How to Stage a House

Co-authored by Priscilla Bettencourt

Last Updated: March 26, 2023 Approved

If you're selling your home or are selling a home on someone else's behalf, you will want to make sure that it is presented in the best way possible. This will increase the chances of someone wanting to purchase it, as well as helping it to sell as quickly as possible. Prepare your house by giving it a thorough cleaning, then do a few upgrades and home improvement projects to make it look as inviting as possible.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Finalizing Basic Preparations

Before you do anything else, clean your house. Vacuum, dust, do whatever you have to do to get it sparkling clean. This will be the biggest factor in making a home look nice.^{[1]
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Remove clutter. People buying a house want to maximize the amount of space they will have. It doesn’t matter how big your home is if it’s filled to the brim with clutter: it will look small and cramped. Make it easier for potential buyers to envision the space by removing as much clutter as possible.^{[2]
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- A good rule of thumb is that if an object has a home somewhere else, it’s clutter. The object should match with the function of the space that it is in. Piles of paper, boxes of items, clothing, and old appliances are all examples of clutter.
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Let in the sun. Buyers want a house which is bright and airy. Open opaque curtains and blinds and replace them with sheers, if possible. It may be best to take the window treatments down altogether, especially if they're heavy or dated.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Priscilla Bettencourt
Home Stager & Interior Designer

Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}
- Also, remove any obstructions, such as trees, bushes, or objects within the home that keep the light from pouring in.^{[4]
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- Additionally, try to show the house during times of day when it is brightest in your home.
- If your house doesn’t get a lot of natural light, make sure there are plenty of good sources of artificial light in the home.
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Remove personal items. You want a potential buyer to see the house as theirs, not yours. Remove personal items like family photographs, personal trophies, and other items which are specific to you and your family.^{[5]
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- Remember, when you're depersonalizing your home, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your style or your home. You just want to create a blank slate so the home will appeal to as many potential buyers as possible.^{[6]
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  Priscilla Bettencourt
  Home Stager & Interior Designer
  
  Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Using What You Have

You will want to remove any items which make a room or home look dated. Flamingos, hula girl lamps, plastic furniture coverings, and other similar items will make buyers feel like they walked into their grandparent’s house. Remove items like these and, if you can, replace them with more up-to-date items.^{[7]
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Make sure that you are using the space in your home effectively. Rearrange furniture, replace large pieces with smaller ones, use smart storage solutions, and reduce the amount of furniture in a room to make the space seem larger and more functional.^{[8]
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Update appliances. Yellow or green fridge and stove? Not most people’s idea of an attractive kitchen. People won’t want to buy a house that they feel looks dated and appliances like these will go a long way towards dating a home. They also won’t want to have to worry about replacing appliances as soon as they move in. To combat this, replace the appliances with something more modern. Be sure that the new appliances match each other.
- If you can’t afford to replace your appliances, make sure to clean the old ones as thoroughly as possible.^{[9]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Making Further Improvements

Did you rip off about half the wallpaper in a room before giving up? Are there bare cement floors in the kitchen because tiling turned out to be harder than it looked? You’ll want to finish these projects yourself or hire someone to finish them, since they will greatly deter buyers.
Give rooms a new look by putting on a fresh coat of paint. Use neutral wall tones but bright accessories and furnishings, to make rooms look accessible. Avoid dated colors, especially shades of yellow, green, and orange. Avoid colors with a gender bias—for example, painting a child’s room pink. Do use light colors to make rooms look bigger and brighter, while avoiding dark colors, which can often do the opposite.
Gross, stained linoleum? Dated carpet? Get rid of it! Buyers will be much more attracted to wood floors, which can easily have an area rug placed over it, than wall-to-wall carpet which will need to be maintained and replaced as soon as it looks dated or doesn’t match with a design scheme.^{[10]
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If your kitchen or bathroom cabinets look dated and you don’t have the money to replace them, simply paint over them, replace the doors, or replace the handles in order to give them a more modern look. This can be done easily and cheaply.^{[11]
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Make the outside and entry pleasing. You want your house to make a good first impression, so be sure that the exterior and entryway look inviting.^{[12]
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- Give your exterior a coat of fresh paint if you have the money, or just paint the front door if you don’t.
- Make sure the yard is maintained, with a healthy, trimmed lawn and bushes and trees which are not out of place or overgrown. You can also put in fresh plants and flowers to make the house look happy and well cared for.
- Fix up any dated or worn-looking fences. If you must remove a fence, replace it with a new one if you can—most buyers prefer a fenced property over an unfenced one.
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Get high-quality photos for your listing. Turn on all the lights and use a tripod for best clarity and brightness. Take pictures of most rooms from at least 2 different perspectives. You may have 100 pictures, of which perhaps 15 of the best would be used in the REALTOR listing. Make sure to take bright, inviting pictures after you've gone through all the hard work of staging the house.
- If your REALTOR is taking pictures for you, ask to see the pictures they have selected for the online listing to make sure they meet your approval. You can always submit your own photos instead (or use a combination) if you don’t like your REALTOR’s photos.
- Your listing should include 25 photos.
- If you’re trying to sell a more expensive property, consider bringing in a professional photographer and taking some overhead drone shots, as well.
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Expert Q&A

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Question

What to fix up when selling a house?

Priscilla Bettencourt
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Priscilla Bettencourt is an Home Stager, Interior Designer, and the Founder of Halcyon Home Staging + Design, a home staging business based in San Francisco, California. Halcyon specializes in expansive staging services geared to maximize a property's resale value and transform any home into an inviting environment for potential buyers. Halcyon has received the “Best of Houzz Service” Award in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Priscilla Bettencourt

Home Stager & Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Especially focus on any projects that will make a big impact on the parts of the home that are typically most important to buyers, like the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom.

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Question

What mistakes should I avoid when I'm staging my home?

Priscilla Bettencourt
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Priscilla Bettencourt is an Home Stager, Interior Designer, and the Founder of Halcyon Home Staging + Design, a home staging business based in San Francisco, California. Halcyon specializes in expansive staging services geared to maximize a property's resale value and transform any home into an inviting environment for potential buyers. Halcyon has received the “Best of Houzz Service” Award in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Priscilla Bettencourt

Home Stager & Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Unless you have a very keen talent for designing and decorating, it's a good idea to hire a professional to stage your property. Staging requires you to neutralize a space so you can appeal to the largest audience possible.

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How do I make sure my light carpets don't get dirty when staging a house?

Community Answer

Ask that the visitors to your house remove their shoes so as not to track dirt everywhere.

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Tips

Consider hiring a decorator or designer to help you stage your home, since they'll be able to bring an impersonal perspective.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Priscilla Bettencourt
Home Stager & Interior Designer

Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}

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Use large, framed mirrors to make smaller spaces appear larger. Position them to reflect outdoor views or indoor greenery, if possible. Only use live, green growing things—no plastic plants!

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De-cluttering your home as well as deep cleaning will work wonders, and will show to potential buyers that the house is in stellar condition.

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Warnings

Every room in the home, including the garage and decks, should be absolutely clean. Empty waste baskets and garbage pails daily. Try to keep pets outdoors along with their litter boxes and food bowls during showings. Try to relax during this stressful process.

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