Home Staging: Your Outdoor Areas

Leaving a great first impression is key to selling your home in the competitive market of Sydney real estate. Ask any agent and they’ll tell you the importance of curb appeal during open houses and the impact that successfully staged outdoor areas have on buyers.

Ship Shape Homes - Property Styling Northern Beaches - how to home staging your outdoor areas

Here are some tips you can use to help you get your garden looking great:

1. Declutter and Remove Personal Items

If you’ve done home staging before, you’ll know how essential this step is. Put into storage all the gardening equipment, kids toys and anything that looks messy. These things can take up space and make the area seem smaller. Removing all personal items also helps buyers imagine the space as their own, uninterrupted by the personal taste of the current occupants.

2. Lawn maintenance

Make sure you’ve mowed the lawns and kept them well watered, so it looks healthy and green. Use a whipper snipper to get clean edges on your walkways and garden beds. Go around your yard and pull out all the weeds and sticks and rake any dead leaves lying around. Pruning back and trimming trees and shrubs never hurts, as every detail counts.

3. Pressure Wash

It’s a good idea to hire a pressure washer (if you don’t already have one) and give all your hard surfaces a proper clean. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it can make. Concrete and stone collect a lot of dirt over time, so a pressure wash can make them look brand new! Be careful on any painted surfaces, as old paint can be stripped if too much pressure is applied.

4. Furnish

Having a few simple furnishings can help to define your space. Arrange your outdoor furniture in a way that showcases how the area can be used, but don’t over crowd it. A few lawn chairs under an umbrella might be all you need to give off a relaxing atmosphere. If you have the space, consider showing multiple living areas such as a dining area and outdoor kitchen. Whatever you do, make sure the traffic can freely flow through the space.

5. Add Pot Plants

Pot plants are a great way to add life to your garden without having to plant things everywhere. Fill them with flowers to add colour and place them by your front door for an exciting entry way. You can also move them and take them with you when you’ve sold!

6. Landscaping

If you want your garden beds to have that beautifully maintained look, simple things like pebbles or mulch can help bring a cohesive feel. Creating a rock garden in a corner of the yard can be a simple and easy way to add appeal to your house.

7. Touch Ups and Repairs

The outside of the house takes a lot of damage over time. You might not need to paint the whole house, but a fresh coat on any flaking or chipped paint goes a long way. If you’ve got any broken or damaged fixtures, replace or repair them. Walk around your house and look for anything that you might need to fix.

Home styled on the Northern Beacehs by Ship Shape Homes Sydney

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

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Home Staging: Your Bedrooms

The bedrooms are the most personal room in the house, making it one of the most important rooms to stage when going to market. Potential buyers walking into a bedroom should be met with a relaxing space, somewhere they can imagine shedding their worries at the end of the day. When staging a bedroom, the aim is to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.

Ship Shape Homes - Property Styling Northern Beaches - how to home staging your bedrooms

The first step, as with staging any room, is cleaning.

Vacuum the carpets and rugs, mop any tile or hardwood floor and dust down all surfaces. As well as looking clean and tidy, you’ll be removing anything that might cause unpleasant smells. Clean the windows inside and out and make sure your curtains are drawn and dusted. The more natural light your bedroom has, the more open and spacious the room will feel.

The next thing is to declutter and remove all personal items.

You don’t want to be left with an empty room, but the more you can get rid of the better. Leaving a few items on the bedside table such as a lamp or book can be all you need to add that homely feeling. Take out any large items like wardrobes or pet bedding that are taking up space and store them out of the way.

You don’t need to dress up the room with fancy paintings. One or two simple pieces of art can help add all the colour and life necessary. Remove any family photos and knick-knacks that you’ve been collecting over time and put them in storage. You want your potential buyers to walk in and feel as if they’ve entered a luxury hotel suite that’s been kept in pristine condition.

The focal point of the room should be the bed, so make sure it looks immaculate.

Fresh clean linen is a must and sticking to neutral tones will ensure that your house appeals to most people. Putting a few throw cushions on top is a great way to add a bit of colour and texture, or place a blanket at the end of the bed. If you don’t have a headboard, get one. It helps balance the room and is a simple addition that creates a coordinated space.

Property Styled on the Northern Beaches by Ship Shape Homes - Master Bedroom

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

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Home staging: Your Bathroom

When taking a house to market, a lot of homeowners overlook the importance of staging the bathroom. It’s easy to think that most people will open the door, have a quick glance, and move on. The truth is it’s as important as any other room and staging a bathroom successfully can be what leads a buyer to purchasing your property.

