Plenty of storage space is a requirement for most home buyers. That’s why it’s critical to make the storage in your home as attractive as possible when it’s on the market. Too often, homeowners declutter only to stuff everything into the closets. Buyers will look inside your closets and if they appear to be too full, it will be an instant turn-off.
A lack of sufficient storage space can be detrimental to the sale of your home. Even if your closets are big in reality, the wrong presentation of them can have buyers thinking otherwise.
These tips from MHM Professional Staging will help turn your closets into spots that will meet home buyers' storage space requirements. At the end of the post, you'll see my favorite items from Amazon to help you stage your closets.
Home Staging Tips for Closets
1) Thin out what’s in them as much as possible.
The first step to making your closets more attractive to home buyers is to pair down what is in them as much as possible. The more you have in your closets, the less storage space they will appear to have.
You may be thinking, “But if all of that fits in them, doesn’t that mean it has a lot of storage?!” While that may be true, the visual perception will be that they’re small because there is no open space due to all that’s packed inside them. When there is less stored in them, it looks like there is room to spare and thus, a good amount of storage space.
Pack away as much as you can and store it at a family member’s home, a friend’s home or at a temporary storage unit to clear up some space. It’s worth it.
2) Replace clear bins with opaque ones.
Clear bins are great for personal use because you can see what’s inside them at a glance, but that’s the same reason they are bad for home staging. They create a cluttered look that isn’t appealing to buyers. Invest in some inexpensive opaque boxes in a neutral color, like white or beige, and keep things like shoes and accessories stored in them until you move.
3) Make sure all the hangers match.
Mismatched hangers create a disorganized look that interrupts the cleanliness of the space. By simply sticking to one type of hanger, you will create a much more cohesive look in your closet. Wood hangers have the most upscale look to them and can be found at places like IKEA, Walmart or the Dollar Store. If you don’t want to switch out all of them, pick one color (such as white) and match the rest to those.
⭐ For a high-end look sure to appeal to buyers, remove all items other than 3-4 nice-looking, seasonal coats on wooden hangers in the front entry closet.
4) Keep the floors as clear as possible.
Anything that is on the floor of your closet should be put away or stored in boxes that can go on the shelves. You can get a nice shoe organizer that you can hang right on your current shelving or get some opaque boxes like we mentioned to store on the top shelf.
5) Organize the clothes by color.
This is one of our favorite tricks because it is so easy and doesn’t cost a dime. Simply shift around the order of your clothes so that they are organized by color. Then, within each color, you can organize them by style. (For example: In the blue section, start with tank tops, then short sleeves, then long sleeves.) It will give your closet a much more cohesive and organized look right away.
6) Install extra lighting to illuminate dark corners.
If the corners of your closet are dark, install some small lights to brighten them up. This will make your closet instantly appear larger and more open. You can pick up some inexpensive push lights that will stick right to the wall and can be taken down before you move. Just make sure you turn them on with the rest of the lights before showings.
Follow these home staging tips and your closets will be ready to impress buyers!
My favorite closet staging props from Amazon:
