How do I stage my house to sell?

Stage in this order: clean, declutter, repair, depersonalize, then arrange. Most of the payoff comes from making each room look bright, spacious and cared for, and that takes elbow grease more than money. Photograph the house when it is ready, because most buyers meet it online first.

Start with the outside and the front door

Buyers decide quickly, so the first thing they meet matters. Sweep the walk, trim anything that crowds the entry, clean the front door and hardware, and make sure the house number and doorbell work. Inside the door, clear the entry of shoes, coats and bags so the first view is open floor.

Clean harder than you normally would

Staging only works on a clean house. Wash windows, wipe light switches and door frames, and scrub grout, sinks and tubs until they look new. Virginia Cooperative Extension's method is to scrape and rinse off stuck-on dirt, then wash with water and soap or detergent and rinse with clean water, before deciding whether a surface needs a sanitizer or disinfectant.^[1] Kitchens and bathrooms get the most attention, and the oven and refrigerator are worth opening up for a look.

Deal with odors rather than covering them. Find the cause, such as a pet area, a damp bath mat or a full trash can, and fix it. Heavy air fresheners tend to make buyers suspicious.

Declutter and depersonalize

Pack up about half of what is on your shelves, counters and tables before the first photo. Clear the kitchen counters down to one or two items, empty the top of the refrigerator, and take family photos, collections and personal papers off display. The goal is for a buyer to picture their own things there.

Closets and storage count too. Buyers open them, and a closet that is half empty reads as roomy. Move the extra boxes to a storage unit or a tidy corner of the garage, rather than stuffing them in a closet.

Make small repairs

A buyer sees every dripping faucet, cracked outlet cover and scuffed wall as evidence of how the house was kept. Tighten loose handles, replace burnt-out bulbs, patch nail holes and touch up chipped paint. Match bulbs in each fixture so the rooms light evenly.

A word on paint: neutral colors photograph well and let buyers imagine their own furniture. If the house was built before 1978, it may have lead-based paint, and EPA says that any renovation, repair, or painting (RRP) project in a pre-1978 home that has lead-based paint can easily create dangerous lead dust.^[2] EPA says the RRP Rule generally "does not apply to homeowners doing RRP projects in their own home", but that it does apply if you rent all or part of your home.^[2] If you are repainting an older home, find out its age first.

Arrange the rooms

• Furniture: pull sofas and chairs away from the walls a little, keep a clear path through each room and use fewer, larger pieces. Store extra furniture so each room has an obvious purpose.
• Light: open blinds and curtains for showings and photographs, and turn on every lamp and ceiling light. A bright room looks larger.
• Walls and floors: hang a few pieces of art, and use one large mirror where a wall looks flat. Leave a floor bare rather than covered with several small rugs.
• Finishing touches: fresh towels, a bowl of fruit or a plant give a room life without clutter.

Check the safety details

The U.S. Fire Administration advises you to put smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area, and on every level of the home.^[3] Check that yours are there and working. It also says to test the alarm monthly and to replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.^[3]

Staging also does not change what you must tell a buyer. Under the Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act, the owner of the residential real property shall furnish to a purchaser a residential property disclosure statement.^[4] Ask your listing agent to walk you through it before you list, and do not stage over a known problem you would have to disclose.

Stop and call a pro if

• You find water damage, signs of mold, or a roof leak. Fix the cause properly, and do not cover it with decor.
• A repair involves wiring, gas or plumbing behind a wall. Staging is not the moment for do-it-yourself work on those; hire a licensed contractor.
• The house was built before 1978 and you plan to sand or scrape paint. EPA recommends homeowners hire a lead-safe certified contractor for a project in a pre-1978 home.^[2]
• You are unsure what you must disclose. Ask your listing agent or a Virginia real estate attorney.

Getting help in Virginia

If the cleaning is more than you can do yourself, see what deep cleaning costs in Virginia. Browse more interiors answers or interiors services.

When you want help with painting, repairs or a deep clean before you list, describe the job and local businesses quote it.