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Beautifully staged living room with modern furniture, warm lighting, and neutral décor—designed to help buyers envision themselves at home

5 Home Staging Hacks That Will Impress Buyers

August 09, 20255 min read

If you want to sell your home, the very first thing you should do is to prepare it from top to bottom. While it seems like a mission impossible, it’s actually far simpler than you might think. It takes just a few proven home staging hacks that will attract buyers without a doubt. When your home is ready, it basically sells itself in no time! So, make sure to keep reading and put these useful tips to good use. 

Make your home neutral

Keep in mind that not all buyers will appreciate the same aesthetics as you. Instead of guessing whether they will like maroon walls with dream catchers and ornaments hanging on them, opt for neutral options. The point is to make your home seem spacious and toned down. That way, potential buyers might get the idea of how they would redecorate each room and where to put some odd-shaped furniture pieces, for example.

1 - Declutter first and foremost

The best way to attract new potential buyers is to keep a home clutter-free. That means you should move excess things out of the way before you do any additional refurbishment work. This is why you should make room in your schedule for decluttering. All you need is paper, a pen, and a phone. For example, you can write down the list of items you want to donate to local charities. After that, take pictures of them, and place them into a designated folder. That way, you can keep track of all items you want to get rid of for good. Also, remember that spare furniture or decoration you plan to keep should also be out of your home before the buyers arrive and take a look. For all these reasons, a storage unit rental comes in handy.

You must, however, keep in mind the storage you rent has to be spacious and clean. A portable container will do the work if you plan to keep the items stored for no longer than a few days. On the other hand, a temperature-controlled self-storage will be necessary for electronics, art collections, and all items that require special conditions. 

2 - Give your home a good clean

Your potential buyers will first notice how clean and tidy your home is. That’s why it’s worth putting extra effort when cleaning. First, take all your rugs to a professional carpet cleaner. In the meantime, clean every corner of your room. Make sure to do the cleaning on time instead of rushing it the morning before the scheduled visit. 

3 - Repaint, repair, and reorganize where it’s necessary

Conduct a detailed home inspection to ensure everything works the best way possible. However, have a budget ready if you have to call a plumber or electrician. Also, check your furniture for damage. Further, consider repainting walls in toned down, neutral colors. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go full beige or white. Soft gray, taupe, and wood tones will also do just fine. However, make sure to sort color schemes the right way. If you need help, interior designers are there to make the job easy for you. They can also help you reorganize your entire home in a way that gives the buyers inspiration for their own refurbishing ideas.

4 - Add fragrance to every room

Finish up your home preparation with fresh home fragrances. This is one of the home staging hacks that work for every room. Discreetly place quality fragrance diffusers in every part of your home:

● Kitchen - Opt for citrus-based scents to keep the kitchen area fresh.

● Bathroom - There are no better scents for a bathroom than eucalyptus, sea salt, and peppermint.

● The living room - It’s a cozy part of a home where family and friends often gather. Use warm fragrances like almonds, ginger, green apple, and sage to keep the vibe up.

● Bedrooms - Sandalwood is arguably the best calming scent for every bedroom. 

5 - Add a few indoor plants

Indoor plants are always a great touch-up to your entire home. You can opt for Spider Plant, Rubber Lilly, Dracaena, and similar plants that keep a room free of allergens. Just make sure not to clutter your home with plants in every corner. Just put one or two plants in the entrance hall and living room.

Let a realtor help you sell your spruced home

A realtor with experience can help you navigate the shifting house market and reach your target buyers. That being said, it would be of great help to hire a realtor, especially in case your home takes too long to sell. 

It won’t take you too much time to find professional realtors who will have your best interest at heart from the start. All you need to do is a quick web search, make a list of top-rated realtors, and then give them a call. After you discuss all terms and conditions, weigh your options and choose a real estate team that seems the best. 

Practice before every home visit 

The way you show your home to potential buyers also matters. For this reason, it would help to walk through each room and practice how you describe it. That way, you’ll feel way more relaxed. You can also ask your realtor to give you some tips on presenting your home in the best possible way.

Besides home staging hacks, patience plays a key role 

Let’s say you applied all home staging hacks and practiced how to walk the potential buyers through each room. And yet, you still have to wait for the real buyer to come and put a signature on a selling contract. That doesn’t mean the hacks don’t work. It’s just that not everyone is interested in the type of home you have to offer. On the other hand, there is that special buyer who will be happy to purchase it. All you need is patience and trust that it won’t last long until you successfully sell a home with a smile on your face. 

Mary Ellen was born and raised in Long Island, New York. After graduating from college, she worked on Wall Street for JP Morgan in New York City. For the past 25+ years, she has been living in the Alpharetta, Georgia with her husband and daughter. International travel and business are her passions and she loves to go to as many different countries of the world as possible and to indulge in the culture.

Mary Ellen has an outgoing personality and is known to be aggressive in marketing real estate. Her goal is to make YOU happy and she knows that buying and selling houses can be very stressful. Her job is to make it as stress-free as possible. With her background in accounting and finance, she will be able to help you find the best value your money can buy.

Her professional associations and certifications include Atlanta Board of Realtors, Leadership Council for Keller Williams Realty, CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) and CFIS (Certified Foreign Investor Specialist) as well as being a member of KWGPS (Keller Williams Realty Global Property Specialist). In the past several years, Mary Ellen has worked to achieve several additional designations including CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist), SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist, e-Pro Certified and a Certified DRS AgentTM

Mary Ellen Vanaken

Mary Ellen was born and raised in Long Island, New York. After graduating from college, she worked on Wall Street for JP Morgan in New York City. For the past 25+ years, she has been living in the Alpharetta, Georgia with her husband and daughter. International travel and business are her passions and she loves to go to as many different countries of the world as possible and to indulge in the culture. Mary Ellen has an outgoing personality and is known to be aggressive in marketing real estate. Her goal is to make YOU happy and she knows that buying and selling houses can be very stressful. Her job is to make it as stress-free as possible. With her background in accounting and finance, she will be able to help you find the best value your money can buy. Her professional associations and certifications include Atlanta Board of Realtors, Leadership Council for Keller Williams Realty, CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) and CFIS (Certified Foreign Investor Specialist) as well as being a member of KWGPS (Keller Williams Realty Global Property Specialist). In the past several years, Mary Ellen has worked to achieve several additional designations including CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist), SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist, e-Pro Certified and a Certified DRS AgentTM

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