If you've hired a professional for occupied staging, but are still living in your home while it's on the market, how can you keep everything looking just the way it was set up? Especially with children or pets? Here are some tips for making the most out of your occupied staging investment and keeping your property looking its best:
Entryway
Place a decorative basket in your entryway. Use it as a place to store mail and other loose items daily. Move it to a closet during any showings.
Living Room
Unplug and/or hide any unnecessary cords from any gaming consoles, charging devices, TV's, etc. Fold or put away any throw blankets or pillows used for lounging.
Kitchen
Try to keep your meals basic. Don't experiment with new recipes. This will help keep your kitchen cleaner and create less mess to pick up. Avoid pungent spices and foods, and remove garbage and recycling daily. Any small appliances that you need to use, store back in your closet or pantry after use.
Bedrooms
Make your beds every morning, including your throw pillows or blankets. Put away clothes daily - either back in the closet or drawers, or in a laundry basket. Never let your laundry baskets get too full! Do laundry daily or multiple times per week. Any laundry that you do have, store the hamper in a closet or laundry room.
Bathrooms
If your stager put decorative towels or items in your bathroom, don't use them! They are to create an aesthetic for the buyer. Move them if necessary, and put them back out for showings. Any toiletries should be kept to a minimum in small jars or bins. Place them under the sink or in a closet for showings. The same goes for soaps or toiletries in the shower. Always empty your bathroom trash, clean your toilet and put the seat down, and hide toilet bowl brushes and plungers.
Playroom / Toy Room
Designate one place in your home as the playroom for toys, arts & crafts and other activities that you children will use. Make sure no toys or activities are left in any other areas of your house. Get decorative baskets for toy storage and a few larger plastic bins for other clutter that you can store in a basement or attic for showings.
Furniture & Accessories
Take pictures of the set-up of each room after your stager leaves. In the instance that you need to move something around, you'll have an image of exactly how you should place it back. This will serve as a reminder of how each space is set up so there's no issue with returning things to where they belong.
Exterior
This is your buyer's first impression. Always remove cobwebs and sweep your porches, pathways and driveway. Theses areas should be free or leaves and other debris. Windows should always be clean and shades presentable from the outside.
Patio & Gardens
If you have patio furniture, set up the cushions. Remove the cover from your grill. Get rid of or store away any clutter. Before a showing, turn on any outdoor features, such as waterfalls, fire pits, etc. Always water, weed and mow your lawn on a regular basis. Make sure all plants and flowers are maintained, and bushes are manicured.
Pets
Never have your pets in the home during a showing. Bring them out with you or to a friend or family member. Empty any liter boxes daily. If you can hide a liter box in a plastic bin to avoid any smell, you should do so. Store away any pet food or water bowls.
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