15 Home Staging Hacks That Can Help You Sell Your Home Faster (and for More Money)

If you’re selling your home in Boston, your REALTOR® will most likely talk to you about home staging – that’s the art of making your home as appealing as possible to prospective buyers. In the meantime, here are 15 home staging secrets that can help you sell your home faster and for more money.

15 Home Staging Secrets That Can Help You Sell Your Home in Boston

Staging is a big deal – a recent study by the National Association of REALTORS® says that staging a home can increase the dollar value of home offers by up to 5 percent. And if your home is staged properly, it’ll appeal to the widest possible range of buyers; that increases your chances of getting an offer quickly. With those facts in mind, check out these 15 home staging hacks that can help you sell your home faster and for a higher profit:

Clean everything from top to bottom
Declutter
Depersonalize
Organize
Move furniture away from the walls
Add live plants
Paint the walls in neutral colors
Update plumbing fixtures
Upgrade light fixtures
Showcase great features
Style your office
Expand your entryway
Clear the crowding in your dining room
Dress up the bedding
Bring in luxury touches

Scroll down for a closer look at each.

Home Staging Hack #1: Clean Everything From Top to Bottom

Before you can style your home to sell, it needs to be spotless. Though buyers may not notice every little spot you scrubbed and scoured, they’ll certainly notice the spots you didn’t – and that means you should clean your home from top to bottom. Some people find it worthwhile to hire a professional cleaning team, while others prefer to put in the work themselves. Either way, it’s important to ensure your home is clean because you’re doing more than selling four walls and a roof; you’re selling a lifestyle, and you want to show buyers that it’s easy to keep your home clean.

Home Staging Hack #2: Declutter

Clutter makes your home appear smaller and more crowded, no matter how large it is. Sometimes, prospective buyers can’t see past clutter to the home’s actual features – and that prevents them from making offers. Here’s a good rule: If you haven’t used something in six months or more, pack it away in a storage unit until you sell your home, sell it or donate it to your favorite charity. The decluttering principle goes for furniture, too; if your furniture makes your space appear crowded or gets in the way of walking paths, store it until you’re ready to move into your new home.

Home Staging Hack #3: Depersonalize

The best way to sell a home is to get buyers to envision their stuff in your space, so that means depersonalization is on your To-Do list. Take down family photos, personalized sayings hanging or stuck to your walls, and anything else that could remind buyers that you still live in the home. Think about model homes you’ve seen in the past; they have the depersonalized, neutral décor you’re going for.

Home Staging Hack #4: Organize

Prospective buyers can (and will) open your drawers, pantry, cabinets and cupboards, so it’s in your best interest to organize all of them. Doing that serves two purposes: First, it makes those spaces appear larger, and second, it shows buyers that you’re the type of person who keeps up with things. That can work in your favor when it comes to creating an overall impression of the home; sellers who have neat, tidy spaces are more likely to have kept up on home maintenance and care.

Home Staging Hack #5: Move Furniture Away From the Walls

Though it sounds counterintuitive, you should move your sofa, bed and other furnishings away from the walls. Aim for 4 to 6 inches – and don’t worry. Despite the fact that there’s slightly less visible floor space, pulling furniture away from the walls gives buyers the impression that the space is larger and roomier.

Home Staging Hack #6: Add Live Plants

Live plants can make any room appear more vibrant and welcoming, and that’s exactly what you want when you’re trying to impress prospective buyers. You don’t want to create a greenhouse vibe, but you should put at least a few live plants throughout your house. Bedrooms, the living room and the kitchen are popular spots for live plants.

When you’re choosing live plants, the idea is to place them in areas you want buyers to notice. For example, if you have a gorgeous fireplace, a small plant on the mantel will draw their attention that way. Likewise, if you have a room with high ceilings, a tall and sturdy plant in a corner can get buyers to focus on the room’s height.

