Where To Save Money
Let's face it, you're going to be brought on by clients who don't have a huge budget. Which means, after paying you for your time and worth, they aren't going to have a lot left over for a bunch of designer furniture pieces. But that's okay! Staging a home is much more than just buying a bunch of high end pieces for it. The simplest touch ups and storing away of junk can make a home look like new. Here are a few money-saving tips you can do to stage a home without dishing thousands on new furniture.
DE-CLUTTER:
One of the easiest and simplest ways to stage a home on a small budget is simply to de-clutter. In a staged property, less is more. Over time, clients tend to have a large abundance of furniture and decor all throughout the house from decades of living there. Have your clients pack up as much of their personal stuff as possible and have it stored away or thrown out. If they are listing their home for sale, this includes any personal pictures.
CLEAN & DEODORIZE:
You'd be surprised how much of a difference a thorough scrubbing will make on a home. Have the home professionally cleaned and make sure to remove any pet or smoke odors. No amount of new furniture will appeal to a client if the house holds onto a terrible odor.
REFRESH & REPAIR:
If your client doesn't have a huge budget to buy a whole bunch of furniture, see if some of their budget can go into refreshing the paint in high traffic areas of the home, if not the whole home itself. A new paint job can make an outdated property look like a new build. Be sure to go around the house and make any minor repairs - i.e. replace door knobs and handles, patch holes on walls, replace dead light bulbs, etc.
CLIENT'S FURNITURE:
Sometimes you don't need to buy a whole new set of furniture for your client's home. If they have decent quality furniture, you could use what is already in the home to stage. Take a look at the room and move things around so it makes the room feel new and makes the space more functional and appealing.
DIY DECOR:
You'd be surprised how far some pieces from the dollar store could go. If your clients need some fresh decor to spruce up their space, but don't have much to spend on it, you can help them by going DIY with some of the decor. A lot of table top pieces and art on the wall can be done at home with affordable pieces. We recommend visiting YouTube for great DIY decor tips to help add to your client's property when the time comes. And any extra money from your DIY savings can go back into your own pocket. Don't forget to add the hours to your time that you put into creating the stuff.
Budget-Friendly Stores. When it comes to staging vacant properties that are listed for sale, there’s no need to buy designer couches or expensive tables. You can find accent pieces and even some larger furniture at Big Box or warehouse style stores such as Big Lots, Kmart, Target, Costco and the like. After all, no one will be asking about the couch’s brand if they are house shopping. If your staging is done correctly, where it’s highlighting the home and not stealing the show, the home will be the true center of attention.
Watch for Sales. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to purchase inexpensive furniture in good condition. This includes what you see in shopping flyers, as well as garage sales, estate sales and liquidation sales. As long as the furniture is clean and looks good, there’s no reason why you can’t buy secondhand.
Scour the Classifieds. You’ll be able to find more of the estate and garage sales in the classified ads. That goes for newspaper and online versions of classified ads, too. Sites such as Craigslist. Sometimes you can even find ads from people who are just trying to unload their old furniture after having just bought new ones. Don't forget to check local "for sale" Facebook groups, those can be a goldmine for great quality furniture at a low price.
Auctions. There are a variety of places where one can bid on furniture and come away with cheap home staging inventory. Auctions are often held by city and county governments and sometimes law enforcement. EBay is a popular auction site where one can purchase furniture. Finally, there are auction houses to be found in many communities - you’re sure to find one near you.
Fake It. It's not really necessary to have fully functioning beds throughout a four bedroom home. Grab a couple of double-high air mattresses, add bedding, night stands and lamps and you have a full bedroom set-up. Of course, this scenario only works in listings for sale. If your client lives in the home you’re staging, stick some real beds in there.