GENERAL STAGING – TOP 20 THINGS TO DO:
1. Turn all overhead, fan lights and side lamps Lights ON
2. Replace burned out light bulbs, including oven hood lights, and use
bulbs of the same temperature
3. Turn Fan blade spin OFF, TVs OFF and computer screens OFF
4. Remove cars from driveway
5. Put away toys, clutter, stacks of paper to closets or inside the garage
6. Remove all refrigerator magnets
7. Remove small kitchen appliances, food or cooking ware on counters and hide Paper Towel
Rolls
8. Hide ALL trash cans
9. Remove child safety fences from pool area
10. Remove floor mats and small rugs to reveal actual flooring
11. Open blinds/window treatments to let in outside light
12. Remove personal photographs (or replace with general landscape/object photographs)
13. Make all beds
14. Place all shoes/jackets in closets
15. Hide toothbrushes, medications and personal hygiene products in bathrooms
16. Put away shampoo/soap from shower view
17. Remove Tissue boxes
18. Remove pedestal fans
19. Remove branded products from view (such as in kitchen, atop fridge)
20. Trim trees, bushes and landscape for best front and back views
Detailed Tips for Homeowners
Selling your home is like selling a product – it must be marketed correctly to reach a specific
buyer. Although your furnishings and decor are great for your lifestyle, it’s important to optimize
your home for the future buyer.
When the photographer arrives please try to have every available light on (including lamps).
Turn all ceilings fans off.
Exterior Front
• Close garage doors
• Pressure wash exterior as needed
• Trim low hanging tree branches as may block front shots
• Remove cars from driveway and front of home
• Clean up landscaping (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves)
• Remove empty planters
• Use broom to remove cobwebs from eaves and door frames
• Remove visible water hoses
• Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
Exterior Backyard and Pool
• Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions
• Pillows/cushions should be fresh, not faded
• Clear out kid’s toys, balls, frisbees, etc
• Clean pet waste
• Remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose and cleaning supplies
• Turn on pool fountains/water features
• Remove visible water hoses
• Remove trash cans
• Trim low hanging tree branches
Kitchen
• Clear countertops completely. No knife blocks, baking supplies, mail
• Leave out only one or two small appliances (ex. coffee maker)
• Clear outside of refrigerator of magnets, papers, photos, etc.
• Hide garbage cans in pantry or closet
• Remove dishes from sink, place in dishwasher
• Remove dish towels from appliance handles
• Remove floor mats on kitchen floor: If the color of a floor mat is in
stark contrast to the flooring, it draws the viewer’s eye to the mat instead of the features in the
room. They also hide the natural beauty of certain types of flooring materials.
• Clean appliances – streak free
Dining Room Table
• Clear table of clutter
• Use decorative place settings if available
• Feature one center piece such as a bouquet of flowers or bowl
• Straighten all chairs and space them evenly
• Remove child seats/booster chairs
Living Room
• Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
• De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth (no more than 5 items, including
art)
• Clean interior of fireplace
• Fluff and arrange furniture pillows, add bright pillows
• Remove kid’s toys
Master Bedroom
• Make bed, including decorative pillows/shams if available
• Press bed linens and bed skirts
• Clear nightstands of all personal items
• Store away phone/tablet charging cables
• Remove all clutter from top of dressers
• Remove family photos from walls• Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
Guest/Kids Bedroom
• Remove personalized names from walls
• Remove wall stickers/posters
• Remove diaper genies and kid’s toys
• Clean under bed, removing items that may show in the photos
Bathrooms
• Clear countertops completely. No soap, toothbrushes, medications, deodorant, makeup, jewelry, etc.
• Put toilet seats down
• Close closet doors
• Remove/hide shampoo, soap, loofahs, etc. from showers and tubs
• Remove dirty towels – leave out only new, unused towels
• Remove floor mats and bath robes
• Hide Trash Bins, Tissue boxes
Pets
• Place food and water bowls in pantry or closet
• Place pet beds/toys in pantry or closet
• Use lint roller on furniture to remove pet hair
• Contain pets in hidden crate or outside
• Clear back yard of pet waste/toys