Home staging was once thought to be a fun, DIY project that just about anyone could knock out in an afternoon. Reality has shown us that unless you get a kick out of hauling furniture from room to room, repainting walls, and styling for MLS photos… and then re-styling for a walk-through… Staging might not be your favorite activity.

Fortunately for you, we love it. After spending time in the real estate and home industry, we’ve pinpointed three of the most common mistakes (out of many) that we have to correct in nearly every occupied listing we stage.

Over 80% of home buyers are impacted by staging. According to the National Association of Realtors, most home buyers are emotionally affected by how a listing is staged or whether it is staged at all. Merchandizing in this unique way is key to making higher, more efficient sales.

1. Oversized Furniture

Placing a behemoth sofa in the living room, even if the living room is large, won’t highlight the square footage. Instead, it will diminish the perceived available space.

As a professional stager, we transform larger living spaces by creating multiple seating arrangements, conversation spaces, or moments — if you will — that highlight the versatility of the space. Size doesn’t matter as much as usefulness.

2. Un-staged Outdoor Spaces

With outdoor living and kitchen spaces only growing in importance, they simply can’t be ignored anymore. If you aren’t planning to have the entire home staged, the kitchen, living areas, primary bedroom, at least one children’s room, and ALL outdoor spaces should be staged.

Creating an outdoor living space is completely worth it as this only adds to the potential of the home in the eyes of the buyer.

3. Unnecessary Statement Pieces

Bold, orange walls can make any professional stager cringe, for good reason. Accent walls and statement pieces are highly personal and should be mostly avoided.

I often recommend painting bold walls to a more neutral palette. I might also hide those wild throw pillows and replace them with more neutral, but richly textured alternatives. We want depth, not daring.

Listing a home for sale? Book a staging consultation and we can help you get it ready for listing.

For more staging tips, check out 3 Staging Mistakes That Deter Buyers.

Be an objective critic when assessing the listing. It’s easy to turn a blind eye to wall smudges, dirty trim / baseboards, or chipped paint, but you can’t if you’re trying to sell. Start with a deep clean (hire a company; they’ll do it faster) and an exterior house / window wash.