Thrift Store Staging at Bargain Prices

By TREP

Thrift Store Home Staging

Thrift store home staging at bargain prices can help sell your home faster and for more money! Home Staging is one strategy that helps your home stand out as well as allow buyers to picture themselves living there.

It doesn’t have to be expensive. With a few tips, you’re home can show it’s best and create urgency with buyers to write an offer now! With the current Seller’s Market, it may not seem like you have to do anything to get offers…

But, what if your home was so beautiful, it caused a bidding/terms war? Now that might be sweet, right? With just a little effort, that can happen!

Planning BEFORE shopping!

It’s imperative to look at your home through the eyes of others. Really look around your home with a critical eye and decide what goes, what stays and what else you might need for your home to be attractive to the largest pool of home buyers.

It’s not about getting a bargain on a lot of stuff but finding the right items to enhance what you already have to appeal to buyers.

Remember, buying a home is an emotional experience. The home that looks ready for them to move in and make their own will appeal to them much more than one they have to make a lot of changes to or have trouble looking past personal decor choices.

The rule of thumb for staging is:

Pack away personal photos. It’s hard for buyers to picture themselves in your home if they are busy looking at personal photos of you, your family and friends. Human nature is to see if you know someone in the photos!
Pack up the collections. No matter the collection (tea pots, statues, cameras, etc…) it is a personal collection that not everyone will appreciate. It can seem like clutter to some and others will get caught up in your collection instead of looking at your home as their potential home.
Clear off counter tops. In kitchen and bathrooms, hide away personal items and small appliances. These items give the impression of not enough storage space and sometimes clutter.
Store extra furniture. More open space makes it easier for buyers to picture their own items in your home.

Remember, you are moving! Getting some of your stuff packed up just puts you ahead in the moving game!

Buyer’s Perspective of your Home

After you remove the personal items, collections and extras, take a look at your home with an unbiased eye.

Thrift stores are known for funky and bizarre items that can call attention to itself. I do LOVE some of the items I have found at thrift stores at bargain prices throughout the years…

However, when staging your home to appeal to the masses, stick with simple shapes and timeless designs.

Good examples of items you can use in home staging include books, smaller furniture or accent pieces, mirrors, artwork, vases, bedding, table lamps, and bookcases (nice ones, not cheap pressed board).

Remember, you want your home’s focal points to stand out and be remembered by the buyers, not a piece of furniture or decor that goes with you!

Here’s some tips for how each room can be staged to be attractive to the largest pool of buyers:

Bedrooms:

In the bedrooms, the bed is the focal point. Nice, neutral bedding with a couple of throw pillows is typically enough for buyers to envision their furniture. In bedrooms, extra furniture and/or toys just makes it look crowded. Pack those away and let the open floor space speak for itself!

Kitchen:

Less is more in a kitchen. Countertops are always scrutinized! The more you can show open space, the better. Store away countertop appliances and replace with a small vase with flowers or a cookbook stand and book.

You can also find dishes at the thrift store to set a table or bar area that makes it inviting! Just set for 2 or 3 even if there is space for more. Shows there is room to grow!

Living Room/Family Room:

Storing excess furniture can make a big statement to buyers. The more open space, the better! Walk through the living and/or family rooms. What are the focal point(s) in the rooms? A focal point is something that is most inviting about that space. These are what you want to be sure that buyer’s notice.

This could be a fireplace, vaulted ceilings, an outdoor view, architectural features like staircases and more!

For instance, is there a fire place? Perfect! Make sure the furniture is arranged to showcase the fireplace and that the mantel is not loaded with knick-knacks. A mirror and a couple of décor items is plenty to show it off!

The focal point allows the eyes to find a place to rest and let the buyer take it all in. It helps the brain process the sense of purpose for the room, organization and spaciousness (or lack there of.)

Shop Your List!

Now that you know what needs to go and what you still need to add to the rooms, it’s time to start shopping!

You can save lots of money on the home decor items at thrift stores, garage sales and even Facebook Marketplace! Top items you can use to enhance but not overpower your homes’ decor include:

Table lamps
Nightstand lamps
Mirrors
Books (for the coffee table or bookshelves)
Bedding (have them professionally cleaned and you still have lots of money rather than buying new)
Small tables and nightstands
Accent chair
Bookcase

Local Stores and Ideas for Thrift Store Home Staging for a Bargain

Thrift stores are great! There are a few more options, too, when staging on a budget. Here’s some links to a lot of them so you can find the ones near you!

Consider:

Have fun!!

Tags: Bargain Prices Home Sellers Home Staging Preparing to Sell Staging Thrift Stores