Michelle Molina

I have a Closet Checklist as well.... If I can find my actual file, I'll post it. But, in a nutshell, I highly recommend this list for MASTER Bedroom Closets.

I encourage Home Sellers to:

• Pack away anything they have not used in 4 months
• Donate or give away items they have not used in a year.
• Consider buying inexpensive hat boxes and coordinating baskets for accessories to add a little drama
• Consider buying wood hangers or matching hangers
• Organize shoes preferably on a rack on the floor
• Make sure each item is facing the SAME direction
• Leave some empty shelf space

One of my favorite tips, take a designer shopping bag from a popular store and fill with tissue. Place the shopping bag on a shelf. Closet space is especially important to women and it can be a deal breaker. Remember the importance of creating "emotional connection points". Women will see the designer shopping bag and think "Oh, I like to shop at that store!" or "I'd LOVE to shop at that store!" followed by ..."I can see my clothes in this closet."

Home Seller Open House Check List

As your Professional Home Stager, I want to go over a few things to do before you show the house. This will make the most out of your potential buyer traffic and appeal to all of their senses while creating "Emotional Connection Points" for them to respond to throughout your home.

Curb Appeal

Park cars down the street and away from driveway and front of house in order to give buyers clear picture of home

Remove any front lawn debris, toys, trashcans, pet debris etc.

Garage doors down

Lay out "Emotional Connection Points" we have prepared: i.e. bench with pillows or bistro table with settings

Interior

Quickly go through home and pick up any extraneous items i.e. toys, clothes

Turn ON every light in the home and light candles (only in safe areas when you know your Realtor will be around)

Open all blinds and window coverings for maximum light (unless there are privacy or view issues)

Spray and wipe bathroom and kitchen counters

Quick vacuum high traffic areas (if time)

Fluff couch pillows, place throw strategically, organize coffee table

Close TV cabinet doors

Turn on interior lights in china cabinet or shelves

Set out dress towels in bathroom

Toilet seats down

Fluff beds and pillows in all bedrooms

Keep music on low

Always have fresh flowers on hand during home selling months and place them through out home (particularly in bathrooms and bedrooms)

Bake chocolate chip cookies in oven and give to guests along with a pitcher of lemonade on tray or coffee brewing on a tray

Ideally have windows open but make sure the home is comfortable temperature

All doors in house should be open as far as they can go EXCEPT closet doors (unless walk in)

Set out "Emotional Connection Points" in each room; ie set out kitchen place settings, bed tray, patio trays etc.

Remove any pet dishes, litter boxes completely

Empty all garbage cans (especially in kitchen)

Dear Realtors:

Every Friday, I offer free advice on local listings in Midlothian and Chesterfield, VA areas. Based on your online photos, I put on my most critical Buyers Eyes and offer advice on ways to make your listings pop out and make better first impressions. I dissect each photo and offer helpful tips to make rooms look more appealing to most potential Home Buyers who begin their search online. It is a beauty contest out there and I want to make sure your listings stand out among the rest.

There are 4 things that I do in every home that I stage to prepare for re-sale, no matter what type of home - large or small - that I am staging. And now I am going to share them with you.

My 4 Favorite Home Staging Techniques

1. De-personalize - I know, I know, you have heard it before, but this is huge. You might be surprised, but when someone walks into your home and they are considering purchasing it, when they see a great picture of your grandchild or a family portrait, now they start thinking about YOU. They say what a beautiful baby or I wonder when this family picture was taken.... And they are thinking about YOU and not about THEM living in this house. People get distracted very easily - you want people to be thinking about THEM, not YOU.

2. Neutralize the Color Scheme - Did you know that next to scent people react most strongly to color? That means your love of bright orange, green and yellow doesn't necessarily transfer to the person who might want to purchase your home. Neutral earth tones are calming and often serene - so before putting your house on the market, consider an inside paint job.

3. "Edit" Your Rooms - Yes, everyone wants their rooms to feel bigger. How do you make that happen? By reducing the number of items in your rooms. That doesn't mean remove everything. In fact, people have a hard time imagining what will fit in a room if there isn't something there to give them a sense of space. But you want to reduce items to a bare minimum, with plenty of space for the eye to rest. This visual space will help enhance the size of your room.

4. De-Odorize - Did you see it mentioned above? The number one sense that people react to most strongly is scent. So just like a neutral color palette, you are looking for a neutral scent in your home. Try to minimize doing any cooking that leaves distinct odors, such as the cooking of bacon or fish. And using a product like Oust that kills odor producing bacteria and has flavors like fresh cotton will help "clean" your air without crossing the line into perfume.... which is a strong scent that can also gain a negative reaction.

Following these 4 tips will get you well on your way to staging your home.. And don't forget, when you need help, I'm just a phone call or email away! And let me know if you'd like to sign up to receive my monthly e-newsletter! I also accept articles from local Realtors for my newsletters which is a great way to advertise your service and expertise.

Michelle Molina
ReDesigned To Shine, LLC.

phone: (804) 572-0882 or email: michelle@redesignedtoshine.com