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Fresh linens can take 30 years off a home.

By
Home Stager with Chicagoland Home Staging LLC

Home staging is not just for vacant properties. Often occupied properties need a little extra oomph. While some sellers and Realtors believe that secondary bedrooms don't need to have any work done and provide little extra value, the truth is in the before and after photo (and eventual offers). 

Fresh linens can take 30 years off a home. 

When I say pink and green decor, chances are you know that I'm talking about the 80s. Add brass to that and there is nothing more that needs to be said. 

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Not everyone loves flowers. Dated rooms, even when they are secondary rooms, can impact the way a buyer feels about a home. If they feel like the room needs work when all it really needs is a little bit of fresh decor then the seller is selling themselves short. 

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Very little has changed in this room but it now looks decades more stylish. This brings better offers from buyers. If you are still in doubt, let's check out another room in this Naperville home. 

home staging in naperville

This room is large but unimpressive. The furniture placement actually makes it feel crowded despite the large amounts of floor space available. Unforutnately buyers rarely imagine moving the furniture to different locations. They believe that the people who have lived in the home for the past few years know the best placement. 

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Rearranging the furniture expands the space. Adding fresh linens creates a neutral space that any buyer would love. While this furniture is also circa 1985 with modern linens and pops of current colors and patterns it fits right into today's home fashion. Buyers will no longer be turned off by the dated, crowded feel. 

Before deciding that secondary rooms are unimportant be sure to consult with your home staging professional. Proper placement and small changes can have a BIG impact on the bottom line price of your home. 

Posted by

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Margaret Gehr is the principle owner of Chicagoland Home Staging, servicing the greater Chicago area for home staging, redesign, and design projects. We work in both occupied and vacant homes. 

 

Comments (8)

Gerard Gilbers
Higher Authority Markeing - Asheboro, NC
Your Marketing Master

Great point made by the different pictures. The style of the linens definitely made a difference in these rooms. 

Feb 17, 2014 08:47 AM
Debra Landy
StageTwoSell LLC - Horseheads, NY
PA and NY Home Stager

Helpful post.

Thanks

Feb 17, 2014 10:19 AM
Melissa Marro
Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Margaret - I'm always blown away by your before and after photos. The last one may be one of my favorite transformations because even the bedroom furniture looked more modern. 

Feb 17, 2014 10:28 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Margaret- These are the Before and After photos I love to see.  It didn't take much once your expertise was added. 

Feb 17, 2014 11:50 AM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

thanks Gerald & Debra

your to nice melissa but thank you

I hear ya...so simple. thanks for your comments.

Feb 17, 2014 12:13 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Beautiful job bringing both these rooms to date!  Well done!

Feb 18, 2014 07:46 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

You are so right, Margaret!  The investment in fresh, new, updated linens is huge, as you've so wonderfully shown here.  Update the linens and you've updated the look of the home.  It's that simple!

Feb 19, 2014 04:52 AM
Beverly Carlson
Carlson Properties 325-721-2429 - Abilene, TX
Abilene's Staging Realtor

A couple of times in occupied homes I have flipped the floral side over to the underside that was solid and even not meant to be reversible, sure looked better than flowers everywhere.  I am always amazed how powerful getting the bed placed to highlight the space is. 

Feb 19, 2014 01:28 PM