Home Staging Checklist

A guide to preparing your home for real estate photography and showings.

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Are you getting ready to put your home on the market? Here is the secret to selling your home faster and for more money:

Professional Photography & Home Staging

In this guide, we will go into detail and cover what to do in every room of your home to get it ready for photography and showings. Before we get started, let’s remember why this is so important.

Homes with professional photography receive an average of 87% more views than homes without.

National Association of REALTORS®, 2023

Your home’s first showing is online! If your home has a stunning cover photo for its online listing, people will want to click on it and see what else this beauty has to offer. This opens the door to a great amount of potential buyers.

81% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.

National Association of REALTORS®, 2023

The most common rooms that were staged included the living room (91%), kitchen (81%), primary bedroom (81%), and dining room (69%). If potential buyers feel comfortable and inspired when they view your home, they are way more likely to be moved to make a competitive offer!

Here, I will cover five categories for every single room. If you focus on these five things as you get your home ready, you are sure to sell your home faster and for more money! Here they are:

1. Declutter
2. Depersonalize
3. Repair
4. Clean
5. Decorate

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Let’s start with the living room

The goal for this room is open and inviting.

1. Declutter
   • Remove any furniture, kids toys, exercise equipment, or unattractive gaming consoles.
   • Open up the space and arrange the furniture in a way that makes the room appear larger.
2. Depersonalize
   • This is important to keep the environment neutral so that the potential buyer can visualize themselves in your space and also a safety feature.
   • Remove any personal photos or decorations with your name on it.
   • Remove personal items that may be distracting. Think of this space almost like a hotel or Airbnb.
3. Repair
   • Scan the room for cosmetic repairs – the holes left from removing personal decorations from your walls is a good place to start.
   • Replace lightbulbs if needed.
4. Clean
   • Dust ceiling fans, blinds, tabletops, and baseboards.
   • Launder blankets and vacuum couches.
   • Clean the floors.
5. Decorate
   • Optional tip: Hang your curtains as high as possible allowing them to stretch all the way to the floor. This elevates a room and makes it feel larger.
   • Add some neutral throw pillows and a decorative coffee table setting.
   • Stay away from seasonal decorations because this will time stamp your home especially for your photos!

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Primary bedroom

This space should be calming and relaxing.

1. Declutter
   • Consider pre-packing some items to create more space and less clutter.
   • Arrange the furniture to look spacious. Make sure the bed is far from the door.
   • Remove unnecessary items and trinkets from the tops of dressers and tabletops.
   • Create open space in the closet.
2. Depersonalize
   • Continue to remove and pack anything with your picture or name on it.
   • It is advised to pack and secure any special or valuable belongings.
3. Repair
   • Scan the room for cosmetic repairs.
   • Replace lightbulbs if needed.
4. Clean
   • Dust ceiling fans, blinds, tabletops, and baseboards.
   • Launder bedding.
   • Clean the floors.
5. Decorate
   • Consider a new bedspread if your current one is worn or outdated.
   • Add some decorative pillows.
   • Keep colors and patterns neutral (think white sheets and beige accents)
   • If you would like to add a little color, blue is a safe bet. Blue evokes calmness and relaxation, which is perfect for the primary bedroom.

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dining Room

Keep the dining room minimalist and simple.

1. Declutter
   • Remove furniture that make the space seem cluttered or small
2. Depersonalize
   • If you have a family calendar in this room, it would be a good idea to pack it up. A busy calendar can be distracting and it is best to keep your business private.
3. Repair
   • Replace lightbulbs if needed.
   • Scan the room for cosmetic repairs.
4. Clean
   • Dust light fixtures, blinds, tabletops, and baseboards.
   • Clean the floor.
5. Decorate
   • Add a simple table setting or centerpiece.

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Kitchen

This space should be clean and functional.

1. Declutter
   • Pre-pack anything that you don’t use often.
   • Clear the counters and move unnecessary appliances into the cabinets.
   • Put away all dishes.
2. Depersonalize
   • Remove and pre-pack anything with your photo or name on it.
3. Repair
   • Fix squeaky cabinets.
   • Touch up paint.
   • Fix leaky sink.
   • Replace lightbulbs if needed.
4. Clean
   • Scrub the grout.
   • Descale the faucet.
   • Dust the top of the fridge, blinds, oven vent hood, and baseboards.
   • Wipe down all surfaces including cabinet doors.
   • Clean oven and dishwasher.
   • Deodorize the garbage disposal.
   • Have a friend or your awesome REALTOR come and inspect the cleanness of your kitchen. They will see the splash of tomato sauce that your mind has accepted as part of the decor.
5. Decorate
   • Keep it minimal and simple.
   • Add some fresh flowers in an elegant vase.

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Bathrooms

Think of this space like a hotel bathroom.

1. Declutter
   • Keep the countertops clear with just the basics.
   • Remove the training toilet if you have a potty-training toddler.
2. Depersonalize
   • Put away personal belongings and jewelry.
3. Repair
   • Replace lightbulbs if needed.
   • Fix drippy sinks.
   • Scan the room for cosmetic repairs.
4. Clean
   • Descale faucets and shower heads.
   • Scrub grout and caulking 
   • Dust light fixtures, light switches, cabinets, and baseboards.
   • Clean the toilet.
   • Sweep and mop the floor.
5. Decorate
   • Consider a white shower curtain to brighten up and neutralize the space.
   • Add some fresh, neatly folded or hung white towels and a shower rug that is neutral and cozy.
   • Swap the disposable soap dispenser for a decorative soap dispenser.

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Office

Focus on functionality and peace.

1. Declutter
   • Pre-pack papers and excess books that you do not currently need.
   • Organize the items that you do need in a functional and pleasing way. Containers are great!
   • Everything should have a place.
2. Depersonalize
   • Remove personal photos.
   • File away any personal information.
3. Repair
   • Replace lightbulbs if needed.
   • Scan the room for cosmetic repairs.
4. Clean
   • Dust ceiling fans, blinds, desk, and baseboards.
   • Clean floors
5. Decorate
   • Keep it neutral.
   • Add some color with a plant.

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Kids rooms and guest rooms

Final thoughts

I hope you find this guide to be helpful as you prepare your home for the market. If you would like to print this checklist, click on the download button below!

If you love this checklist, please share it with others and let me know in the comments section below.