Usually, potential buyers start with the front yard and look at the living room, dining room, and kitchen before they get to the bedrooms. By the time the the potential buyer walks into the bedroom their emotional reaction to the house is established. They may love the house. Or they may like the house and be on the lookout for reasons to fall in love. In either of those cases, the bedrooms, the places where so much private living happens, can clinch or lose the deal. On the other hand, the buyer may have the feeling this is not the house for them. In that case, the bedrooms can still impress them, can put the house on their short list of houses to revisit and reconsider if they do not quickly find the house that can be their home. It is very rare for a potential buyer to feel completely neutral about the house when they reach the bedrooms.
Obviously, we want to clinch the deal or make the short list.
The bedrooms are Staged at this point. We are cleaning them.
Top to bottom; ceiling, walls, and floors, just like before.
And just like before, clean under all furniture. Banish dust bunnies and make sure, when they sneak back under the bed they are quickly removed.
Vacuum soft surfaces like chairs or sofas. Polish hard surfaces like end tables, dressers, and armoires.
When we Staged the room, we may have replaced the bedspread. We may have added throw pillows, tossed a decorative throw on the foot of the bed, or placed a tray and coffee cup vignette on the bed.
Make the bed and Stage it with the throw pillows and/or throw and/or tray very soon after you get up every day. Take pride in the way you make the bed. Tuck the sheets in tightly, get rid of all droops. If there is a dust ruffle, keep it even to the floor and around the bed. Pull the bedspread or comforter so the mattress is completely, evenly covered and so no deep wrinkles mar the surface of the bed. Position the pillows, throw pillows, and decorative throws with pride - they are the bedroom's jewelry.
If the bed is in use, the sheets and pillow cases are picking up organic debris. Over time, this does begin to smell but, but you may be acclimated and not notice the odor. Wash the sheets and pillow cases on a regular basis. Use a furniture brush to remove dust from the dust ruffle.
If the regular cleaning schedule is close, wash sheets and pillow cases just before an Open House.
Before an Open House run the bedspread, the throw pillows, and the throw through a dryer cycle with a fabric sheet. This plumps and refreshes them so they look their very best.
Pick up every day. The only things that should be out when potential buyers visit are the things we put there for Staging.
We are getting close my friends. Tomorrow we will finish cleaning this house!
Does anyone have a Staging topic they would like to see addressed? Please add a comment or send me an email.
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