Home staging tips and checklist

Listing your home for sale? According to real estate experts, proper staging can lead to a faster sale and higher selling price. Here you’ll find some home staging tips and a printable checklist to help you stage your home.

How to stage your home for sale with portable storage containers

While there are many factors that go into a successful home sale, studies show that by taking time to stage your home, you have a better chance of selling your home faster and earning more on the sale. No matter the real estate market, home staging is a wise move to get the best return on selling your home.

PODS containers offer a flexible solution for staging, storing, and moving when selling your home. You can declutter your house by loading some of your belongings into a PODS container, then we’ll store it at a nearby PODS Storage Center until you’ve sold your home. When you’re ready, we’ll drop off your container if you need to finish loading it with the rest of your belongings. Or, if it’s already pre-packed and ready to move, we’ll deliver it to your next address - whether it’s across the street or across the country.

Are you remodeling or upgrading your home before you put it on the market? PODS containers are great for on-site storage, offering easy, 24-7 access to your stuff during your home improvement project. Or, if you prefer, we can keep your container out of the way at a secure PODS Storage Center. Be sure to download our free, print-ready Home Staging Checklist to help make your home its ready-to-sell best.

Add curb appeal

Many people do a drive-by of a listed house before they talk to a real estate professional about viewing it. To ensure the best first impression, tackle tasks such as pressure-washing concrete areas, trimming trees and bushes, cleaning windows, and adding attractive, easy-to-maintain landscaping. A tidy yard will show prospective buyers the home has been taken care of. Repaint the trim or the entire exterior, add modern, clean patio furniture to porches and backyard entertaining areas, and replace any bad areas of your lawn with new sod. You can store excess lawn furniture, landscaping tools, and other outdoor items in a PODS container to give the impression of more space in your garage, shed, and yard.

Help prospective buyers imagine themselves in your home

Buyers want to see themselves - not you - in your home, and they may look past your home’s features if they’re surrounded by your personal items. Clear your house, yard, and other living areas of clutter and personal items, paying special attention to table surfaces, cabinets, and closets, and store them in your PODS container. Keep your furnishings neutral and modern and remove any personal items like family pictures.

Create a welcoming entryway

Make prospective buyers feel at home as soon as they walk through the door. Replace your welcome mat with a fresh one. Clean the front door and nearby windows and trim. Add a plant or indoor tree to add life to the area, or add a few potted plants outside next to the front door.

Focus on the kitchen and bathrooms

These rooms have a lot to do with the resale of your home - and prospective buyers will pay special attention to them. Bathrooms and kitchens are some of the most utilized areas of a home - and they can also be the dirtiest. Deep clean every nook and cranny including baseboards, walls, cabinets, and other hard-to-reach spots, or hire a maid service.

If your kitchen or bathroom needs modernizing but you don’t have the budget to renovate, consider painting cabinets, replacing door knobs, or adding a pedestal sink to the bathroom to create more space. Small touches like new cabinet knobs, faucets, or light fixtures can make a room feel updated and modern.

Update your flooring

It’s hard for buyers to see beyond an expensive upgrade like replacing carpet or installing hardwood flooring. Do the work before you list your house and you should see a healthy return on investment. Steam-clean carpets, refinish or replace hardwood or laminate flooring, and make sure you’ve removed every trace of lingering pet odor.

Convert unused or extra rooms

Empty rooms appear smaller, which can be a turnoff to buyers. Turn them into a guest room, fitness center, sewing room, or home office. To save on costs, ask friends or relatives if you can borrow some furniture to stage your extra rooms. Add a small desk and chair to a staged guest room. This allows buyers to picture either a home office or a bedroom.