The Ultimate Guide to Home Staging

When you’re selling your home, you want it to look its absolute best for potential buyers. That’s where home staging comes in. Read our guide to home staging — learn what not to do, how to stage room by room, how to do it on the budget, whether it’s worth it to hire a professional home stager, and loads more!

What is home staging?

You’ve seen gorgeous images of impeccably decorated homes in magazines, on TV and on social media. They inspire envy, or maybe just inspire — and they are all staged. Home staging brings out your home’s most impressive assets so that the maximum number of potential buyers can imagine themselves living in it. Home staging is a marketing strategy (with a dash of psychology). It’s adding and rearranging furniture and decor. It’s upgrading curb appeal. It’s doing whatever is necessary to dress up a house so it sells quickly and for the highest possible profit.

By minimizing the house’s flaws and highlighting its best features you are “packaging” your house in the most appealing way that would lead to more interest, higher offers and quicker sales. Home staging, if done right, creates a relaxing and inviting atmosphere, where potential buyers would want to linger. A well-staged home will draw the buyers to online listings and showings, and, hopefully, will end in generous offers.

Why is home staging important?
What are your home staging options?
How much does home staging cost?
Home staging process
How can I stage my house for cheap?
How do you stage a house for pictures?
Top 12 Home Staging Tips
What should you NOT do when staging a house?
Home staging FAQ

The psychology behind home staging

A lot of effort goes into buying a home. Buyers look at countless home listings and make split-second decisions whether to move on or to see it in person. For your home to stand out, it has to feel like home to a potential buyer. Of course, all practical details come into play, but allowing a buyer to develop an emotional attachment to the house also has a big role. Home staging is an art, but also a science. A prospective buyer should be able to visualize how he or she would personalize their new home, so the stage you set should be neutral yet feel personal. Visualization is a key concept in home staging. If buyers can see themselves living there, they will develop a personal connection to the home and will feel good about investing in it.

Why is home staging important?

According to the 2021 Profile of Home Staging by the National Association of REALTORS (NAR), 82 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. And consider these numbers that demonstrate home staging is a common and effective industry practice that professionals feel confident spending money on:

Staging the living room was found to be very important for buyers (46 percent), followed by staging the master bedroom (43 percent), and staging the kitchen (35 percent).
Among buyers’ agents, having photos (83 percent), videos (74 percent) and virtual tours (73 percent) available for their listings was more important since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
23 percent of buyer’s agents said 23 percent of sellers’ agents reported that staging a home increased the dollar value offered by between one and five percent, compared to other similar homes on the market that are not staged.
31 percent of sellers’ agents said they staged all sellers’ homes prior to listing them for sale.
49 percent of sellers’ agents used a staging service.
The most common rooms that were staged included the living room (90 percent), kitchen (80 percent), master bedroom (78 percent) and dining room (69 percent).
The median dollar value spent when using a staging service was $1,500, compared to $300 when the sellers’ agent personally staged the home.

To emphasize, the three key benefits of staging a home are:

Staging helps a prospective buyer visualize living in the home
Staging can increase the amount of the offer
Staging can lead to the house spending less time on the market

With so much to gain, it makes sense for sellers to put time and effort into staging their homes, and, fortunately, many of the best staging tips don’t require spending a lot of money. Whether you’re just getting ready to sell or are trying to add new life to a stagnant listing, take a look at your home staging options and make changes that can help your home sell faster and for more money.

What are your home staging options?

There are three options, but you can also do a combination of all three. When looking to stage your home, you can do it yourself (DIY), get your real estate agent to do it or help you with some of it, or you can hire a professional home stager to do it all for you. Which type of staging is right for you depends on your specific situation and your budget.

How do I stage my house myself?

If you want to save money and have the time and the desire to do what it takes to present your property in the best way, the DIY option is the way to go. The tasks you might need to perform will be a medley of repairs and home design: rearranging furniture, decluttering, removing personal photos and decor, adding new curtains and throw pillows, repainting, touching up the walls, and a whole lot of cleaning. You can also add homey touches like cut flowers and house plants, and make sure your house smells amazing (candles, a diffuser or even a plate of fresh-baked cookies will work). And don’t forget the exterior! We’ll go over these and more tips in detail below.

