It’s that time of year when we spend more time outdoors and are drawn to outdoor activities and spaces. Home staging to sell or to attract you or your guests outside requires some sprucing up of the dusty cushions, wiping down of patio furniture, and don’t forget to embrace flower power… plants and flowers need to be fed and watered to stay healthy and alive. They create an invitation to come on outside and enjoy the space. The old patio furniture should be hosed off or cleaned, and cushions given a vinegar and Dawn scrub to bring back their color. Another tip is to purchase pillow covers to refresh or change a color scheme for your 2026 theme and tastes. (Amazon or Wayfair—my favorite this year is sunflower yellow.) Always stage the outside and porch; sitting on the porch or patio in our moderate weather are the reasons people love living in California. It IS a selling point to embellish those areas. Tips for staging if you are selling your home are to empty closets of winter things and leave them half full, creating the illusion that there is lots of storage. Make a “model home” bed, and take a picture so you can remake it every morning. Add ONLY subtle scents, clean, fresh, original or lightly scented, so as not to be a turn-off to those who might be allergic or who don’t like strong scents.
Even though it is light longer—keep lights ON in darker rooms even in the daytime, and change to high-watt light bulbs so that dark spaces fade away. A buyer's “wish” list often includes “light and open and airy spaces”—give them some of those light and bright spaces. Last, but not least, turn ON the air conditioning. Remember this buyer viewing might be their first time in your home. When it’s a sweltering 90–100 outside, you need to have the “ahHHH” moment when they walk through the door and it’s cooler than outside. It IS really, really important; they will stay longer, look with more intent vs. wanting to get the heck out of there; and sometimes this thing alone can make or break a sale if they don’t remember your home as cool and comfortable.
We talk about fresh paint, remove wallpaper, accent walls, and too much clutter. The home should feel light, open, uncluttered, and comfortable. Thinking about what they have to change or do to move in does not leave most buyers with the feeling that they want to take on the extra work. Why do move-in-ready homes sell more quickly? Move-in-ready is why? Don’t leave out the small details. CLEAN, CLEAN, and CLEAN, and hire a cleaner if it’s not your strong suit…it MATTERS. No one wants to clean someone else's dirt (or odor or clutter).