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The first and most obvious place to start is with cleaning. Bathrooms build up a lot of nasty stains and marks due to the high humidity, so a deep clean is essential. Clean everything from the walls to the shower head, and don’t just wipe everything down. Thoroughly scrub the toilets, use a de-scaler on the showerhead and get a bathroom cleaning agent that kills mould. Look in every corner and on every shelf and make sure that your bathroom is spotless and shining.

Once you’ve cleaned, you might notice a bit of maintenance is needed.

Things like peeling paint or deteriorating caulk are easily fixed yourself and won’t cost much. You don’t want your potential buyers to think of the money they’ll have to spend fixing the bathroom, so little expenses early on could lead to a much quicker and more profitable sale. If your bathroom is a bit outdated, a fresh coat of paint might be all you need to give those old cabinets new life.

Depersonalising is as important in the bathroom as it is in every other room during house staging. Walking into someone’s messy bathroom with toothbrushes and shavers lying on the bench immediately makes you feel like you’re invading someone’s space. Not exactly what you’re hoping a potential buyer experiences when looking through your house, is it? Put everything you use away in the cabinets to give off the feeling of privacy people expect.

Small accessories add all the décor you need, saving the bathroom from looking completely bare.

Putting a scented candle or floral arrangement on the bench adds class and style to a room without cluttering it. Decorative soaps next to folded handtowels create the feeling of walking into a day spa, putting potential buyers minds at ease. If you’re hanging towels, make sure they’re fresh and clean and are white or neutral colours. Take out the old bathmat too. It’ll make the room look bigger and unused.

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

www.shipshapehomes.com.au

Home Staging: Your Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most frequently used areas of the home, and its condition can have a huge impact when taking your house to market. You want to show potential buyers a beautifully clean space they can make their own, not a kitchen that’s currently in use. It might seem counterintuitive, but staging your kitchen is not about practicality.

Ship Shape Homes - Property Styling Sydney Northern Beaches - on how home staging your kitchen

The number one rule for staging a kitchen is to keep it clean and simple.

It’s a common mistake people make to have as many things as possible out and visible. In fact, the opposite is much more effective. You don’t need to cover all the counters with appliances and décor to show how much you can fit in the space you have.

Declutter your benchtops and put away all appliances except for a few.

A toaster and a kettle side by side might be all you need, especially in a small kitchen where space is already an issue. Make sure everything is put away neatly and you’ve cleaned the cupboards and drawers. Potential buyers will open doors and look at everything, so an untidy and overcrowded space will give the impression your kitchen doesn’t have enough storage.

Clean everything

Wipe down every surface, every tile, the backsplash and all your appliances. Make sure everything looks shiny and new. You should clear your fridge door of magnets and art as these things tend to catch the eye and clutter the room. Empty the dishwasher and clean the oven inside and out to remove any bad smells that might linger. If you can’t hide your garbage bin in a cabinet, take it outside.

Add a few accessories to bring life to the room, but don’t go overboard. A nice indoor pot plant or fresh flowers can add a positive energy and give the kitchen a warmer feeling. Something like a bowl of fruit next to a neatly stacked pile of cookbooks is always an appealing addition.

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Consistency

Keeping a consistent colour palette gives your kitchen a cohesive feel, so try and match everything as much as possible. Remember that you’re trying to appeal to a broad demographic, so take out any personal items or things with busy patterns that might clutter the room. Remove or replace outdated items as a simple and timeless aesthetic is going to interest more people.

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

www.shipshapehomes.com.au

Home Staging: Your Living Room

The living room is the hub of entertainment and social interaction in the house, making it one of the most important rooms buyers look at when inspecting a home. When home staging your living room, the goal is to accent its features and reflect an atmosphere of relaxation that anyone can imagine themselves spending time in.

Before you start home staging, make sure to check our decluttering and organising guide. Once you’ve got that out of the way, it’s time to start styling your living room!

 

Ship Shape Homes - Property Styling on the Northern Beaches - Home staging your living room

Pare down furniture.

A lot of people make the mistake of putting too much furniture in a room. Professional stagers will tell you that this actually makes the room look smaller, giving it a cramped feel. Replace any big items you have with smaller ones to help show off the space. You want buyers to walk in and have freedom to move around, with easy access in and out.

Although it might make the room seem larger, pushing furniture against the walls makes it look like you’re struggling for room and don’t have enough space.