Can I ask my real estate agent to stage my home?

It’s not your real estate agent’s job to professionally stage your home, but they also want to sell your home, quickly and profitably. Some might provide recommendations or help you find a professional home stager to either do a consultation or provide the home-staging service; others might do more to spruce up the property. Some real estate agents are certified home stagers themselves and can be very helpful (this scenario is not common). There are no cut-and-dry rules when it comes to enlisting the help of your real estate agent in staging your home, just as it’s not a given that you won’t end up footing the bill. It all really depends on your personal circumstances, your budget, and how much work your home needs.

What does a professional home stager do?

If you have the budget for it and want someone else to do the work, opt for a professional staging company. They will have the design and interior decorating experience to do wonders with your home. They will look at your home, inside and outside, evaluate its marketability, and then provide a consultation on what should be done to increase the home’s appeal to the prospective buyers.

A professional home stager often has an inventory of decor, artwork and furniture they can use to stage your home (furniture rentals can come with an extra fee, so ask ahead). They will also rearrange your furniture as needed and help you declutter. They will make the best and more efficient use of your space, showcasing it in the best light. Services can also include painting some exterior surfaces and removing furniture.

If you already have furniture that they can use (that will appeal to most buyers), a home stager will add homey, personal touches to the interior in what’s called soft staging. This means adding neutral and approachable touches like artwork, flowers, decor, throw blankets, and anything that will warm up your home and make it more attractive to the buyers (but not the furniture).

Home staging extends to the house’s exterior and outdoor spaces to improve your home’s curb appeal. This might include painting the front door, adding colorful flowers in window boxes or planting them, pressure washing and cleaning, replacing the mailbox, updating the lighting, and staging such outdoor areas as your deck, patio or pool area.

How much does home staging cost?

According to the price guide Fixr, on average, a homeowner pays $1,000 to $3,000 to have their home staged professionally, but, of course, you can find home staging services for more or less. The average homeowner can expect to pay $1,500 for an initial consultation, a day of staging, and no furniture rental. A simple consultation is around $200. A full-service staging with furniture rentals and redesign costs up to $10,000. HomeAdvisor estimates a typical range of the cost of home staging between $741 and $2,669. An empty house will be more expensive to stage if you add furniture, but you can still stage an empty house without furniture to save some money.

If you are staging the home yourself, consider the costs of paint, repair and cleaning supplies, storage options as you declutter, new furniture, accessories and decor.

Is home staging worth it?

As the numbers show, home staging can add a considerable selling advantage. It can market your home in such a way that you’ll get a higher offer, quicker. Whether it’s worth it in your case? Consider a few factors and then decide:

Your timeline
The total cost of staging
The value home staging could add to your home
What the sellers’ market is like where you live

If you can’t decide on your own, ask your Realtor for suggestions as he or she knows the hyper-local market, or hire a professional stager to pay you a consultation-only visit.

Home staging process

Let’s go room by room, then head outside.

Living room

Remove unnecessary furniture to create more space
If you have dark curtains, replace them with the neutral-colored ones
Update lighting if it’s dim
Put cords and wires out of sight
Open the blinds to let more natural light in
Pull furniture away from the walls
If the walls are painted in a dark color, consider painting them with a lighter neutral color
Remove personal photos and decor
Add warm touches like flowers or attractive decor (vases, throw pillows, candles, coffee table books)
Hang the largest piece of art on your largest wall
Declutter (put away books and magazines, clear surfaces from personal items)

Dining room

Improve lighting (open blinds, hang light-colored curtains, update lighting fixtures)
Declutter
If using table leaves, remove them to make the room look bigger
Add house plants, a bowl of fruit or a flower arrangement
Set the table (only if it adds to the ambiance, not distracts from it)

Bedroom

Change the bedding so it’s fresh
Add pillow and throw blankets
Remove personal items
Declutter the closets and bookshelves
Pull the bed away from the walls
In the closet, organize clothes on the hangers. Don’t overcrowd, and try to use the same kind of hanger.

