I used to think selling a house was all about location and size, but then I discovered the magic of home staging. It’s like giving your place a makeover that makes buyers fall in love at first sight.
The right staging can hide quirks you don’t want anyone to notice and make your best features shine. After seeing friends struggle to sell their homes, I realized how game-changing it is to know exactly what draws buyers in, and what sends them running.
Here’s the secret formula stagers swear by to help homes sell faster and for way more money.
1. Family Photos And Personal Mementos
Those cherished vacation snapshots and your kid’s adorable artwork? Pack ’em up! Personal items make it harder for potential buyers to envision themselves living in your space.
They’re constantly reminded they’re walking through someone else’s life story instead of imagining their own. Plus, family photos can be distracting – buyers might spend more time checking out your trip to Hawaii than noticing the crown molding.
Remember, you’re not just selling a house, you’re selling a blank canvas for someone else’s dreams.
2. Cluttered Countertops
Kitchen gadgets are like rabbits – they multiply when you’re not looking! Blenders, coffee makers, toaster ovens, and spice racks eat up valuable visual real estate.
Stagers ruthlessly clear these surfaces, keeping maybe one statement piece like a sleek coffee maker. Open counter space creates the illusion of more room and helps buyers imagine prepping their own meals there.
Fun fact: Studies show that clean countertops can make kitchens appear up to 30% larger to potential buyers!
3. Oversized Or Excess Furniture
That massive sectional might be perfect for family movie nights, but it’s making your living room look tiny! Stagers often remove bulky pieces that overwhelm spaces and disrupt natural flow.
Your collection of side tables, extra chairs, and decorative ottomans? Gone faster than free donuts at an office meeting. The magic formula is leaving just enough furniture to show the room’s purpose while maximizing open floor space.
When buyers can move freely without bumping into things, they perceive the home as more spacious and valuable.
4. Unusual Paint Colors
Your teenage daughter’s electric blue bedroom walls might express her personality perfectly, but they’re giving potential buyers a headache! Bold, unique paint choices are among the first things to go.
That burgundy accent wall you adore? Sayonara! Stagers know that neutral colors help buyers focus on the home’s features rather than its current decorating choices.
Beiges, soft grays, and warm whites create a clean palette that appeals to the widest audience and makes spaces feel bigger, brighter, and move-in ready.
5. Refrigerator Magnets And Notes
Your fridge door might be command central for your family’s schedule, shopping lists, and kid’s artwork, but stagers strip it bare. Those collection magnets from every vacation spot you’ve visited? Into storage they go!
A cluttered refrigerator door suggests the kitchen lacks proper organizational systems. Plus, personal items like doctor appointment reminders or family photos continue the “someone else lives here” vibe that staging aims to eliminate.
A clean refrigerator door also helps highlight the appliance itself, especially if it’s new or high-end.
6. Religious And Political Items
Your collection of crosses or that campaign poster from the last election? Boxed up faster than you can say “potential buyer.” Religious and political items are deeply personal and can unintentionally alienate house hunters with different beliefs.
Stagers aim to create universally appealing spaces where anyone can picture themselves living happily. Even seemingly innocent items like religious texts on bookshelves or holiday-specific decorations get removed.
The goal is to create a neutral environment where buyers focus on the house itself, not the current owner’s personal beliefs.
7. Pet-Related Items
Fluffy’s cat tree and Rover’s collection of chew toys? Gone! Not everyone’s a pet lover, and some potential buyers might have allergies or phobias that make pet evidence an instant turnoff.
Stagers remove food bowls, litter boxes, pet beds, and even those cute framed paw prints. They’ll also recommend deep cleaning to eliminate any lingering pet odors that owners might have become nose-blind to over time.
Remember: that doggy door you installed might be super convenient for your pooch but signals potential security concerns to safety-conscious buyers.
8. Bathroom Personal Products
Your extensive skincare collection and medicine cabinet full of prescriptions? Major staging no-nos! Nobody wants to browse houses while staring at your dandruff shampoo or hemorrhoid cream.
Stagers clear countertops of toothbrushes, makeup, contact solution, and all those half-empty bottles cluttering your shower. Beyond creating a cleaner look, removing personal care items protects your privacy and eliminates distractions.
The bathroom should feel like a spa retreat, not a lived-in space where someone might walk in on you flossing!
9. Outdated Window Treatments
Those heavy floral drapes your grandma gave you as a housewarming gift? The dusty vertical blinds that have hung since 1992? Stagers rip them down faster than kids unwrapping presents!
Outdated window coverings make even the most updated room feel stuck in a time warp. They also often block natural light, making spaces feel smaller and darker than they actually are.
Removing dated curtains, valances, and blinds instantly modernizes a space and allows those gorgeous windows (and the views beyond them) to become selling features.
10. Collections And Hobby Items
Your prized collection of vintage teapots or that wall of sports memorabilia you’ve spent decades building? Pack it up, collector! While you see treasured items, buyers see clutter and distraction.
Stagers know that collections take up valuable space and personalize a home too much. Your stamp collection display cabinet could be showcasing the room’s architectural features instead.
Plus, visible hobby items like craft supplies, musical instruments, or exercise equipment suggest the home lacks proper storage space for residents’ interests and activities.
