When you put your home on the market, it’s important to set the stage for a buyer to see themselves living there. You want people to fall in love with the house. Like going on a first date, you want everything to look its best. Staged homes often sell quicker and for more money than homes that look lived in. The way you live in your home and the way you market it to sell are two different things.
1. Stand in the doorway and look at each room
Try to see it from a buyer’s perspective. Where does the eye go?
2. Make sure every room is set up for its purpose
If you’ve been using the dining room as an office, replace it with a dining room table and take out any office equipment or desks in that area.
3. Declutter
Remove family pictures and knick-knacks. You’re going to be moving anyway, think of this as a head start to packing. Remember, you’re selling space. Take down any mirrors, remove lamps, clear everything off of your kitchen counter.
4. Take out some of the furniture
When we live in our homes, we tend to have more furniture, but when selling your home, you want to keep the room spacious. Decide which furniture to remove and what to keep. Rearrange the furniture that stays. We want to fine-tune the decor and re-accessorize so that each room has a better flow to sell the space.
In the bedrooms, you want to see the bed as a staging point in the doorway as you look into the room. You may need to flip the bed around and remove a dresser for a spacious feel.
Bottom Line
The investment in staging your home is less than a price reduction on your home. Clutter eats equity.
Chrysti Tovani is a Fair Oaks Real Estate Advisor, Transition Specialist, and the author of Downsizing with Intention. She helps homeowners sell long held homes, downsize with clarity, and navigate major life transitions with confidence and strategic guidance.
With decades of experience in real estate, mortgage, and title, Chrysti brings deep industry knowledge and thoughtful preparation to every transaction. Her approach blends strategic home marketing, skilled negotiation, and emotional intelligence, ensuring that each move is handled with both precision and care.
As the founder of I Love Fair Oaks, a hyperlocal media platform highlighting trusted businesses and community life in Fair Oaks, California, Chrysti has built an integrated authority ecosystem that connects real estate expertise with community leadership.
Her work centers on clarity, visibility, and long term legacy, helping clients move forward with confidence while strengthening the community she serves.
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