Kitchen

Clean the refrigerator inside and out. If you are using it, empty it temporarily or at least organize and declutter.
Clear and clean the counters
Clean the oven
Update or repaint cabinets if they’re dated
Clean or remove appliances (toaster, coffee maker, kettle)
Replace old hardware, knobs or faucet
Declutter the cabinets
Fix any leaks

Bathroom

Fix any leaks
Recaulk if necessary
Replace the faucets and a shower head if they’re old
Paint or stain the cabinets if they’re dated
Hang new, clean towels in a neutral color
Provide new soap in an attractive container
Clear the area around the sink (remove personal items like toothbrushes)
Organize and declutter any drawers, cupboards or closets
Empty or put away the wastebasket
Clean the mirrors, the toilet, the floor, the shower or the tub
Clean or replace the shower curtain
Keep the toilet seat down

Hallway/Entryway

Clean the floor/shampoo if you have carpet
Replace a welcome mat if needed
Paint the front door if needed
Fix the front door if squeaky
Consider adding house numbers
Replace the mailbox if needed
Declutter the coat rack, shoe rack and closets

Outside/Curb appeal

Trim the trees and the bushes
Mow your lawn
Remove dead leaves
Clean gutters
Add flower boxes or potted plants or plant flowers
Cover any bare spots with plants
If it’s the holiday season, add some seasonal decorations like a tasteful pumpkin, a wreath or a few attractive decorations
Pressure wash the deck, the patio, the pool area and the exterior of the house
Touch up/repaint the exterior of the house if necessary
Fix cracks in the sidewalks
Add sealant to your blacktop driveway
Clear away any debris
Declutter (put away tools, toys, pool and grill accessories, rusted and dated outdoor furniture, trash cans)
Replace the mailbox if it’s old
Upgrade lighting fixtures and doorknobs
Accessorize your porch, deck or patio (add attractive furniture and plants, lights, candles, etc.)

Throughout the house

Repaint any bright, bold colors with neutral colors
If you have dark curtains, replace them with the neutral-colored ones
Wash all the windows, inside and outside
Convert “themed” rooms into neutral rooms
Pack away most toys
Clear the surfaces like tables and counters
Fix squeaky doors and loose boards
Replace any missing fixtures
Update lighting
Store away any signs of the pets
Make sure all windows and doors open quietly and easily
Clean ceiling fans
Dust all surfaces
Clean the floors

How can I stage my house for cheap?

Need to DIY home staging on a budget? You can make your home more marketable without breaking the bank. Here are some ways:

This is step one of home staging and it goes a long way. The house should feel like home to the potential buyers, but they should also be able to envision what it would look like without your belongings in it. By decluttering, we mean cleaning out your closets, clearing off your countertops, thinning your shelves, and putting away any personal photographs or decor. You can sell or donate what you don’t need. Or consider renting a storage unit.
Deep clean. Now that you’ve decluttered, time to deep clean the whole house. Wash the windows and floors, shampoo carpets, dust, polish, vacuum, and clean ceiling fans and AC vents. Give your bathroom(s) some extra love. The bathroom(s) should have fresh towels and new soap. All beds in the bedroom(s) need fresh bedding and must be made.
Make the rooms appear bigger. The bigger the rooms seem to a buyer the better. The tricks of the trade include adding mirrors to create more light, opening blinds and curtains, removing rugs and unnecessary furniture, and keeping to a neutral palette for the walls, the furniture and the window coverings.
Repaint and touch up. Speaking of a neutral palette, if your walls are painted in bright colors consider repainting them in neutral colors like grey, beige or pastels. Touch up walls, molding, stairwells and baseboards. Repaint or touch up the kitchen cabinets.
Put away personal decor and photos. Leaving a few up is OK, but if you have a lot throughout the home, potential buyers might perceive it as cluttered and distracting. And this is part of decluttering anyway, as tables, desks and bookshelves should be cleared.
Remove the bad smells and add the good ones. Keep your pet away and put away your pet’s things for the listing photoshoot and the showings. But first, wash their bedding and bowls, and clean the litter box. Some potential buyers might be allergic, others don’t care to imagine their new home full of pet clutter. And a bad smell can be a dealbreaker. Try not to cook anything smelly and air the house thoroughly. Adding fresh flowers to a few rooms can also brighten the home and add some lovely smells. The flowers don’t have to be expensive. Adding candles, diffusers or an air freshener also won’t break the bank.
Borrow decor or furniture (or buy secondhand). Renting furniture and decor can be pricey, so borrow from friends and family, or hit a thrift store.