1. Neutral Paint Colors
After banishing those wild wall colors, stagers bring in soothing neutrals that make spaces feel bigger and brighter. Think warm grays, soft beiges, and crisp whites that create a blank canvas for buyers’ imaginations.
These crowd-pleasing hues highlight architectural features rather than competing with them. They also help rooms flow together more naturally, creating that cohesive feel buyers crave.
The right neutral isn’t boring – it’s sophisticated! Stagers choose shades with subtle undertones that complement flooring and fixed elements like countertops and tile.
2. Strategic Mirrors
Stagers love mirrors more than vampires fear them! These reflective wonders perform magic tricks – doubling light, creating the illusion of more space, and adding sparkle to otherwise dull areas.
A well-placed mirror across from a window captures outdoor views and bounces natural light throughout the room. In narrow hallways, mirrors expand the perceived width, making tight spaces feel more generous.
Beyond functional illusions, decorative mirrors with stylish frames add architectural interest to plain walls and serve as art pieces that don’t alienate buyers with specific tastes.
3. Fresh White Towels
Nothing says “spa-like bathroom” like a stack of fluffy white towels! Stagers ditch your mismatched, slightly stained everyday linens for hotel-quality whites that scream “clean” to potential buyers.
These pristine bathroom accessories create a psychological impression of freshness that’s hard to beat. The crisp contrast of white towels against neutral walls adds visual punch without overwhelming the space.
Rolled towels in baskets or neatly folded on shelves transform utilitarian bathrooms into retreat-like spaces where buyers can imagine unwinding after long days.
4. Green Plants And Fresh Flowers
Nothing breathes life into staged homes like actual living things! Stagers strategically place leafy plants and fresh flower arrangements to add color, texture, and literal freshness to spaces.
That fiddle leaf fig in the living room corner draws the eye upward, emphasizing ceiling height. The orchid on the bathroom counter brings a touch of luxury. Even simple greenery like eucalyptus stems in a clear vase adds organic elements that make houses feel like homes.
Plants also subtly signal that the home environment is healthy – if plants thrive here, people will too!
5. Coordinated Bed Linens
Your bedroom’s transformation starts with hotel-worthy bedding that makes buyers want to move in immediately! Stagers swap mismatched sheets and worn comforters for crisp, coordinated linens in neutral tones with subtle patterns or textures.
The perfect staged bed features multiple pillows arranged with military precision – decorative shams at the back, sleeping pillows in fresh cases, and a few accent pillows that add just enough color and personality without overwhelming.
High-quality bedding signals that the bedroom is a peaceful retreat – exactly what exhausted house-hunters are searching for!
6. Subtle Ambient Lighting
Goodbye harsh overhead lights, hello warm ambiance! Stagers know that lighting creates mood, and they layer it masterfully with table lamps, floor lamps, and even string lights for outdoor spaces.
Strategic lighting draws attention to architectural features while creating cozy conversation areas. That reading lamp next to the armchair? It’s silently telling buyers, “Imagine curling up here with your favorite book!”
Soft, warm-toned bulbs flatter both the space and potential buyers during showings, making everyone and everything look better than under typical fluorescent lighting.
7. Minimal But Strategic Artwork
Those blank walls need something, but not your kid’s finger paintings! Stagers select artwork that appeals to broad tastes while adding just enough visual interest to prevent spaces from feeling sterile.
Large-scale pieces often work better than gallery walls of smaller frames, creating focal points without cluttering the visual field. Landscapes, abstract designs, and black-and-white photography tend to be crowd-pleasers that don’t polarize buyers.
The best staging art complements the home’s architectural style and color palette while avoiding controversial or highly specific themes.
8. Fresh Fruit Displays
That bowl of lemons on the kitchen island isn’t just pretty – it’s strategic! Stagers love displaying fresh fruit as affordable, colorful accents that add life to kitchens and dining areas.
A pyramid of green apples or a cluster of oranges brings vibrant color without shouting. Beyond aesthetics, fruit subtly suggests that this kitchen is functional – a place where real food preparation happens.
Unlike flowers that scream “special occasion,” fruit displays signal everyday livability while still maintaining that perfect, magazine-worthy look buyers can’t resist.
9. Cozy Throw Blankets
That casually draped throw blanket isn’t random – it’s a stager’s secret weapon! Soft textiles add instant warmth to spaces that might otherwise feel too perfect or untouchable.
A chunky knit throw tossed over a sofa corner or a cashmere blend folded at the foot of a bed invites buyers to imagine themselves getting comfortable in the space. These accessories add texture, color, and dimension without cluttering surfaces.
Stagers choose throws in materials that contrast with upholstery – maybe a nubby wool on smooth leather or silky fabric against rough linen.
10. Simple Table Settings
Empty dining tables look sad and forgotten, but fully set tables seem weird and fussy! Stagers find the sweet spot with minimalist place settings that suggest hospitality without going overboard.
A few simple placemats, folded napkins, and perhaps wine glasses create just enough visual interest to help buyers envision entertaining in the space. Unlike your holiday table with the good china, staging settings remain understated and universally appealing.
The perfect table staging might include a low centerpiece that doesn’t block conversation views – perhaps a wooden bowl or a few candles at varying heights.