Just a bit of staging goes a long way

We think you can. It starts by looking at the empty home and deciding which rooms need the added touch. This townhouse has off white walls and neutral flooring, so we decided to add some things in the kitchen and bathrooms for color and warmth. First, we went to Goodwill. Why buy new, if you can find attractive items that don’t look dated. You can find placemats, dishes, glasses, baskets and nic-nacs that look great. We spent under $35 and made the kitchen feel warmer. We then went to Wal-mart and bought some shower curtains, soap dispensers, towels and kleenex for the bathrooms. A little bit more expensive, but we can leave these items with the home for the new home owner. Just a shower curtain in a bathroom adds so much. All in all, we spent less than $130.

I’ve seen other homes staged with used furniture and old TV’s. I don’t think they add to the look. I’ve seen plant shelves with baskets of artifical plants and fruit that look good. I think the object is to make the house a home, without distracting from the mission of viewing the home for a possible purchase. Plus, adding toilet paper, kleenex, soap, hand towels and leaving the water on will prevent anyone from leaving the bathroom a mess. You know, they use the bathroom if they need.