What to do with the family pets when you are staging your house?

By Karen F. Cormier, REALTOR/Accredited Staging Professional

Believe me, I know the connection you have with your pets is important but when you are staging a house to sell, it’s not the time to show that relationship.  While you certainly don’t have to hide your family pets, you should try to reduce the impact of your pets on the household.

Before you put your house on the market, you need to deep clean all the carpets, chair and couches used by the pets. Animals can bring in a lot of smells from outdoors and while you might think that “musty dog smell” is comforting, others may not be so fond of it.

Consider putting neutral air fresheners in problem areas, especially near cages and beds.

All large pets (cats, dogs) should be outside when your house is being shown. Sometimes you can get away with having a cat in the house (especially if it is a shy one that will stay away from visitors) but all dogs should be outdoors or in a secure spot. Although I know they are just trying to introduce themselves, to some people there is nothing enchanting about having a dog jump up on you.

All pet food should be organized and tightly covered. Likewise for any other pet supplies like flea and tick sprays, medications, or cleaning supplies. Contain it all and keep it out of sight.

Cover litter trays. No matter how vigilant you are, your cat might need to use the litter tray at the last moment making an unsightly mess. Keep the litter tray in an inconspicuous spot and use a covered “Igloo” like tray if your cat will allow it. Have an air freshener or use deodorized litter to reduce any smells.

Small pets like mice, hamsters, guinea pigs and even reptiles need to be kept in immaculate cages. Always have a supply of fresh bedding on hand to make a quick change before a potential buyer arrives. Also, keep all feed and treats organized in covered, air tight containers preferably out of sight.

Birds will obviously need to stay in a house, but for the showing, consider moving the cage to an inconspicuous spot. Like the small pets, make sure that the cage is immaculate. If you have a larger bird, one that talks, or one that is used to having freedom in the home and may be agitated in a cage, make sure that the potential buyer is well aware of this before they enter the house so as not to be alarmed.

While your house is on the market, try to reduce the impact of your pets on the overall household image. Consider things like putting some of the pictures of them away (for now), only keeping one leash hung up, and containing all toys in a basket.

While no one wants to ignore what to some are clearly dear members of the family, when putting your house on the market, you need to show that yours is a house that includes pets and that it is not a house overrun by them. 

Do you have questions about selling your home or when you should consider embarking on a staging project? Contact Karen F. Cormier, REALTOR & Accredited Staging Professional at 603-620-5002 or at kcormier@kw.com. Visit her staging site at www.kfcormierstagedhomes.com today to get started!

Home Staging on a Budget

By Karen F. Cormier, REALTOR/Accredited Staging Professional

What’s a person to do when money is tight and they want to stage their home as best they can by themselves? The answer is to start by using the basic techniques any proficient home staging professional would use -

Purge

Remove all of the clutter on floors, counters, shelves, and closets (yes people are going to peek inside.)  Pick up toys, make sure books are vertical on the shelves and in the kitchen, try to corral your pots and pans. If you can’t bear to part with your items then get some boxes or tubs and pack it all up. Try to get rid of absolutely everything that you don’t immediately need (including junk mail and magazines that may have piled up in a kitchen corner) and anything that might detract from your house’s potential.

Clean every thing

Clean everything.  Make sure rugs are cleaned and vacuumed and wipe down walls. Clean all appliance surfaces clear of hand-prints and kitchen grime. Get out your duster and take to every shelf and light fixture. In the bathrooms, scrub that grout and wipe down all shower doors and mirrors. Karen believes that if you think its' clean do it again! Also, don’t forget the laundry area, close up and throw away empty bottles and boxes and get rid of those socks that you will never find the mates to. When cleaning use a mild cleaner, but choose one that is guaranteed to leave behind that “clean smell.”

Remove all extra furniture

Over the years, you might be surprised at how much extra furniture you accumulate. Chairs are added for extra company, couches are fit in because they have been replaced but are still too good to get rid of. Using a critical eye, go through each room and remove those extra additions. Again, if you don’t want to part with them, put them in storage, but often you’ll find that the extra furniture that served a purpose in earlier years does nothing more than take up space now.

Bring the Outdoors in

A sunlit open house is a welcome house, get rid of old heavy window treatments and keep curtains open to allow the sun in (this of course assumes that you’ve already washed those windows from the inside and from outside.)  Consider having a few green plants strategically placed in open areas and if the season is right, arrange a few flowers from the garden in a strategically placed vase.

First Appearances

Don’t forget the exterior of your house.  Keep your lawn mowed and raked.  Contain the driveway and outdoor toys and get rid of any that are no longer used or are showing age (sandbox toys in particular come to mind here.)  Make sure that bushes are pruned back and that gardens are tended. Some bright flowers either in a garden or in pots on a porch always make a positive impression. Using these basic home staging techniques, you’ll find that even when on a budge you can still present your home in its very best light for others to view.