Style & Staging Tip #1

The very first, and in my opinion most important, tip for clients in preparation for selling their homes is to declutter. Typically a big job, don't leave it to the day before the open house! First, try and put on fresh eyes and look around your living areas (especially living and dining rooms, bathrooms, kitchen and bedrooms) and be critical of what you see. Are there piles of magazines, cd's, newspapers, mail etc just lying around? Is there no relief of furniture and chatchka's randamly set here or there? Are the kids toys taking over? Are dishes piles in the sink? You want to be able to look around and feel there's a sense of order to your home. Next call in someone else, a second opinion, to take a look around be it your agent or design-savvy friend. Don't get defensive, just look at it as an exercise to maximize the marketing of your home and, bottom line, get the most money for your home. The bathroom above is a good example of a decluttered space for it's clean look, but not stark or lacking in personality. I always recommend new white towels, nice bright lightbulbs, bare floors for the most part, and a heavy duty scrub from floors to ceiling to ensure a fresh welcoming impression. The bedroom, though there's a lot going on, is still clean, orderly and very pretty. I have lots more tips to share, stay tuned!