Guest Post: Beginner's Guide to Home Staging
Meet Erica of Designing Vibes
This past month I have had the opportunity to get to know this sweet, southern woman who shares a deep love for turquoise, Home Goods, and all things interior design related. Erica was born and raised in Chattanooga, TN where she worked as a marketing consultant before having her first son, Roman (now 2). Since becoming a mom, Erica works from home as a freelance marketing consultant, as well as, interior design consultant and in her spare time, she devotes all her creative efforts to their fixer upper (see how they transformed their home here). Like me, Erica is a self-taught designer and finds much of her inspiration from Joanna Gaines (we were destined...I know). To read more about Erica and all that she has going on in her beautiful home check out her website!.
This weekend we experienced the most unusual weather for February, which in turn made me giddy about springtime and being married to a real estate agent I think of one thing when it comes to Spring...house sales. If you're in the process of getting your home ready to sell this post is for YOU!
I wanted to host Erica of Designing Vibes as my guest on today's blog for many reasons but for starters, she made a fantastic post at the beginning of February giving great insight into the importance of home staging and preparing your home for any and all potential buyers that she has permitted me to share with all of you. And if I were you, I'd start taking notes since this girl got her house sold in just THREE days (read about that here)!
The Beginner's Guide To Home Staging
The Beginner's Guide To Home Staging, written by Erica, outlines 5 steps to creating the perfect first impression of your home for any potential buyers looking for their next dream home. Most people don't realize the magnitude that home staging has on it's subjects so to help YOU get the most out of your home here is a summed up list of Erica's 5 simple steps to achieving the perfect open house vibes. (To see the full article see here).
*The full article for The Beginner's Guide to Home Staging was written by Erica Van Slyke of Designing Vibes*
1. Deep clean and de-clutter your home
This is an obvious tip for those that are looking to sell their home, but Erica emphasizes the importance of this step more than anything. Nobody wants to walk into a home afraid to touch the walls because of dust and grim. This may seem like a simple task but "de-grunging" your home takes a lot of will-power and elbow grease. Trust Erica, when she says its worth it...she KNOWS what she's talking about! She also gives some other helpful advice when it comes to "de-cluttering" your home, like taking smaller appliances off your kitchen counters, removing kids toys from any rooms, and organizing closets, to name a few.
2. Depersonalize & Neutralize your decor
It's true when you walk into a house with an inherently different taste than your own, it's much more difficult to see the potential that a space possesses. Bold colors, dated wall-paper, cluttered bedrooms...these are all things that can deter a potential buyer from putting an offer on your home. Erica explains the importance that neutral wall colors (like taupes, beiges, whites, and grays) play in neutralizing a space. It is much easier to spice up a room with pops of color in your decor than toning down your bright walls with neutral decor.
3. Give each room a specific purpose
If you have an extra bedroom or living space it's easy to push your clutter into that space that essentially serves no purpose but to hold your "extra" things. But that's a "no-no" when it comes to home staging. I like how Erica, emphasizes the importance of giving your potential buyers a reason to imagine a space in all of it's glory. Turn your playroom into an office by adding a fresh coat of paint, desk, and chair. Help your buyers envision what the space COULD look like.
4. is it broken? fix it!
Again, this seems like an obvious step but in many cases, as Erica points out: door knobs, light bulbs, holes in walls, etc often go without mending. And why? Because it's inconvenient for you to fix? You want to showcase your home and display it at it's best. Show those small fixes some attention. It will all be worth the time when that offer comes in!
5. Making your house a home
In this final step, Erica outlines 5 simple ways you can create a warm and cozy feel for your potential buyers during an open house or showing:
- Add fresh flowers to your main living spaces
- Add a delightful scent (she recommends lighting a candle that smells like freshly baked cookies in your kitchen)
- Welcome your buyers by adding a cozy throw to your couch or bed; make it comforting
- Open up the blinds and curtains to each room to optimize each space in your home with natural light
- Play light background music to set a laid back, relaxed mood
Photo Credit: Designing Vibes
If you liked what Erica had to say on home staging you are going to want to visit her website to see what else she's got going on! Trust me...she is super fun to follow! From home staging tips, to DIY room makeovers this woman is one to watch! She gives incredibly helpful advice and allows her readers the inside scoop on just where she shops when filling her home with all her beautiful decor.
Also make sure to follow her on her different social media platforms:
