When potential buyers walk into a home for sale – they do what we were all told not to do when we were growing up: judge a book by its cover. You should treat your home like an open book and encourage the buyer to make the offer that you expect.

If a professional stager is not included in the real estate contract or not affordable, here are some tips for self-staging your home for a quick sale.

1. Curb Appeal – Clean, sweep and powerwash the front entrance. Landscape the garden, remove weeds, cut grass and trim edges to give your home a clean look. A fresh mat outside and a pot of bright flowers will freshen up the entryway too.
2. Declutter – This tip will probably be the most time consuming. Clear and pack personal belongings, such as: family pictures, collectible items, trinkets and all dust collectors. Minimize your furniture – believe it or not, fewer items in a room actually make the room look bigger. Don’t forget the closets too!
3. Storage and Sell – Don’t know what to do with all your stuff? Rent a storage space for the boxes and large items. Many storage providers will rent on a month-to-month basis and are a secure way to keep everything together. Organize a garage sale for all the unwanted items.
4. Paint and Touch Up – Patch-up cracks or holes in the walls. Refresh a room with a quick coat of paint. Rooms painted in light colours are calming on the eyes. Think beige, taupe, white or pale blue.
5. Brighten Up – Hanging mirrors gives the perception of a longer or wider room. Open curtains. Keep the temperature of your house at a comfortable level. Open windows to air out any stuffiness. Clean your windows to offer a clear view and a subtle hint of cleanliness.
6. Fresh scents – Don’t be cooking a fry-up or a spiced meal before a showing! Fresh flowers on the dining room table or a single flower in a vase for the bathroom. Flowers give an elegant touch to any room. If you like to bake, feel free to indulge now. Everyone loves the smell of fresh baking. If baking’s not your thing, try this pro tip: Boiling cinnamon in a pot gives a homemade cookie smell!
7. Clean, clean, and clean – Once rooms are decluttered it will be easy to keep up with the cleaning. Make a daily routine to dust, vacuum, and mop floors. Clear plates and cups, wipe down sinks, the fridge and cabinet doors. Entryways should be clutter free. Hang jackets, put bags and shoes away.

Remember that a first impression is important and memorable, and might be the only chance you get to show off to a buyer.

And for the real test: have your most critical family member or friend do a walk through, as a second eye can pick out what you might not see.

About our Company

Viktoria Professional Movers Vancouver is a professional moving company in Vancouver BC, providing high quality local and long distance moving services throughout Canada. By helping to educate our clients on topics that can help them plan and execute a successful move, we are fulfilling our directive of taking the stigma out of hiring professional movers in Vancouver, and helping to make the moving process a stress-free experience overall.

Call Viktoria Professional Movers Vancouver BC at: (604) 628-6543 or Toll Free: 1 ( 877) 399-1315 or fill out our Free Moving Estimate form for a FREE Consultation in regards to your next local or long distance residential move in Vancouver BC or elsewhere in Canada.