Staging your home is key to selling up successfully – here are six expert tips

When listing a property on the market, one thing that should never be rushed in the process is ‘staging’. Staging a house simply means presenting a property in such a way that it is market-ready.

What we can sometimes forget when we have been living in a property for a duration of time is how it has become a home; the parts that make it feel like your home – like your children’s art or family photos, or a blanket made by your grandmother – are special to you but not necessarily to those viewing the house.

When someone views a property they want to be able to imagine their couch in the sitting room or their favourite artwork in the hallway. Creating an atmosphere that allows house viewers to imagine their homewares in the setting is key – here’s how to achieve it in six steps.

De-cluttering: rule number one

Now is a good time to get rid of that extra chair, the broken toys, or gifts that you’re never going to use. Not only is a de-clutter one of the most important things to do in preparing your house for viewings, but it is also a valuable task to for your own move.

Remember that you are going to be moving to a new space and doing this will make it far less stressful. When showing homes we also want to be able to open back doorways and have the ability to walk around a space. Unnecessary furniture, decorations, and such can impact this experience.

Touching up

De-cluttering allows for a better view – and most of the time, reveals the areas that may need a fresh lick of paint or a touch-up.

Hallways and doors are areas that get a lot of wear and tear and may require a freshen up to make the space look in its best condition. A neutral pallete is quite important when staging a home too, so consider painting that green wall a neutral shade in white tones.

The DIY appeal

Consider replacing old fixtures and fittings to give your home a better look and feel. Items that can really make a difference here would be kitchen cabinet handles or knobs and light fixtures.

Another key area is grouting in your shower and bath areas – this can easily be overlooked, but re-grouting tiles will elevate the presentation.

Make it bright

We love quick and easy ways to make your home more neutral like using white towels and bed linen for viewings. Take inspiration from hotel bedrooms and place pillows and cushions on your bed to create a feeling of luxury.

Allowing as much light into your home as possible is helpful to give the illusion that a space is bigger than it is, and it makes the space feel more inviting too.

You can do so by opening blinds and curtains, especially in areas without large windows, or simply adding an extra lamp or two will give the same effect.

Spring clean

Once your interiors have been spruced up it’s time to do a deep clean. Showers and baths are areas where you can notice build up so it’s well worth focusing your attention here. Your aim should be to make your home as clean as you possibly can.

Head outside

The final point to consider is how your house appears from the exterior. We encourage viewers to do drive bys especially for countryside homes to ensure they are comfortable with the location and commute.

In this case the exterior of your home and garden will impact the judgement made by viewers. Look at your exterior walls, windows, and doors. Basic gardening such as cutting the lawn, weeding, and updating plants will really add to the exterior.

Removing or updating any old garden furniture is very important too, as these are some of the first sights your house viewers will see in-person.

Though simple, these six steps are the most accessible and cost-effective when preparing to list your home on the market. Getting a head start here can also help with the speed of launching your property to the market.

Adrianna Hegarty established Hegarty Properties in Midleton, Co Cork in 2005, after 20 years of working in property markets in Cyprus, the US, and around Ireland. She is the current President of Midleton Chamber of Commerce, and she operates one of the few female-owned and managed property businesses in Ireland. hegartyproperties.ie