How do you stage a house for pictures?

The NAR gives this advice:

Think how it will look through the camera. Since you are staging for the camera, find out where the camera will most likely be and go from there.
The camera hates wrinkles and exaggerates them, so use a professional steamer for sheets, pillows and shower curtains.
Harsh sunlight will make the image look blown out, so look for the best time for indirect sunlight. Cloudy days provide good light for photoshoots.
Clean up areas outside the window that can be seen. They shouldn’t draw attention to themselves, especially if they contain debris, trash or clutter.
Limit the color scheme. Pops of colors are great, but neutrals as the prevailing palette will look better.
Think repetition, pattern and rhythm when staging for photographs. These three design elements are to go by and have been found aesthetically pleasing to most.
Don’t overdecorate. The house should appear big and bright in the pictures.
If you want professional-looking images, hire a professional photographer.

Tips on home staging your living room

Since the living room is typically listed first as a room with the most impact when it comes to home staging, let’s spend a few more minutes talking about the living room decor. It’s also one of the largest rooms in the house, and the one with the most foot traffic. Just like with any room in the house, the key is to strike a perfect balance between physical objects and structural features. Furniture, art, decor, plants — all need to live in harmony among the room’s walls.

Look for inspiration. If you’re not hiring a professional home stager, look at what the others are doing with their living rooms in terms of colors and the layout. You can find a wealth of information online — blogs, social media (Instagram and Pinterest are among the most visual platforms), magazines, etc. There are quite a few home stager sites out there with the “before” and “after” images of staged living rooms.

Plan the layout. Create a focal point with a seating arrangement (could be your couch by the fireplace or by the window with a lovely view) and arrange all the other furniture based on where the focal point is. Home staging experts recommend leaving easy-to-navigate pathways and not pushing furniture against the walls. Create conversation spaces a potential buyer will be drawn to and don’t use any furniture that doesn’t match the rest, isn’t comfortable, is damaged or broken, or just seems unnecessary. The largest pieces of furniture should go around the perimeter so it doesn’t create a visual block.

Add texture and colors. As we’ve mentioned, stick to neutrals with pops of color using art and accents (a bright throw pillow or a painting). Cozy and relaxing are the goals. Rugs, especially not the heavy kind, can also add color and texture to your living room. Place one to designate a conversation area or a pathway. Careful though: Too large, and the rug will overwhelm the room, too small, and the room will appear unbalanced.

Are you familiar with the 60-30-10 color rule? For a balanced, well-designed look, 60 percent of the room should be one color (the dominant color), 30 percent a complementary color (the secondary color) and 10 percent an accent color. Also, check out our take on how to choose a color scheme for your home.

Add plants. If you just can’t with the real ones, artificial would do. But the real plants will add a pop of color and some freshness to your living room (and they have health benefits). They don’t have to be fancy — many indoor plants are low maintenance.

Choose art. You might avoid anything controversial, personal or political in a staged living room. Remember, you’re marketing to a mass audience of potential buyers, so choose subtle, attractive, relaxing pieces. Think landscapes, abstracts, nature and still-life. Remove all family photographs except a few. The art you hang should fit within the color scheme of your living room and complement its style.

To find some appropriate pieces, check out local galleries and street festivals, search online marketplaces like Etsy or browse local thrift stores.

Top 12 Home Staging Tips

Not sure where to start? Here are some general recommendations that will make your house more sellable under any circumstances.