A great way to maximise your space in a small room is with mirrors. One big mirror hanging as the focal point of the room can add depth and give a more open feeling. If you’ve got a dark room, well placed mirrors can help bring in natural light.

Keeping a neutral colour palette is essential when it comes to attracting more buyers.

Walls and furniture should typically be white or light greys, and a fresh coat of paint always goes a long way in improving the condition. Neutral colours look cleaner and tie the room together, while avoiding bright colours means you’re appealing to most people. Add pops of colour to the room by putting throw cushions on the lounge or a nice area rug on the floor. This is also a great way to add patterns and textures if the room is looking a bit bland.

Keep the décor simple and elegant.

You want people who walk in the front door to be able to imagine themselves living there. If they’re looking at knick-knacks and art, it can distract them from seeing the features of the room that you’re trying to accentuate.

This doesn’t mean leaving your room bare, and there are a few easy ways you can create visual interest.

Hang some art on the walls. You want simplicity, so It’s better to have a few big pieces that fill your walls with lots of little frames. House plants are another great way to improve the atmosphere and create a vibrant look in your living room. If you’ve got a coffee table, a few neatly stacked books next to a vase of fresh flowers can look great and make the room smell wonderful too!

Property Styled on the Northern Beaches by Ship Shape Homes in Collaroy - lounge room

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

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Property Styling vs Interior Design – What is the Difference?

Property Styling or Interior Design, which one is right for you...

If you’re having trouble determining the difference between property styling and interior design, you’re not alone. Although they share quite a few similarities, they differ in several areas and cater to different needs. While both employ similar techniques and have knowledge of the same subjects, they serve two different purposes and have separate outcomes.

Property Styling vs Interior Design - What is the difference?

Property Styling

Property styling is the arrangement of a home in a way that presents its features at their full potential. Before it goes on the market for sale. The goal is to sell your house quickly and for maximum profit. Property stylists will style your home so that it showcases the space and highlights the unique and desirable features.

A property stylist has expert knowledge of the industry. They aims to create a look for your home that appeals to a wide range of buyers. Preparing your home in a way that will look attractive in photographs as well as during open houses. Home staging items like furniture and art will be matched with the colour scheme of the house to create a cohesive and appealing environment.

Property styling is all about highlighting the features of a home when selling a property. A property stylist can make sure your house appeals to the widest range of potential buyers.

Interior Design

The purpose of interior design is to create a space tailor made to suit the lifestyle or personalities of the people living in it. It aims to incorporate the personal style preferences of the occupants. To transform it into a place that reflects who they are and how they go about using the space in their home.

An interior designer will understand how you want your home to look and feel. They will use their expertise to style your home in a way that feels personal and suited to you and your interests. Decor is chosen according to the taste of the client, and the layout of furniture is optimised for the lifestyle of the house.

Interior designers can help you take the vision you have for you home and bring it to life. They can bring new energy into a current home. Unlike a property stylist, an interior designer can help turn a recently bought property into a perfect living space.

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

www.shipshapehomes.com.au

Top 10 Tips for Organising Your Home

Need some help with your home organisation? Follow these easy tips to get started on your journey to a clutter free home!

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Top 10 Tips to Help Organise Your Home:

1. Start in one place

It’s much easier to pick a room and finish it than try and do the whole house at once. Start off with a small room if you don’t have much time, or tackle the biggest and messiest room to get it out of the way!

2. Make a to do list

Everything will seem a lot less challenging when you have it all written out in front of you. Write down the things you need to do and cross them off once you’ve completed them.

3. Categorise

Put all your items into categories to help identify what you have. It’ll help when you can see how many of each item you have. Even make a category of all the things you know you’ll be throwing out.

4. Take Inventory

Once you’ve categorised your items, put these items away together. Giving everything a proper home means that next time you go looking for it you know exactly where to find it.

5. Use Labelled Containers

A great way to keep all your items neatly stored and categorised is to use containers. Keeping the same items in the same place makes sense, right?

6. Colour-code

Anything you want to organise can be colour coded, and it’s a helpful way to keep things in order. If you colour code your clothes for example, you know where in your wardrobe everything will be, every time!

7. Accessibility

Make sure you put your most used items in a place that’s easy to get to. The closer to where you will be using them, the better. Similarly, you can put the stuff you don’t use very often in places that might not be as easily accessible.

8. Give Yourself Time

It might take a while to get where you want to be. Allocating time out of your day or making a schedule that works with your to-do list is a great way to help you manage your time.

