Staging every space in (and outside!) your home is the best way to make it more appealing to the greatest number of buyers. While you hear a lot about the importance of staging your bedrooms, your bathrooms, and your kitchen, no one talks too much about staging the less attractive parts of your house.
So, how should you stage your garage?
Start by Cleaning Clutter
If you’re anything like the rest of us, your garage is probably where all your “extra” stuff goes! It’s home to the bikes and the Christmas decorations and the sporting equipment and everything else that didn’t have a proper home. There are probably even a few boxes in there you haven’t touched in years. It’s time to get rid of the junk! Your garage should only contain what’s absolutely necessary – store whatever you can stand to live without while your house is on the market and what’s left? We’ll get to that next.
Organize the Stuff
For the items you don’t decide to donate or store, you’ll want to get organizing. If you don’t already have an attractive storage solution in your garage (think: cabinetry, matching shelves, peg-boards, etc.), it’s worth the investment to buy what you need. From there, organize all your items by size and use, but be sure you’ve got more storage space than you have stuff. That’s a little trick that stagers use to be sure buyers see your home and think, “See! Look at all this extra room!”
Clean and Clean Some More
Garages get dirty! Carport floors in particular tend to build up with mud and dirt and even oil splotches over time. Pressure washing can help, but often a good old-fashioned scrub brush will do. (Hint: It’s not worth it at this point to pay to have an epoxy floor installed!) Also take care of any cobwebs in the corner, moldy spots where the windows let in moisture, and especially the outside of the garage door. A lot of people forget this part because they leave the door open as they clean.
Move the Car
It’s not magic…showing your garage empty can actually make it look much larger! One of the primary principles of staging is actually that you never want to show an empty house. Rooms without furniture tend to appear smaller than they actually are. Garages are different. Cars take up so much room that without them your garage can shine as a multi-purpose space, not just a closet. Whatever you do, don’t park the car(s) in the driveway…move them down the street or to another off-property place. And if you’ve got one of those tennis balls hanging from a string to show you where to stop? Take it down!
Creative Home Stagers: Charlotte Home Stagers
Creative Home Stagers has been working with Charlotte sellers for years to help them present the best possible versions of their homes. From garages to guest baths to great rooms, we know what Charlotte buyers are looking for!
Staging your home before you hit the market is by far and away your surest past to exceeding your initial investment. Reach out to our accredited team today to learn more about how staging works and how expensive the process can actually be.