Ronique Gibson of the blog Home Stagetecture, a home staging company, is guest blogging today. And I’m excited. I love going into staged homes to get ideas for decor in my own lived-in house.
So whether you’re in the market for selling your home or you just need ideas for keeping your home beautiful {me, me!}, this one’s for you. Enjoy.
Make your space inviting and fun! Follow these simple tips to make your home marketable, even if you’re living in it!
You can still live! Make it functional and spacious with organizers.
1.) De-clutter:
It’s a word that we hear all the time, but do you know how to do it in your home? Here’s the best way: live as though your favorite person is coming to stay every day. This means taking an inventory of every room and leaving only essentials. In your rooms, space and light is key. Take advantage of hidden storage spaces: under your bed, vertical space in your closets, and cool organizers like baskets and complementary colored bins. Have limited space? Invest in functional organizers where you can stash a lot of essentials you need on hand every day.
Consider sheers to let light in, but not distract from the view.
2.)Light:
If your rooms are dark and closed in, they will feel cold an unappealing. If you don’t have ample light pouring into your rooms, consider painting the rooms with light neutral colors. If you do have good sources of light, show them off! Remove heavy drapery and clean the windows. Have a great view? Place a chair or bed in that direction to make buyers see it too.
When you let in light, make sure the rooms are clean. Remember, every time you leave the house your next home buyer may come into your home. Leave it looking great every time, not just sometimes.
The smells of your home may “seal the deal”
3.) Make it feel like home:
If you know that your home is going to be shown, (called a “showing”) try to clean the night before. This way the smell of cleaning products isn’t in the air. Have you ever heard to bake cookies so the house smells great? It’s true! Home buyers are led by their senses. If you can make the home look, feel, and smell inviting you’re on the way to an offer.
Lastly, be patient and enjoy your home while it’s clean and uncluttered. If you need help, hire a cleaning service to come weekly or bi-weekly. It will remove some stress and you’ll keep your home fresh and inviting.
Relax, it will happen.
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For more home staging ideas visit Ronique’s blog Stagetecture. Thanks Ronique!
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
I'm currently in the process of decluttering my apartment. I can't even get over the amount of bags I've been sending to goodwill.
I still have stuff in boxes from college.
Dandy,
Have you considered going through your boxes and itemizing why you are holding on to your stuff? For example, if you take a Saturday or Sunday, and tell yourself by the end of the day you will have a pile for: 1.) Must keeps 2.) Throw aways 3.)Donate to Charity or Garage Sale. It may help you reduce the boxes quicker! Take it box by box, no rush.. unless you can't breathe in there! :o)
I wish I can do the same in my place. I am really impatient when it comes to arranging my place.
These are great tips even if your house isn't on the market – nothing is more pleasant on a cold, winter day than hanging out in your decluttered, organized house with a fire in the fireplace and warm cookies fresh out of the oven!
I can't afford a cleaning service to come regularly, but I do splurge on housekeepers once or twice a year (especially when my mother-in-law is coming!)
When I'm so overwhelmed by the state of my house that I can hardly function, and don't even know where to start, having someone else come in and do a deep clean is amazing. It only costs $54 for two hours with two cleaners, and they even clean under the microwave, worth it at least once a year.
Great Post Ronique! I recently read an article about the power of sound in advertising. The right kind of music would also add to the atmosphere. The research suggests that keeping the tone upbeat and empowering. Classic happy songs, Here Comes the Sun! Don't Worry Be happy!
We all have our favs!! Maybe ask you friends for suggestions and ake a mix tape that travels the rand from classical, pop, swing, rock… could be fun!