9. Throw Away Things You Don’t Use

Your house is full of things you don’t use or need. Instead of struggling to find storage space for these things, donate them or throw them out.

10. Use Your Space

A lot of people will try and fit as much as they can in one area. It’s better to look for ways to maximise your space and have all your storage areas neat and tidy. It might seem useful to have everything in one spot, but you could end up having to look through a whole lot of useless stuff until you find what you’re looking for.

Talk to Ship Shape Homes for more information about styling your property in Sydney.

www.shipshapehomes.com.au

What is Decluttering?

You might’ve heard the word decluttering or declutter a lot, but what exactly does it mean?

Well firstly, let’s look at what clutter is. The dictionary defines clutter as “cover or fill (something) with an untidy collection of things”.

Think of your living room right now. Maybe you have a pile of magazines lying around, or kids toys that haven’t been put away. You could have remote controls on the lounge and blankets hanging off chairs.

Does your kitchen have a collection of utensils you thought would come in handy, but you’ve never used? Maybe it’s time to check how many items in your fridge have expired. I’m sure you’ll be surprised at how many things you can throw out.

If this sounds like your house, don’t panic.

Being messy is part of being human, and everyone can relate to a house or room that needs a good declutter.

If you’re planning to do the whole house, it’s best to start off with a small room, like a home office. A lot of the time these rooms build up with mess that you’ve already got a storage solution for, so it can be a good place to begin.

Decluttering and organising your home – tips from Ship Shape Homes

Now clutter can come in many different forms, so the first step is identifying what in your house is a necessity. Separating your items into categories such as most and least used is a good method and can help you discover all the useless things you’ve been hoarding over the years. Decluttering is all about getting rid of unused items that are taking up room in your home and making your storage space as organised as possible.

I know it may be hard to throw stuff out. But think about the last time you wore that jacket, or your kid played with that toy. Can’t remember? Then maybe it’s time to let these things go.

A tidy home is a tidy mind. The more you declutter your home the sooner you’ll feel refreshed and energised.

As you start removing and categorising your items, you’ll be able to narrow down what you need to keep. Once you know what you’re not putting back, you’ll be able to envision how the free space you’ve created could be used. The next step is to organise!

So we’ve got our useful items, and all this free space to put them! Now is when you organise your space to suit your lifestyle and create your desired flow through the house. When you organise, think of what you can do to maximise your space.

You might’ve come across several of the same item in different parts of the house. Such as blankets in one room, sheets in another. Put them all together so you know where everything is when you need them. If you have a lot of books or magazines that you’re keeping, employ a system which allows you to easily find each book when you need it. Organising is all about making your house work for you.

Talk to Ship Shape Homes about how your house can be decluttered or have your property styled for sale in Sydney.

www.shipshapehomes.com.au

What is home staging?

So you're wondering, is Home staging worth it if selling your home...

Yes, the first impressions are the most important thing when it comes to selling your house.

If you want potential buyers to walk into your home with a feeling of welcome and delight, then home staging is essential to ensure just that.

Think of the beautiful photos you see in home magazines and online. Immaculate houses that invite you in immediately. That’s what property styling can do for you.

What exactly is home staging?

Home staging, or property styling as it’s also known is the preparation of a property so that it appeals to the greatest number of people.

This can mean rearranging existing furniture or adding new décor to style the room in a different way. This shows every aspect of your home in its best light. To increase the properties potential to sell for top dollar. Property styling can turn even a dreary looking house into a homely, warm space, full of life and energy.

If you’re selling an empty house, employing a local home staging business is crucial. A lot of buyers won’t see the full potential in a house, so give yourself the best possible chance of a sale with a professional property stylist. They’ll add their expertise and help you sell your house for what it’s worth.

Property Styled on the Northern Beaches by Ship Shape Homes - Master Bedroom

Why do you need home staging?

Standing out in the competitive property market of Sydney is hard.

If you’re worried about your house not selling for its full value and want the advantage over the rest of the market, then property styling can help you get results you’ll be happy with. A survey was recently conducted by LJ Hooker using their top agents. An increase of 7.5% to 12.5% in final sale price could be seen in houses that had been professionally staged. Additionally, the Home Staging Association of UK and Ireland found that 86% of property professionals agree that a staged home sells up to 3 times faster.

If you've got a property in Sydney, then contact Ship Shape Homes for a free consultation and find out how to transform your home for sale.

Home styled by Ship Shape Homes in Mona Vale - Living Room
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