Pro Tip: Avoid picking plants that are too big for their spaces. Create balance with perfectly sized plants.

Home Staging Hack #7: Paint the Walls in Neutral Colors

Neutral colors help sell homes – it’s that simple. You should talk to your REALTOR about what colors are currently most fashionable so you can make an informed decision. If you have accent walls in dramatic colors, it’s a good idea to repaint them before you list your home for sale; that’s because buyers may not like your color choice, and if that happens, all they’ll see is the hard work of repainting themselves. That contributes to an unfavorable first impression, and unfortunately, even small cosmetic issues like an accent wall can deter some buyers from making an offer.

Related: Check out Newbury Street

Home Staging Hack #8: Update Plumbing Fixtures

If your faucets are dated (read: they’ve been there since you bought the home), it’s time to update them. Head to your favorite home improvement store in Boston to see what’s available. The good news is that often, replacing a faucet is a simple fix that most people can do with appropriate instructions – so you may not even need to hire a contractor to do it for you.

Home Staging Hack #9: Upgrade Light Fixtures

If your light fixtures are old enough to vote, it’s time for an upgrade. Likewise, if your fixtures seem to siphon light rather than cast it all over the room, you need new ones. Your favorite home improvement store likely has a huge selection of modern light fixtures, and unless you need new wiring, you may be able to install new ones yourself.

Home Staging Hack #10: Showcase Your Home’s Best Features

The main idea with home staging is to get buyers to notice your home’s best features, so highlight them in any way you can. If you have a spectacular outdoor kitchen, make sure it’s clean and set up for a party; if you have great views from the living room windows, place a mirror across from them to magnify what buyers see.

Home Staging Hack #11: Style Your Home Office

With more people teleworking and working remotely than ever before, home offices are in high demand. If you have a home office – or if you have a spare room that could be repurposed as a home office – making it shine could help you sell faster and for more money. If you ensure that your home office is well-lit, uncluttered and designed for ergonomic work, buyers will be able to see themselves using the space to get things done.

Home Staging Hack #12: Expand Your Entryway

There’s very little you can do to physically expand your entryway, so work in the visual space. Create the longest line of sight possible from the front door, and place a large mirror on the wall adjacent to the door. Both these things make your home appear larger right from the get-go. Other great ideas for expanding your entryway include placing a bench against the wall (if there’s enough space), letting in as much natural light as possible, and making sure there’s absolutely no clutter anywhere (we’re looking at you, shoes).

Home Staging Hack #13: Clear the Crowding in Your Dining Room

Most dining rooms – regardless of how large they are – look at least a little cluttered. Sometimes the table is too big for the space, and other times, there are too many chairs. Sometimes there’s additional furniture, like a breakfront or china cabinet, that makes the room look smaller than it really is. It’s important to ensure that there’s at least 24 inches of space between every dining chair (as measured from the center of the seat) and that there’s at least a foot between the chairs and the walls.

Home Staging Hack #14: Dress Up the Bedding

Though buyers know that you’ll be taking your furniture with you when you move, it’s a good idea to invest in fluffy, cozy new bedding while your home is on the market. That way, buyers can envision themselves relaxing in the bedroom. Make sure everything matches and is well-coordinated with your decor, too.

Home Staging Hack #15: Bring in Luxury Touches

Small luxury touches go a long way when you’re selling your home. Think about adding an ultra-plush throw to the foot of your bed or hanging from the back of a chair in a reading nook, putting a tub tray with an unlit candle and high-end bath salts across your bathtub, and beautiful pillar candles on your bedside tables. Invest in fluffy, new towels, too (and only take them out to have your home photographed or for showings; don’t use them until you move into your new home).

Are You Buying or Selling a Home in Boston?

If you’re searching for a luxury home for sale in Boston, or if you’re selling your home, we can help. Call 617-967-5271 or fill out the form below so we can discuss your needs. In the meantime, please feel free to browse homes for sale in the following communities: