How to Stage a House to Sell On a Budget

When you are selling a house you simply can’t do it without staging your house and opening it up for potential sellers.

The two go together like braaibroodjies and a braai.

You don’t just want to have an open house; you want to have an amazing open house with appetizers and brochures galore. However, it does cost a lot of money when you start hiring professional home stagers and rent (new) furniture.

Luckily you don’t have to dip into your savings to have a gorgeous open house. Here are a few ways to make your house look great on a budget:

White-out the bathroom

What colour screams ‘pristine!’ better than white?

Hotels often whiten their bathrooms to enforce the idea of neatness and cleanliness so take a tip from them and do it to your own bathroom.

If you are unable to replace the cabinets and sink, then at least replace the towels with fresh white ones. Add to that a white shower curtain, a white bathmat, and even white soap in a white soap dispenser.

It is all about detail in a small room like the bathroom, so don’t slack off.

Update kitchen fixtures

Of course, you don’t have to remodel the entire kitchen – who has the time or money for that?

You don’t even have to replace the cabinets or install new countertops. The solution is a lot cheaper and a lot simpler:

— Have a look at your current kitchen fixtures and see what you can replace. The light fixture might be old and outdated, so you can easily replace that with a cheap one at your local hardware store.
— If your drawer and cabinet handles have that grimy look from years of use, you can replace these as well.

Find them at your local hardware shop or go thrift shopping for unique items.

Flip every switch

Turning the lights on in every room of the house will show prospective buyers that you have nothing to hide and it will also contribute in making the room lighter and brighter.

Forget about trying to ‘create an atmosphere’ – rather focus on highlighting the aspects of the house that you want buyers to see. Remember that you are selling a product.

Try placing floor lamps in dark corners and inexpensive, high-intensity lamps directed at the ceiling. This will also help to make your rooms look bigger.

Replace the art with mirrors

Swop those family photos or heirloom art pieces out for wall mirrors.

Not everyone has the same taste in art and some people might even be turned off by the effect that the paintings are created in a certain room. Don’t run the risk.

Placing one or two mirrors against the wall will serve its decorative purpose, but it will also expand the lighting of the room, making it look bigger.

If you have a beautiful backyard, place the mirrors in such a way that the backyard is reflected in them. This way you have your own little piece of art brought into your home.

Strip the windows

People love light and bright homes, so it is time you take off the curtains.

They might be gorgeous and complement the room, but they also throw some serious shade and make the room look smaller. Leave the sheers, but the drapes have to go.

If you have blinds, put them all the way up. If your blinds are left down and open, it still reduces 50% of the light during the day.

Make sure your windows are super clean, so that the light doesn’t reflect any dust motes or smears.

All-in-all, the above-mentioned tips should be able to seriously give your home that much-needed staging without breaking the bank!