The First Thing To Declutter When Preparing To Stage Your Home

When it's time to sell your home, you want it to look as great as possible — even better than when you bought it. Staging is a key step to attracting buyers and getting your house off the market as quickly as possible. But before adding any fresh flowers or repainting, cleaning up the place is critical. Staging your home like a professional starts with decluttering the exterior.

Curb appeal is a major distinguishing factor for potential buyers. The exterior is your home's first impression, and excess signage, decor, tools, and furniture do not set the right tone. In fact, it's a curb appeal mistake that will hurt your chances of selling your home. Exterior clutter can also give the impression that your property needs more work done than it actually does. In reality, an evening of junk removal might be all your home needs to be move-in ready, but a buyer might be blinded by the clutter and think an entire front porch and landscaping renovation is needed. Buyers also make assumptions about a property's maintenance based on how well-kept it is on the outside. Fortunately, there are just a few simple steps to decluttering your exterior.

It's best to focus on your front yard first, as this is what buyers will see before anything else. Start by clearing any items that are worn, unused, or broken. This could be a duct-taped garden hose, a faded welcome mat, an empty planter, or a stained patio pillow. These are eyesores and yard features that are ruining the appearance of your home. Any tools, equipment, and toys should also be put away. If possible, store these items out of sight in a garage or shed. Since it's a temporary overhaul for staging, you can even move them inside the basement or a spare closet. Wherever they are moved to, ensure the items are neatly organized. You don't want to simply shift clutter; you want to eliminate it.

Finally, pare down on the decor. While a porch with hanging plants and a swinging bench can create a pretty exterior, overcrowding your design ruins it. Too many decorations will just create clutter and make your home overly personalized. Remember, buyers need to see the place as theirs, and a blank canvas does that best. Walkways and driveways should also be clear. Bulky path lights, garden gnomes, and planters produce visual clutter and, worse yet, make your home seem inaccessible. Essentially, what should be on display is healthy landscaping, a clean entrance, and a well-maintained facade.

Use this same method to tackle the sides and back of your property — discard junk items, stow away goods, and remove excess decor. Once the exterior is decluttered, you'll be able to clean it properly, which is another important step to staging.