One thing to keep in mind when staging your home and preparing it for your local market is to try stay one step ahead of your potential buyers. As the seller, you have to anticipate what could potentially make or break the sale of your home in terms of visual impact or emotional appeal. Instead of being on the defensive and being caught unprepared, homeowners should be ready in all aspects and details.
Closets, cabinets, and other storage areas in the home being staged should never be neglected. A lot of people who are looking to buy a new home are doing so because they have already outgrown their current one. If your potential buyer is looking for a bigger house, guess what will be one of their priorities as they tour your property? Yes, it’s the storage space and how these blend into the home while being functional and accessible at the same time.
Buyers will inevitably peek into the closets, cabinets, drawers, cupboards, and other storage areas of your home. The last thing you would want to happen is for them to see a messy pile of accumulated knick-knacks and clutter; this can be very distracting, and a signal to the potential client that your home may not have enough storage space for their own stuff. This is why closets, cabinets and drawers should be included in your home staging plans, in order to show off their true value and add to your property’s overall marketability.
Here are some suggestions for staging your storage spaces:
- Show off space, not stuff. A large bedroom closet full of coats, clothes, shoes, and bags will still look
small because of all the stuff. Remove clothes you will not be needing while the house is on the market (think: off-season), as well as other accessories. Hang clothes so that there is space between them; this emphasizes the storage capacity and also allows the potential buyer to visualize his or her own stuff in your closet without being distracted.
- Clean, repaint, repair. Dusty shelves and cabinets signal neglect and poor maintenance. Make sure cupboards, drawers, and cabinets are spotless. A fresh coat of paint on all your cabinets and closets is easy to accomplish and light on the budget. If there are handles or knobs that need to be replaced, make sure they are repaired and ready for showings.
- Organize. Avoid piling kitchen utensils, chopping boards, pots, and pans on top of each other without any particular order. This is an eyesore and a major turn-off for buyers. Segregate stuff, have an area allocated for things and accessories that are related to each other, and you will instantly see how much more functional and pleasant the storage space looks when neatly organized.
- Add storage if necessary. Inexpensive but functional storage spaces can be added around your home that fit with the overall theme. Stackable storage units are great for limited closet spaces; they instantly organize your stuff and are relatively affordable. Open spaces above the sink or stove can also be utilized for additional cupboards and cabinets.
