remove any personal items. Remember, we want the buyer to imagine this as their home. Only demonstrate the space with tasteful furnishings. Your family photos, hunting trophies, and religious relics can distract buyers. You want them to think of their hobbies, their belongings, and themselves in that space. Not yours.

Fundamentals of decorating

Your home is not a museum. We want the focus on the home, not the pieces inside when buyers visit. Err on the side of less is more. Only use poster sized wall hangings. Art work that can be seen from a distance with the overall room. Art that draws attention into the space but doesn’t steal attention from the space.

Less is more. You want to demonstrate the space. Here’s where the bed goes. There’s where the Sofa goes, across from the TV. Then the art pieces should make the room inviting. It should spark interest but never distract from the space. It’s the space we are selling.

There’s a rule in staging referred to it as the “Rule of Three”. That is never have more than 3 pieces per surface. Surface being a wall, floor in an area / room, counter top, or shelf. Stick to that rule and you will do well.

Inspiration

I regularly visit track home builders for inspiration. They almost always have a staged model home. That model is also virtually always becomes the most sold floor plan, due to the staging. I speak with the site sales person and tell them I’m looking for decorating ideas. Then I take pictures with my cell phone of my favorite decorating ideas.

I keep a small inventory of decorations / props to photograph listings with. We purchase those items from second hand stores and retail outlets like Wal-Mart, Target, Ross, etc. These items are silent salesmen sitting there telling the story of our homes.