Magnolia Stars Chip And Joanna Gaines' Best Staging Tips For Selling Your Home

There are various steps that need to be taken when you're in the process of selling your home. According to Rocket Mortgage, you have to find a listing agent, configure a selling price, actually list the home, budget for selling expenses, and more. Also on that list is the responsibility of staging the home. This process includes furnishing and designing a space that you believe will be appealing to home buyers. However, you'll want to avoid doing more damage than good.

Luckily, our favorite renovation couple and stars of the famous HGTV hit show "Fixer Upper" Chip and Joanna Gaines have offered the best staging tips over the past few years. According to HGTV, this power couple have at least 12 years of experience under their belt and have worked together to flip over 100 homes. Now, we'd like to share the various staging tips they've revealed to hopefully ease one of the many steps it takes to sell your home.

Keep the essentials

Don't rush to store away all of your family photos just yet. According to Realtor, Joanna Gaines enjoys the affectionate atmosphere they create. "You'll hear staging experts say to take down your family photos, kids' artwork, and anything personal, so that a potential buyer can picture their family in your home, rather than seeing yours everywhere," she said. "Personally, I love knowing that a house is well-loved, and seeing those personal touches displayed reminds me that my family would be happy there, too." According to LighterSide of Real Estate, one way you can create an elevated design with family photos is by choosing frames that are complementary to your furniture and color scheme.

However, make sure to keep the furniture to a minimum. "Trying to put too much furniture in one space makes it look smaller than it really is," Gaines explains. "Try to stick with three large pieces at most per room to keep the house feeling big and open." For example, the major necessities of a family room are a sofa, coffee table, and television stand. You can pair it with smaller pieces, such as end tables, but maybe avoid bookcases, desks, and armchairs.

Properly tidy up

According to Realtor, Joanna Gaines urges sellers to tidy up before showcasing their homes. "It's true that leaving your house a mess can keep a potential buyer from seeing how beautiful your space really is, so a quick cleaning blitz before a showing can do a lot of good," she notes. "When the house is clean, buyers can see you love your house—and know they will, too." If you don't know where to start, Rocket Mortgage suggests cleaning out your kitchen appliances. First, get rid of all your items, then wipe down your bins and shelves with a disinfectant solution. Afterward, wipe off the exterior with soap and water or commercial stainless steel spray.

While you're at it, also make sure your home isn't cluttered with random items. "Potential buyers will definitely want to know how much storage space your home has, so no closet will be safe for concealing messes," she continues. "If you're in a pinch, a last-ditch effort to hide a mess is under your bed." If you're worried about buyers seeing the mess under your bed, we suggest using a bed skirt.

Renew your homes' exterior

Joanna Gaines believes the design of the exterior is just as important as the interior, per Realtor. "Simple touches like making sure the lawn is freshly cut, power-washing the driveway, or putting a few freshly potted plants on the front porch can make a big impact," she reveals. "It's all about reminding them that your house is cared for, so they won't worry that you're also ignoring what they can't see."

According to HGTV, there are several other ways to ensure the exterior of your home is fresh and in shipshape. Those with several trees and shrubs on their lawn should ensure they are all trimmed and healthy — any diseased trees should be dug out by professionals. If you have a lovely patio, HGTV advises introducing stylish and crisp furniture and a few flowering plants. Lastly, although painting your home sounds tedious and expensive, it may be a dealbreaker for buyers if the current paint job is old and dingy.

Put more energy into certain rooms

Chip and Joanna Gaines recently renovated a century-old castle into something breathtakingly beautiful, per Realtor. After they finished the renovation, Joanna Gaines worked her staging magic throughout several of the rooms. However, certain spaces needed more attention than others. "Upstairs is going to be the most personal floor for the homeowner," she said. "This is where their bedrooms are, their bathrooms... This needs to feel a lot more thoughtful." She spent a lot of time designing the master bedroom, where she combined a stunning bed frame with attractive nightstands.

According to StageMyOwnHome, a master bedroom should be designed in a way that is alluring to both genders to prevent anyone involved in the purchase from pulling out. It's also important to avoid using decor to perpetuate a specific theme, such as tropical or athletic concepts. If your bedroom feels cold, adding an area rug will create a sense of warmth and sometimes add a touch of color.

Small details matter

Joanna Gaines urges homeowners to pay attention to the details, as reported by MyDomaine. "I always say start by painting your front door a new color, fill some planters with seasonal flowers (I always include ivy), and then put down a great doormat." She revealed. "Door, flowers, doormat—and you're done. You don't need to spend a lot. You can do all of this for less than $150 bucks." According to Sherwin-Williams, the most inviting front door paint colors are different shades of red, green, blue, yellow, and purple.

According to HGTV, there are certain plants you can introduce that will attract buyers. For example, hydrangeas are a beautiful option that are easy to look after. Annuals, such as marigolds, petunias, and geraniums are versatile options that can be placed in hanging baskets or window boxes to add a touch of color to your home. If you'd like to add more greenery, maybe hostas are more of your style, and the benefit of these plants is that they come in a variety of sizes.