Decorating Tips: How to Decorate To Sell Your Home

Presenting your property in the best possible light is your biggest concern when finding a buyer for it. Either through the photos and videos of the home or when buyers inspect it, you want everything you do to grab buyers’ attention.

If you can get prospective buyers to focus on your home’s outstanding features, you will sell the property faster and at a higher price, says Bigham & Associates LLC. But what can you do to convince buyers of the inherent value of your home and the advantage of choosing your property over others?

There are several things you can do to impress buyers. However, your massive impact may come from little things like how you decorate your home. A carefully planned interior design will cut down on the work you have to do to convince would-be buyers to choose your property.

Every single buyer browses the internet in search of a perfect home. They seek a home that looks exactly like those on the pages of a top home design magazine. Sadly, most sellers’ homes do not usually fit that description.

But sellers who understand this and take steps to give it to them will offer their home an edge in the marketplace. Interestingly, all it takes to do it are a few basic interior design principles that anyone can master.

How should you decorate your home when you are about to sell it?

1. Declutter your home

Hopefully, you already moved most of your belongings out. You may need to rent a storage unit for a few weeks or move some stuff into your outbuildings. But do whatever you can to create an uncluttered look.

2. Do a deep clean

A deep clean will remove dirt from hard-to-reach areas and leave your home smelling fresh. Go over the entire house – windows and sills, crown moldings, light fixtures, ceilings, and drawers. Polish every item that needs it.

3. Empty the closets

If you leave anything inside the closets, it should be a demo to show potential buyers how versatile the space is or how they can organize their stuff. Remember, you are not advertising your home’s contents.

4. Depersonalize the entire home

Remove things a buyer cannot project their own identity on and re-imagine as theirs from the house. That includes personal photographs, awards, or anything that reveals sports, religion, political, or any other kind of affiliation.

5. Fix all faulty items

Little things come together to form the overall impression buyers have of your home. A chipped door edge, dent in the wall, dirty grout, bent shingle, or cracked tile; all of these matter and should undergo repairs.

6. Repaint in neutral colors

Your home is now ready to be decorated; start by repainting the interior and exterior. Choose neutral colors; you cannot go wrong with them. Limit yourself to a maximum of two colors in each room; the leading color and an accent color.

7. Rearrange furniture to create flow

Set up your home to make movement easy. Imagine potential buyers as a gentle wind blowing through your home; there should be nothing blocking their path. If you decluttered your home, this shouldn’t be too hard to achieve.

8. You may need to rent pieces

Do not constrain yourself to items you already own. Your large furniture and super bright sofa may not be appropriate for what you are trying to do. You want pieces that will highlight the home’s features, not compete with them.

9. Update the lighting

The brightness levels of rooms, quality of lighting fixtures, and how up-to-date light switches are essential. Make the most of natural light. Use artificial lighting for illumination and as decoration; deploy lights at various levels in the home.

10. Create ambiance with scents

Do not go overboard with this. Fragrant candles are an excellent way to titillate the senses without overwhelming them. Homely aromas like the whiff of hot coffee or cocoa and the allure of fresh-baked cookies are other ways.

11. Make a statement with accessories and art

When doing this, remember the rule is to keep everything minimal and understated. That does not mean using small frames or uninteresting vases and placemats. But it does mean the items should recede into the background and let the home’s features shine.

12. Create a tablescape

Tablescape is very useful in living and dining rooms. When creating centerpieces, it is best to use one of three items at once. For instance, place one eye-catching object, a book or a plant in your tray, or a single fascinating sculpture.

13. Create an awesome entrance

Build anticipation with the entryway. Begin with the color of the front door and complete by polishing or replacing the door hardware – door handles and knocker. Add a planter, an inviting mat, and some object that awakens curiosity.

14. Do not overlook the exterior

The first time buyers approach your home, they look at it through the eyes of those who will eventually visit them if they buy the property. Make sure you show them something they will be happy to show off to their friends and family.