When staging your home for sale, don’t forget about the garage, basement, utility room, laundry room shed, or closets. While it’s tempting to stuff things into these areas to make the main living spaces look their best, it’s not a good idea. Messy storage areas make buyers think you don’t have enough storage. If possible, try to rent a storage unit until you get your house sold. If you can’t swing it, organize these spaces so that they look neat and efficient.
One way to do so quickly and cheaply is to pick up covered storage bins at your favorite store. Hard, plastic ones are generally inexpensive and can be stacked on top of each other. Wal-Mart and similar stores offer the 18-20 gallon size with lid for under $5.00 each. You can find a better selection of colors at other stores for a dollar or two more.
So, if you’re going to stuff your stuff somewhere, stuff it into closed containers so it isn’t an eyesore. Another simple method is to put up some shelves and organize various items or crates and baskets on the shelf. Just don’t leave piles of stuff on the floor.
Make sure these areas are dusted and mopped or vacuumed. Clean any windows. If any of these out of the way spaces look a little dark or dingy, brighten them up with a fresh coat of paint.
While these changes may add more to your “to do list” and perhaps a few more dollars to your budget, they will be well worth the cost and effort. Making sure every inch of your home is ready for new buyers to move right in is important. If there is a comparable home in your area for sale, touches like these may well make the difference in which house a buyer chooses.
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