When you’re selling your home, your real estate agent will most likely tell you to depersonalize it as you clean, style and stage it. But if you’re like many people, you may feel like that’ll take all the character out. Is it possible to depersonalize your home while maintaining its personality and vibe?
Absolutely – and this guide explains how.
Depersonalizing With Style: How to Keep Your Home Looking Its Best After Removing Personal Touches
First things first: You need to depersonalize your home so buyers can envision themselves living in it. If it feels too much like someone else’s very personal space, buyers won’t be able to get comfortable enough – and that’s going to send them out the door and right into the next home on their list. With that said, you can depersonalize but keep your home’s character by:
- Replacing family photos with generic art
- Removing clutter, including excess furniture
- Storing mementos, keepsakes and collections
- Neutralizing the colors by opting for beige or white
- Keeping your home super-clean and well-maintained
Here’s a closer look at each.
Tip #1: Replace Family Photos With Generic Art
Family photos are a great way to make your home feel warm and inviting, but they can also make it too personal for potential buyers. To keep the walls looking stylish without getting too cozy, replace your family photos with generic art that appeals to a wide range of people. That could include abstract paintings, nature scenes or even minimalist prints.
Related: Need to do some last-minute cleaning for a showing? Here’s how
Tip #2: Remove Clutter, Including Excess Furniture
Clutter can make any home feel cramped and disorganized. To make sure your buyers don’t get overwhelmed when they walk in, remove any excess items – including furniture – that you won’t need for staging purposes. That includes extra chairs or couches, bookshelves, ottomans and extra knickknacks.
Tip #3: Store Mementos, Keepsakes and Collections
Mementos like family photos, keepsake items or collections of items can all make your home feel cozy but also a bit too personal. For example, if you’ve got an extensive collection of vintage cars strewn about the living room, potential buyers won’t be able to envision themselves in the space. To avoid this issue, store away any mementos, keepsakes or collections you don’t need on display for staging purposes.
Related: 7 amazing ways to stage your bedroom to sell
Tip #4: Neutralize Colors By Opting for Beige or White
If your walls are painted a bold color or patterned wallpaper, it can be hard for buyers to envision their own decor in the space. To make sure they don’t get turned off by your home’s current color scheme, neutralize the walls with a soothing hue like beige or white. That way, you’ll create an atmosphere that appeals to buyers without taking away from the character of your home.
Tip #5: Keep Your Home Super-Clean and Well-Maintained
No matter how many mementos you store away or how much furniture you clear out, your home still won’t feel right to buyers if it isn’t clean and well-maintained. Make sure your floors, counters and shelves are all sparkling – and be sure to vacuum and dust regularly.
Bonus Home Staging Tips
Keep these simple tips in mind when you’re staging your home:
- Declutter as much as possible – including bookshelves, countertops and drawers
- Put away any personal items like family photos or collections
- Rearrange furniture to create a spacious feel
- Use bright lighting where needed for a warm atmosphere
- Place flowers or other plants at key locations throughout the house
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