If you’re looking to sell your home, or even rent it out, you may feel the need to hire a professional home stager. After all, staging increases home value, aiding fast sale or lease.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the budget to hire a professional. The good news is that there are DIY home staging options you can do on almost any budget! All it takes is a little bit of creativity and elbow grease.
Let’s take a look at some easy ways you can stage your home without breaking the bank!
1. Deep Cleaning is Key
Deep cleaning is one of the most important steps to take when it comes to staging a home. It makes your space look more inviting and helps buyers focus on the features of the house you want to highlight.
When deep cleaning your home, make sure to scrub places often neglected in daily cleaning. These include baseboards and behind furniture.
You should wash all curtains, carpets, furniture covers, windows, wall switches, and outlets. Make sure to also do handy work such as home repairs. Addressing small details for added buyer appeal will help make your home shine.
2. Unlock Access to Expert Advice – for Free!
One of the best ways to get creative with home staging on a budget is to get free expert advice. Reach out to professional home stagers and get their tips for sprucing up any home no matter your budget.
It can be helpful to join a Facebook group dedicated to DIY decorating ideas. You can also watch webinars geared toward creating a refreshing space that won’t break the bank.
Another great way to access expert advice? Consult family members, friends, and neighbors who have already staged their homes. This will not only provide you with invaluable insight. But it could also give you the motivation to start your project! Free advice may uncover unknown opportunities like thrift store finds or online cure-alls.
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3. Get Rid of All Traces of Pets
Whether you own cats, dogs, or any other pets, it is important to remove their traces before staging the home. No prospective homeowner wants to buy a home with someone else’s pet odors and fur.
Start by washing down every surface in the home with an enzyme-based cleaner. This removes all your pet’s standing scents from the home. You’ll also want to go over floors and carpets with a good vacuum or portable steam cleaner.
Finally, remove any belongings that may give away the fact that you have pets in your home. These include food dishes, litter boxes, beds or toys, etc.
4. Refresh with Light Fragrances
One great DIY home staging trick is to refresh your home with light fragrances. There are lots of natural options out there like baking soda, baking powder, and oils from plants. These ingredients are quite affordable and easy to find at your local grocery store.
You can also buy scented candles or room sprays that can add a sense of renewal and comfort to the space.
Get creative with the fragrances you use in each room:
- light citrus in the kitchen
- woodsy smells in the living room
- something calming like lavender in the bedroom
A little goes a long way!
5. Depersonalize the Property
Every home has furniture, art, photos, and other valuable personal items. But, when selling a home, you want a prospective buyer to feel like they are blank canvases.
You don’t want them spending time looking at family photographs or other things that don’t belong to them. Instead, you should try and make your home as neutral as possible so it appeals to all types of people.
Start by removing anything that has too much personality. Remove any collections that might distract from the home’s features or style. This can be tricky sometimes but it will allow people to envision a life for themselves in that house. Depersonalizing your space will make it easier for others to picture themselves living there.
6. Paint Your Home with Neutral Colors
To make a positive impact on your home, one of the best tips is to paint the interior walls and trim with attractive neutral shades. Neutral colors create a cozy atmosphere and appeal to most potential buyers who have varying tastes in design.
Go for calm, warm neutrals like beige, taupe, or gray. Choose a coordinating color palette to create an orderly flow throughout the house. Doing so will add a pop of comfort and style to your abode.
You should skip any bolder shades like reds or greens. Instead, opt for muted accents in each room with throw pillows or area rugs in fun patterns or colors. This will give off a more modern vibe without going too over the top.
7. Allow Natural Light to Enter Rooms
Natural light brightens up a room and gives a cozy, homey feel. Open the curtains and blinds, and maximize the amount of natural light entering your home. You’ll also want to clean up any smudges from windows that may block sunlight from entering.
Also, remove furniture in front of windows as this will prevent light from entering the rooms. You can also buy some mirrors and place them around your home to reflect more natural light into each space.
This is an easy way to increase the amount of natural light in each room. And it’s a great way to make small spaces look bigger and brighter.
8. Elevate the Ceiling
Creating the illusion of higher ceilings is another great way to stage your home. To achieve this, paint your ceilings and use long curtains that go all the way up the walls.
Make sure the curtains are hanging a few inches below the ceiling. This will draw the eye up, giving the appearance of a much higher ceiling than what is actually there. Another way to turn an ordinary room into a pleasing one on a budget is through plenty of light sources.
Natural light can do wonders for an area. But artificial light sources, such as lamps and spotlights, can be great additions as well. Put them in areas with lower ceilings that need more lighting.
Even adding sconce lighting near corner walls or next to art pieces can make a huge difference! Don’t forget fairy lights or candles too – they add extra charm and their low cost makes them even more appealing.
9. Amp Up Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is one of the most important aspects of home staging. You want potential buyers to get excited even before they enter the front door!
Outside spaces should be well-maintained and inviting. Ten seconds is all you have to make a great first impression. Many small projects can help to amp up your curb appeal, depending on your budget.
Some ideas include painting the front door a bright or fun color. Replacing the hardware with something more modern is another option. Colorful blooms along walkways can add life and color to driveways and entryways.
Other ideas include:
- power-washing the house’s exterior walls and driveway
- installing fresh light fixtures outside
- rebuilding broken porch railings for an improved entryway
With a little creativity, you can turn any drab exterior into an inviting entrance that makes buyers want to come closer for a better look. By following these creative DIY staging tips, you can make your house look its best at a low cost.
All these strategies will help boost the value of your home and attract potential buyers. With a little creativity and effort on your part, your home staging project can help your home sell faster.
