Interior Design Tips to Sell Your Home

It's all about the presentation of your house

As a student in the Interior Design program, I learned about various aspects of the Interior Design process: space planning and color coordinating, as well as a variety of materials and finishes. To sell your home, however, you do not need to be an experienced Interior Design professional. 

All you need to do is follow a few simple steps for sprucing it up. 

1. Keep your home clean

Keep it clean - a potential buyer does not want to see your everyday lived-in mess. Yes, this means picking up after yourself in the mornings and before you go to bed. De-clutter the house by throwing out what you no longer need, or try selling it in a garage sale. Clean up the kids' toys and store them in baskets. Keep everything else in storage totes for the time being. 

2. Replace damaged materials

You will also want to get rid of any spots and stains. Tear out the carpet and replace it with wood or laminate floors. Tile is another option for kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, and laundry rooms. This will give the home a cleaner and more open feel. A cheap way to clean up the walls, rather than by scrubbing the stains out, is to repaint them in neutral colors. Keep the colors interesting to attract buyers, but not too wild, because that could drive them away. 

3. Replace outdated home furnishings

Replace outdated appliances. Also, worn cabinets should either be replaced or refinished to give the kitchen a newly remodeled look. The kitchen is often the most important room on a potential buyer's wish list. A buyer does not want to walk into a kitchen only to see a remodeling project in the future. This may be a little extra money spent now but, in the long term, it will mean more money in your pocket. 

Where to save - and where to splurge - on your kitchen remodel

4. Stage the rooms to sell

Living areas should not be cluttered with furniture. Take out what you seldom use and arrange the remaining furniture in a way that is easy to maneuver around. Add colorful decorations to end tables - sparingly, of course - to give the room an interesting appeal. 

5. Create curb appeal

Finally - and no, this is not part of the Interior Design, but it will help to sell your house - it is all about the curb appeal. Mow the lawn, trim weeds from flower beds, and keep toys off the yard. Clean the windows and give the house a fresh coat of paint if it is starting to look shabby. 

In order to sell a home, it should be in good condition and it should be able to attract a variety of potential buyers. By following these tips, you will be able to get the most out of selling your home in today's market. 

Note: This article was previously published at Yahoo! Voices and the rights reverted back to the author when the site closed.

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