It cannot be stressed enough preparing and staging your home for sale provides tangible value. Done right the first time, it can contribute significantly to your time on market and its actual return. Some things are more basic than others, of course, but with some help from Judee and Cailin at Room Remedy, we thought we would put together a list of common mistakes we encounter, not counting the unmade beds!

1. Not presenting the brightest possible spaces. Window coverings need to be open and lights should be on to welcome visitors.
2. Ignoring the exterior of your home. The first impression starts at the street, so be sure to get bold exterior colours painted a nice neutral while the weather is warm enough. Winter or summer, a nice pot with flowers or decorative twigs and berries goes a long way.
3. Covering your nice floors with area rugs. Did you know a room will look more spacious without an area rug in it? Of course, the front door is a good place for a small mat so visitors have a  place to leave wet shoes.
4. Not staging a small bedroom. Perspective is everything and if you leave it empty, it’s hard to imagine what can actually fit
5. Bold, bright or dark colours on the walls. Why reduce the number of people who will be able to imagine themselves in your home by even one!
6. Leaving the toilet seat up for showings. (Or worse, leaving it unflushed!). While we are on that topic, a deep clean is imperative before photos and showings begin.
7. Leaving food boxes on top of the fridge, too many small appliances on the counter or cooking vessels stacked on a shelf or on a counter. You don’t want to scream “there’s a shortage of storage space here!”
8. Leaving a space heater in the corner of the room in winter or a fan when the house has air conditioning. Leaving one has the buyer wondering if it’s a cold room in winter or a hot one in summer!
9. Not cleaning the cat litter box. Smells can make ALL the difference in a home! All pet supplies should actually be removed for showings. It’s hard to believe, but not everyone loves pets!
10. Using fragrance plug-ins. Smells can make ALL the difference in a home!

Note that if you are thinking of selling your home, it’s never too early to have us over to provide staging advice. The more time you have to prepare, the better the outcome. We actually love this part of the process!