Home Staging Tips for Sellers: How to Make Buyers Love Your Home
Home staging plays a critical role in preparing residential listings to stand out in a competitive market. When done strategically, staging enhances visual appeal, creates emotional connection, and helps buyers see the full potential of a property from the very first showing. Below are a few tips to help stage your house and get the most out of your selling journey.
Quick Overview: Home Staging Tips to Make Your Home Sell Faster
Home staging is strategic marketing, not decorating; it helps residential listings stand out by creating a clean, neutral, move-in-ready feel that appeals to more buyers.
Staged homes often sell faster and for more money, with some reports showing value increases between 5% and 23%, depending on the market.
Focus on key rooms first: the living room, primary bedroom, kitchen, and bathrooms have the biggest impact on buyer perception and offer strength.
Decluttering and depersonalizing are essential, including removing personal photos, countertop clutter, pet items, and bold décor that distracts buyers.
Curb appeal and professional guidance matter, and working with an experienced real estate team like First Star Realty can help maximize results from staging to closing.
What Is Home Staging and Why Does It Work?
Home staging is the strategic process of preparing a property for sale by arranging furniture, décor, lighting, and layout in a way that highlights your home’s strengths. While decorating is more about displaying your personal taste throughout your home, staging is seen as marketing. It’s meant to appeal to a range of potential buyers and help them get an idea of what their life would look like if they moved in.
At its core, the goal of a staged home is to answer one question: Can buyers see themselves living here? When done well, the answer should be yes.
To help buyers fall in love with your home, you need to give each room a “move-in ready” feel without making it feel empty or lifeless. This can help potential buyers imagine their own life unfolding in the living spaces, which can significantly expedite the home-buying process. To achieve this, home staging typically involves:
✓ Decluttering and depersonalizing
✓ Rearranging or removing furniture to improve flow
✓ Enhancing lighting and natural brightness
✓ Using neutral color palettes
✓ Adding subtle lifestyle touches (fresh towels, greenery, simple décor)
✓ Improving curb appeal before buyers walk in
The Psychology Behind Home Staging
For most people, home buying is far more emotional than logical. Many buyers have their “wants” and “needs” written down and may choose initial listings based on square footage, interest rates, resale value, and neighborhood or location, but subtle psychological cues often influence their final decision:
✓ Does the home feel bright and open?
✓ Does it feel calm and organized?
✓ Can they picture hosting holidays here?
✓ Does it feel updated or outdated?
Staging taps into these emotional triggers and creates the illusion that they’re walking through their future home. A cluttered or overly personalized home forces buyers to mentally subtract distractions. When you stage a house, these distractions aren’t as loud.
Does Home Staging Really Increase Sale Price?
In many housing markets across the US, yes, staged homes can increase the sale price. In fact, recent surveys found that it can increase home value between 5% and 23% over the listing price, depending. Typically speaking, a staged home:
✓ Spends fewer days on the market
✓ Receives stronger initial offers
✓ Attracts more competitive interest
✓ Photographs well online (which drives more showings)
✓ Even simple DIY home staging improvements like fresh paint, improved lighting, and removing excess furniture can dramatically change how buyers perceive value.
Room-by-Room Home Staging Checklist for Sellers
Whether you’re planning to sell a home or you’ve had your house on the market and aren’t getting many offers, utilizing home staging secrets can make a significant difference. So, to help make your house look welcoming, spacious, and ready for move-in, consider the following insider tips based on each room.
Living Room Staging Tips
When you’re putting your home on the market, one of the most beneficial rooms to focus on when staging is the living room. This is often the most important for buyers and can make your house stand out. Some tips for staging the living room to make it more spacious and help buyers imagine themselves spending time there include:
✓ Remove oversized or excess furniture to improve flow
✓ Arrange seating to create conversation areas around a coffee table
✓ Create a clear focal point (fireplace, large window, feature wall)
✓ Use neutral throw pillows and light-colored accents
✓ Add layered lighting (floor lamps and table lamps)
✓ Minimize personal décor and family photos
✓ Hide cords and electronics when possible
✓ Add one organic element (plant, fresh flowers, bowl of greenery)
✓ If you have a home office, you should also follow the above tips to make sure your home is ready to sell.
