When you’re selling your golf course home in Scottsdale, your real estate agent will let you know that the kitchen is one of the most important rooms to stage.
But how do you stage a kitchen?
Here’s what you need to know.
15 Kitchen Staging Tips That Will Help You Sell Your Home
You don’t have to hire a professional stager to pull off a great look, although many people find that it’s definitely worth the investment, because staged homes sell for an average of 17 percent more than non-staged homes do.
If you’re more the DIY type, here are 15 kitchen staging tips from the pros:
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Clean, clean, clean
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Update your cabinets
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Add new drawer pulls
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Organize your pantry
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Pack away most small appliances
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Rearrange (and alphabetize) your shelves
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Thin out the contents of your fridge
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Take (almost) everything off the counters
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Set the table or bar
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Upgrade your lighting
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Run citrus fruits through the garbage disposal
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Repaint the walls, if necessary
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Put away cleaning supplies (and use a basket)
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Take everything off the refrigerator’s surface
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Add colorful accessories
Kitchen Staging Tip #1: Clean, clean, clean.
Even if you’re the DIY type, cleaning is one area where it almost always makes sense to hire a professional. A team of pros can whip your kitchen into shape from the floorboards to the ceiling in no time – saving you plenty of effort and time. They know what to look for, and once they’ve finished their work, all you have to do is maintain it while the house is on the market.
For most people, this one-time expense is definitely worth it – and don’t forget, your cleaning crew won’t just do the kitchen. They’ll tackle the bathrooms and other areas, too.
Kitchen Staging Tip #2: Update your cabinets.
If your cabinets don’t need to be updated, just make sure they’re spotlessly clean – on the front, inside the doors and on the shelves. If they do need to be updated, you can either have them refinished or repainted and add new cabinet hardware that looks modern and fresh.
Kitchen Staging Tip #3: Add new drawer pulls.
Drawer pulls that match your cabinet hardware are a must. If you aren’t replacing anything, that’s okay too – just make sure every handle and drawer pull is gleaming.
Kitchen Staging Tip #4: Organize your pantry.
Take out all the bags that are folded over (we’re looking at you, white cheddar popcorn) and either put their contents in clear storage containers or finish them off. (If you have cookies, though, feel free to bring them by our office. We wouldn’t want you to have to eat all those carbs alone.)
Kitchen Staging Tip #5: Pack away most small appliances.
Go through your cabinets and look on your countertop. All the appliances you don’t use on a daily basis need to go while your house is on the market. If the mixer, the smoothie maker (didn’t you buy kale once?) and the waffle iron don’t see a lot of action, pack them up for your next home. You want buyers to see that there’s plenty of room in the cabinets and that the cabinets are easy to keep organized (even if they’re the exact same cabinets that we all have – you know, the big ones with the short shelves on top – and can’t organize with all our own appliances, pots and pans).
All these things will be waiting for you in your next home, so you don’t have to get rid of them – they just can’t stick around while you’re trying to showcase your home’s best features.
Kitchen Staging Tip #6: Rearrange (and alphabetize) your shelves.
Put your spices in A-B-C order. It seems like a small thing, but it’s something that buyers notice – and they’ll know that you’re conscientious, and that impression will follow them throughout the rest of the home. While you’re at it, make sure all your coffee mug handles are facing the same direction. These are little things that pack a big punch with buyers!
Kitchen Staging Tip #7: Thin out the contents of your fridge.
Clean and organize the inside of your refrigerator. Buyers will open the fridge, and you want them to see the same organization they found in the pantry and cabinets.
Kitchen Staging Tip #8: Take (almost) everything off the counters.
Show buyers just how much counter space there is in the kitchen by cleaning everything off the counters. You can leave your knife stand and a bowl of fresh fruit – but other than that, no toasters, no soda makers, and definitely no loaf of bread with the end of the bag twisted beneath it.
Kitchen Staging Tip #9: Set the table or bar.
If there’s room for seating at your bar or your island, put out place settings and make sure the chairs are pushed in. (If you don’t have chairs, invest in some – you can use them in your next home or sell them before you move.)
The main idea of putting out place settings is to show that it can be done – and that it looks great when it is done. You’re selling a lifestyle, not just a house!
Kitchen Staging Tip #10: Upgrade your lighting.
Switch the bulbs to LEDs if they aren’t already, and make sure your fixtures are modern and stylish. If they’re outdated, buyers won’t get the best possible impression of your kitchen.
Pro Tip: If you’ve been thinking about getting smart bulbs, now is a great time. You can invest in LED smart bulbs that dim, change color and perform all kinds of other functions, which will let you create the perfect ambiance in the kitchen when buyers come over.
Kitchen Staging Tip #11: Run citrus fruits through the garbage disposal.
You can clean your garbage disposal thoroughly by packing a handful of ice cubes and a half a lemon inside, then turning it on. (You should do that every couple of weeks anyway – it helps fight off nasty bacteria and keeps the blades sharp, too.) Before buyers come over, run a half a lemon or orange through the garbage disposal by itself. The citrus will serve as a subtle air freshener.
This way, you can avoid cloying scents that don’t appeal to everyone. Your kitchen will smell fresh and clean, but buyers probably won’t be able to place the scent – and that’s exactly what you want when you’re selling a home.
Kitchen Staging Tip #12: Repaint the walls, if necessary.
If your walls look dingy or it’s been a while since they were repainted, think about hiring a pro to come in and freshen things up.
Kitchen Staging Tip #13: Put away cleaning supplies (and use a basket).
Invest in a small basket or bucket that you can use to store all your cleaning supplies beneath your kitchen sink. The best baskets have air holes so nothing gets musty, even if you put away something damp in a hurry.
Kitchen Staging Tip #14: Take everything off the refrigerator’s surface.
Take down all the magnets from your refrigerator – don’t even leave a grocery list up. Buyers want to see that everything in your home is sleek, shiny and streamlined, but “to-do” lists and kids’ art can take away from that.
Kitchen Staging Tip #15: Add colorful accessories.
Hang a fun, brightly colored towel on your oven or put a small vase of flowers in the kitchen windowsill. You want to show buyers that your kitchen is a cheerful place for you – and that it will be for them, too.
You can also spring for a live plant, but only if you have a green thumb – otherwise, it might be wise to steer clear and opt for fresh-cut flowers you can pick up on your way home from work.
Related: Home staging archives
