Whether moving or not, staging your house is a great idea.
We know the sale benefits staging brings out your home’s assets.
It minimizes flaws, highlights its best features, can result in a 25 percent or higher increase in its listing price, and spends far less time on the market.
Philadelphia area experienced home stager (and realtor) Melissa Oeth calls it "a marketing strategy with a dash of psychology.”
But what if you're not even anticipating a move, much less have boxes packed?
A better question is why not create the most enjoyable home possible?
We often don't notice what visitors see: faded fabrics, smudged paint, inadequate lighting, overloaded surfaces, and usually too much furniture.
Living spaces evolve, or should, with their residents.
They reflect their occupants' daily habits, physical abilities, pets, lifestyles, decorating choices, financial decisions, and expanding and contracting family needs.
But because we live in them, we often lack the objectivity to see how even minor changes can make an area more functional and enjoyable.
I remember my mom regretted not changing the deep turquoise and faded pumpkin walls that were in their house when they bought it. Dramatic but not their style.
Years later, they only got to enjoy the freshly painted ivory walls for a few months until the house sold. She said they'd been too busy living in the house with a growing family to give themselves the gift of painting.
People who contact me about home organizing services generally talk about "just organizing my stuff" and are pleasantly surprised when we talk about light, traffic flow, and overall appearance.
Overloaded contents collect dust, trap odors , and create a general heaviness that is felt more than noticed. (What does your house smell like?)
Having an objective assessment by a professional can save a lot of time by helping you pinpoint where to put your efforts. (I help with overall decluttering and organizing and a stager/realtor like Melissa takes it steps further. There are times when you just need a more appropriate home.)
Professional organizers, stagers, decorators, and realtors can make the process much faster, but here's how you can start on your own.
First, I always recommend starting by photographing every space in your home.
From basement corner to attic, garage to kitchen cabinets, photos serve several purposes. This 15-minute task
Documents your history. Your living spaces are a reflection of your life and choices and it's fun to look back at where you were.
Offers proof in case of an insurance claim.
Acts as a summary of your physical assets.
Gives your heirs a sense of who you were and what was valuable to you.
And finally, seeing your spaces in two dimensions provides a more objective viewpoint. You'll notice more in a photo than you will from your daily breeze through your rooms.
Melissa suggests these to make your home more appealing
Rearrange furniture (Pull away from the walls, create better walkways and seating arrangements.)
Declutter (If it can fit in one hand it might be clutter.)
Repaint (Nothing helps you declutter more than repainting!)
Carpet cleaning or replacement. (Stair runners and entrance areas are usually dirty.)
Evaluate repair issues. (Those little broken things add up to big frustrations. Fix them.)
Inexpensive, impactful tasks
Basket the kid and pet toys
Clean fixtures and windows
Tuck electronic cords out of sight
Reduce the number of books on shelves
Install brighter lightbulbs (and dust them)
Update window fabrics, or even forego them altogether
Reduce tchotchkes, knick-knacks, bric-a-brac, and trinkets
Pick a 'pop' color to accent and brighten your rooms with inexpensive decoratives
Take time to accurately assess your spaces and ask for a second or even third opinion.
We're here to help.
I organize spaces & information, offer life and productivity coaching, personal task assistance, and help you manage and expedite your projects. I guide you toward mastering yourself, your day, and your stuff.
Melissa both stages homes and is a trustworthy real estate agent with your best interest at heart! Click her name above for a bonus home value calculator. She's wise and skillful.