5 Free Things Any Homeowner Can Do To Stage Their Home

When you're getting ready to sell, often the things that don't cost a dime can have the biggest impact.

While staging a home that will be lived in while it's on the market is a comprehensive process, any homeowner can take on the basics before or even in lieu of calling in a professional home stager.  Here's a short list to better prepare you for your home sale.

5 free ways to stage the home you're selling:

1. Take down the Christmas lights.  This sounds like a no-brainer but you might be surprised how often these decorations stay displayed year-round.  Sellers justify Christmas lights in the middle of summer by assuming they're saving the buyer the trouble of having to hang string lights all over again.  Wrong.  Staging tip: Christmas lights are an eyesore during any month other than December!
2. Display light-colored, neutral linens.  From bedding, to bath towels, and shower curtains, switch out dark colored, monogrammed, or elaborately patterned linens for plush light-colored neutral tones.  A buyer wants each bath and bedroom to look bright and inviting.  Take a cue from spas and hotels by dressing your beds and baths in the tones you would find in one of these curated spaces. 
3. Remove decor from the tops of kitchen cabinets.  Any home with a vaulted kitchen ceiling or without a soffit has a shelf space above the upper cabinets.  As an interior designer I will admit that this location is one of the most challenging areas in a home to decorate!  It's difficult to find an appropriate balance of the right elements.  When it comes to staging, eliminate the possibility of unattractive cabinet decor by clearing off the tops of upper cabinets completely.
4. Clear off the refrigerator.  From children's art work to eclectic magnets, removing everything from the front of your refrigerator will instantly set the stage in the kitchen.
5. Clean windows inside and out and store the screens.  Windows including sills and blinds should be spotless when marketing a home.  To add extra shine, remove the screens and store them neatly in the garage or a storage area.  You'll be surprised by how much brighter rooms appear with the screens removed.

Get started today with complete Staging Guidance for the home you're selling with a Staging Service by Stage My Listings.  You'll receive custom exterior and room-by-room recommendations with product shopping links so that you'll know exactly how to prepare your home for market.