9 Ways To Stage/Style Your Home On A Very Small Budget Before Selling

Property Sales

Putting your home on the market is never easy, especially when you’ve made beautiful memories there for many years. To you, your home may be priceless no matter how big or small it may be.

 

A good place to start is with a professional. A real estate agent will inspect your home and do a valuation based on the current market price. However, this is not where it stops. It is your responsibility to ensure your home is appealing and attractive enough to get the price you want.

 

This is where your handywork comes in. It has been proven that home staging results in less time on the market and lands you a higher price by approximately 2.5 percent.

 

For example, if your property is listed at R1 500 000, spending that little extra on styling could increase your price to at least R1 550 000. It is worth every cent spent.

 

Not everyone has the money to style a home that they are about to sell, but they can make some significant changes to the look and feel of their home within a small budget.

 

Start off by taking one room at a time bearing in mind you only have between R4500 and R10 000 to spend. Here are some helpful tips and ideas…

 

  1. Uncluttering is the first step

Most importantly you will need to clear any clutter that has accumulated over the years. Go through each room and see what you’d like to take with you and what you can discard.

If you have an office get rid of all the paperwork piled up on your desk. This does not mean cramming it into your cupboards, because more than likely your potential buyer will want to inspect the size and space of your cupboards. Having said that, clean out your cupboards – do some spring cleaning. It will save you a lot of time later when you start packing boxes.

 

  1. Colour changes everything

No, you don’t have to repaint your whole house, but you might need to do a little paint-licking here and there. Inspect each wall in your home – you might find a coat of paint will completely brighten up a dull room. Try staying with white or neutral colours depending on the style of your home.

 

Remember that the effect that home styling has on buyer perception is huge. They will always imagine themselves living in that area of your home. Where do you spend most of your time? These are areas you need to focus on.

 

Add a few scatter cushions in colours that complement the look and feel of the living area. Don’t be scared to include bright colours to give it a happy, lively feel.

 

Consider new bed linen and include a matching throw – ensure that it is gender-neutral for a broader appeal. This creates a fresh, relaxing and inviting bedroom. If you have a young child and he has a spiderman theme in his bedroom, enhance it with either red shelves and red cupboard door handles, or a fluffy pink rug in front of her bed if it’s a Cinderella theme.

 

Do the same for your bathroom – bring in two fluffy white towels, a soft bathroom mat and a few scented candles. Create a feeling of relaxation and luxury in your bathroom. After all, it’s a place you spend time pampering yourself.

 

  1. Fixing, cleaning and rearranging

Spend a little more time on basics – things that you will see straight away. Here is a list of simple home styling ideas you can do on a tight budget:

 

  • Consider getting in carpet cleaners for your carpets and material covered lounge suite. They have the right tools for the job.
  • Make sure your floors are clean. Buy a rug or two to cover scratches and chips on tiles – bear in mind any damage to floors must be declared in an addendum to the offer to purchase.
  • Inspect and patch any holes in walls and ceilings caused by nails or wiring.
  • Ensure everything is dusted and windows are squeaky clean. While you’re at it, if you have brass window latches, soak them in bicarbonate of soda and vinegar for a while – it gets rid of all the grime that has built up and comes out as new.
  • Get down to floor level and clean the grout in all tiled areas. Use grout cleaner or bicarbonate of soda (it’s great for cleaning many things and it’s cheap).
  • The chef will inspect the kitchen. Make sure it is clean and create a feeling of, “this is where I want to cook”. Use pretty containers for your tea, coffee and sugar, place a few potted herbs on the window sill and add a basket of fruit to the dining room table.

 

  1. Let there be light

Open all curtains or blinds as well as sliding doors to the patio, even if it’s a little chilly outside. Fresh air is important. If you have a fireplace and it’s a cold day, you might want to light a fire to create an ambient, cozy atmosphere.

 

Check that all the lights throughout the house are working and if there are any lamp shades missing, buy new ones – you don’t want a bare globe hanging from the ceiling.

 

  1. Check for hair and mind the smells

If you have pets, make sure your house is free of pet hair. It can also be very off-putting when visitors are met with pet smells throughout the house. Use a natural lavender spray rather than an over-powering room spray – and even better, bake a batch of home-made cookies or brew up some filter coffee. That will create an inviting, homely atmosphere.

 

  1. A touch of greenery and class

A home is not a home without flowers and a bit of greenery. Get a few easy to care for air-purifying plants that will create a natural, earthy feel to your home. It changes the whole atmosphere and even absorbs pet smells.

 

Walls need décor too. An eye-catching painting, wall mural or wallpaper is always an attraction. Adding a few different size vases with faux plants to a side table, will create a beautiful focal point in any room.

 

If you can’t spend money on these things, borrow a few items from a friend. It will take the level of your home up a few notches.

 

  1. Outside is an important part of living

Don’t forget the exterior of your home. A beautiful well-kept garden adds value to your property. Make sure the lawn is mowed, pruning and weeding has been done, and if necessary, give the fence a new lick of paint and pressure spray your paving.

 

If you have an old bench or steel chair and table, consider roughly painting it and placing it under a tree for those lazy days! You can even lay down a few stepping-stones in and around the flower beds to create a pathway.

 

  1. Welcoming atmosphere

If you have a swimming pool with an entertainment area, make sure it is clean and tidy. Lay the table to evoke a feeling of, “this is where I can have friends around”. Men love that!

 

Create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere for your buyers the moment they set foot onto your property. The entrance of the home says everything. Ensure you have an easy-to-read house number, a clean doormat and a few potted plants or flowers outside the front door.

 

  1. Enjoy and reap the benefits

There are many brilliant ideas, but we’ve only had time to name a few. It does not have to be a big, expensive project. Start one room at a time and enjoy it. See it as not only a way of adding value and putting more money into your pocket, but as a therapeutic exercise. You will have created a custom-designed, luxurious look for a lot less, and learned something that you can carry forward with you to your new home.