Primary Bedroom Staging Tips
The master bedroom or the primary bedroom is the next most important room you want to focus on. Staging makes it easier for buyers to imagine themselves starting or ending their day there, while also offering top dollar for your home. Some ways to make the space feel welcoming to potential buyers include:
Use white or neutral bedding for a hotel-like feel
✓ Remove excess furniture to make the room feel larger
✓ Keep nightstands minimal and symmetrical
✓ Clear personal photos and bold décor
✓ Use soft lighting (bedside lamps instead of harsh overhead lights)
✓ Declutter closets and leave visible open space
✓ Add one cozy touch (throw blanket or accent pillow)
Kitchen Staging Tips
The kitchen is another room sellers should focus on. While you may not be able to change much about the layout without major renovations, you can make the room look and feel its best. Some tips to achieve this include:
✓ Clear countertops completely (leave one to two intentional items max)
✓ Remove small appliances and magnets from the fridge
✓ Deep clean appliances until they shine
✓ Replace outdated cabinet hardware if the budget allows
✓ Add a simple centerpiece (fruit bowl, wooden board, vase)
✓ Organize inside cabinets and pantry (buyers will look)
✓ Remove trash cans from sight
✓ Use bright, clean dish towels for a polished look
✓ If you have a separate dining room, you should also:
✓ Set a simple, elegant table (neutral plates and light centerpiece)
✓ Remove extra chairs if the space feels tight
✓ Keep décor minimal and balanced
✓ Use a neutral table runner for texture
✓ Ensure overhead lighting is clean and bright
Bathroom Staging Tips
Staging your bathroom can make a big difference, as it can help buyers feel like the space is clean and ready for use. Some tips for bathroom staging include:
✓ Remove all personal toiletries from counters
✓ Use crisp white or spa-style towels
✓ Replace old shower curtains with neutral options
✓ Re-caulk or refresh grout if needed
✓ Store trash cans out of sight
✓ Add subtle greenery or a candle for warmth
✓ Keep the toilet lid closed for showings
✓ Ensure mirrors and chrome fixtures sparkle
Curb Appeal Staging Tips
Although not as important, comprehensive home staging efforts will also include your home’s exterior, to a degree. However, it’s important to consider the cost of making these exterior changes vs. what your return on investment may be. Your real estate professional or staging company can help you determine whether these items are worth putting on your to-do list when staging your home to sell.
✓ Pressure wash the driveway and walkways
✓ Add fresh mulch to landscaping
✓ Trim hedges and edge grass cleanly
✓ Paint or clean the front door
✓ Upgrade house numbers if outdated
✓ Add potted plants near the entry
✓ Clean windows inside and out
✓ Remove seasonal décor that dates the home
Things to Remove Before Listing Your Home
At the very least, you should take the time to remove certain items that could turn off buyers. Some of these things include:
✓ Personal family photos and gallery walls
✓ Children’s artwork covering walls or refrigerators
✓ Religious or political décor
✓ Countertop clutter (mail, keys, chargers, paperwork)
✓ Refrigerator magnets and notes
✓ Medication bottles left on counters
✓ Visible trash cans (especially in the kitchen and bathrooms)
✓ Pet beds, litter boxes, food bowls, and toys
✓ Strong-scented air fresheners or plug-ins
✓ Seasonal or holiday decorations
How Much Does Professional Home Staging Cost?
There are several things that should be done once you decide to sell your home. Ideally, you should begin by finding a good real estate agent to help you better understand how to attract prospective buyers and make sure they get a strong first impression of your home. Working with a professional stager can also make a big impact, as a well-staged home can help highlight its best features and ensure each room attracts various types of buyers. However, many real estate professionals are experienced in staging a home, or will hire a professional home stager to help, which can decrease the price. Still, the cost for staging can vary based on the individual and whether or not your home is vacant or occupied.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average cost for using a staging service is around $1,500, but drops to roughly $500 when the real estate agent takes on the role themselves. This can be higher or lower based on where you live, the size of your home, and what each room looks like when staging begins (i.e., does it have all the necessary furniture to accentuate your home’s potential). For more information on pricing, it’s best to speak with a real estate professional.
Ready to Sell Your Home?
Staging is one of the most powerful ways to attract buyers, generate stronger offers, and reduce time on the market, but it’s only one piece of a successful selling strategy. Pricing, marketing, negotiation, and local market expertise matter just as much. If you’re thinking about listing your home, the team at First Star Realty can help you create a customized plan to position your property for maximum impact. Contact us today to learn more.
