14 Tips for Staging Your North Side Chicago Home

 

When the time eventually comes to sell your home, there’s undoubtedly a multitude of factors to consider. Staging is an important component to consider when it comes to selling your home. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, seventy-seven percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. From tackling repairs to decluttering your home, here are 14 tips for staging your North Side Chicago home.

The exterior of your home is the first impression that potential homebuyers will have, so you want to ensure it is tidy and inviting. Start by standing outside and looking at your home from an outsider’s perspective. What would an interested homebuyer first notice on their visit? Is the paint chipping? Are the flowers and shrubbery dead? Are the driveway and walkway dirty? Do the windows need a good washing? If the answer is yes, then you know where to get started! Consider adding a flower box to bring color to the landscape or power washing the garage and walkways to give it a fresh look. Although these projects might seem mundane, these tips for upping your home’s curb appeal are certain to help catch the eye of a potential homebuyer.

It might not be spring, but when it comes time to stage your home, you’ll want to ensure that your home is sparkling clean—regardless of the season. Don’t underestimate the importance of giving your home a thorough and complete cleaning. Keep in mind that potential buyers are going to be looking in every nook and cranny of your house. The easiest thing to do is to hire a professional cleaner to get the job done. But if you’re feeling ambitious and want to tackle this yourself, here are some steps for cleaning. From scrubbing the baseboards to cleaning the ceiling fans, your home will be sparkling in no time.

 

Tackling repairs might not be the most glamorous job, but it’s an important step when preparing to stage your home. Now is the time to get rid of those tiny nicks, scratches, holes, and anything else that could signal neglect to buyers. Much like with cleaning, tackling these repairs informs buyers that you maintain and care about the property. 

 

 

When it comes to preparing your house for staging, you want to make sure to organize! Make sure you give yourself enough time for this step, as it can be easy to underestimate how long it takes. Some organizing tips include hanging extra pots and pans, installing a few hanging shelves for books or plants, and investing in drawer organizers (no junk drawers, please!). Here are some more tips to help whip your home into shape. Don’t forget, potential homebuyers viewing your home might look in every drawer and closet, so it’s good to be prepared.

 

Not all rooms are created equal when it comes to staging your home. According to the National Association of Realtors, staging for the living room is the most important, followed by the master bedroom, and then the kitchen. It’s a good idea to keep this in mind when preparing your home to be on the market. As such, consider the layout of your furniture. Is there a way you could make the room bigger or brighter by simply readjusting your furniture? Is there too much furniture that is giving the room a cluttered feel? Rethinking your furniture layout is an easy (and inexpensive!) way to make the most of the staging process.

 

After you’ve cleaned and organized, another important step is ensuring that your home isn’t too personal. Depersonalizing means eliminating your personal taste and preferences while striving to make the space warm and inviting. This helps home buyers imagine your home as their own. And that can understandably be hard to do if you have a family photo hanging from the wall. As such, be sure to remove any family photos, art, memorabilia, or anything else that will distract potential homebuyers. Additionally, if you have nail holes, it’s a good idea to hide those. Separating from the personality of your home may be hard, but these tips will help guide you to depersonalizing your space.

 

When it comes to staging, you want to keep the kitchen as clean and simple as possible. That means clearing the counters as well as putting away any unnecessary items. You don’t want anything cluttering up the counters or distracting away from all your kitchen has to offer. If you’re limited on your countertop space, you’ll want to consider packing away most of your appliances. This will help highlight the available space. All you need is a couple of decorative items, such as a block or mixer, to help give the room a homey feel.

 

You certainly want your home looking as fresh and clean as possible, but it’s nice to add a few fresh touches to enhance the staging experience. Incorporating some flowers or greenery is a nice touch. If you don’t want to do flowers, add a hanging plant or a small herb garden. Although a seemingly small step, this simple addition will help bring your home to life and add a pop of color. 

 

 

Every corner of your house should shine while staging—including the bathroom. Scrub away until those fixtures, sinks, tubs, and windows all sparkle. And don’t forget washing the walls, scrubbing the toilet, and other important steps. You’ll also want to be sure to remove any hygiene products. You can put these products under the sink if necessary—just be sure that they are neatly organized. The more space your bathroom counters have, the better! Giving your bathroom a spa-like feel will be a huge selling point for interested buyers.

 

At this point, your home should be sparkling from top to bottom. And while that is exactly what you want, you don’t want it to smell like cleaning supplies and chemicals. Instead, you’ll want to make sure your home smells inviting and fresh before the showing starts. Baking soda is a great way to rid your home of current, lingering smells. Apply to carpet and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before vacuuming. Baking fresh cookies or diffusing essential oils are some more ways to get your home smelling its best. Here are some more tips for creating a welcoming environment. 

 

One of the ways to make your home more warm and welcoming is by amping up the lighting. It’s a good idea to shoot for a total of 100 watts for every 50 square feet. You also don’t just want one or two light fixtures per room. Aim to have three types of lighting: ambient (general), task (pendant, reading), and accent (table and wall). 

 

While you want to keep your home classy and inviting, don’t be afraid to add a pop of color! This will help give your house some personality, especially since you have depersonalized your space. Consider adding some decorative throw pillows, a hanging plant, or a colorful rug to help liven up the room.

 

There’s no doubt that you love your furry friends, but when it comes to impressing potential buyers, it’s better to not show evidence of them. A home evidenced by pets can be an immediate turnoff for those who do not share your affinity towards pets. Start by getting rid of stains or damages caused by pets that could deter homebuyers. After that, move on to vacuuming the floors, airing out the house, and hiding pet items from view. Here are some more tips and tricks for helping ensure your home is pet neutral. 

 

 

Getting your home ready for staging can be a time-consuming and stressful process. While you’re busy deep cleaning the kitchen and making your bathroom sparkle, you don’t want to overlook the importance of small details. These small details will help make your home more inviting and warm. For instance, why not set out a bowl loaded with fresh fruits? (You can find some nice fruit bowl options here.) Other small details include ensuring there are fresh tea towels, thoroughly cleaning the window, or perhaps a new coat of paint. These tips are quick ways to get your home looking its best.

If you are looking to explore Chicago luxury homes, contact Tom Bakritzes today. As one of the best realtors in Chicago, Tom serves a wide range of neighborhoods. From the West Loop to the North Side, Tom demonstrates professionalism and expertise when it comes to assisting his clients.