House staging tips for an open house

These House staging tips for an open house are specifically designed to remind you of the things NOT to forget before an Agents' Caravan, an Open House or any scheduled visits of the property. We understand that it's hard to keep the house looking perfect all the time, when you're living there, so we suggest keeping a list of these House staging tips nearby, so you can run through it quickly when needed.

• Open the windows - you need to air the place out. Whether it's cooking, humidity, pets or just stale air in the winter time, the visitors will notice - so let the fresh air in!

• Open the blinds/shutters/curtains - it will make a huge difference in the way the house looks, especially in the daytime. Each room will look brighter, more spacious and more inviting and, if you have a nice view from a window, show it off.

• Turn all the lights on and add more lights where needed. You should have general lighting in each room (ceiling spot lights or track), accent lighting (floor or table lamps) and some task lighting as well, if warranted (in a plant, under kitchen counters, in a bookcase, etc). You can not have too much light!

• New and clean bathroom mat, towels and curtain are a must. Check your bed spread and decide whether a new one would make the room look more appealing, and if so, buy one. You will take all these new accessories with you to you new home. Please, make sure all beds are made before each visit and the bathroom is clean (no wet towels hanging around or hair in the sink and we'll NOT mention some other things that should be obvious....)

• If you have a pet, a good idea is to take it out of the house for Open Houses or visits, whenever possible. And put away their litter, food bowl and any other accessories/toys. Not everyone likes pets and they might be turned off by the smells ot even just the idea of an animal in the house.

• Finally, for the Open Houses ar any scheduled visits, you should put some fresh flowers in a vase, some fruits in a nice bowl and turn the radio to a soft, preferably classical music station, so the visitors feel warm, comfortable and welcome. In the winter, do not forget to set the temperature to an appropriate level (even in an empty house) and if you have a fireplace, light it up.

These House staging tips should be discussed with your realtor, if you have one, as a good realtor will do that for you, as part of his/her services. Home Staging Montreal (HSM) offers a "Open House Readiness" package as part of our services as well.


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