Items to Hide Before Your Next Open House
You’ve deep cleaned, decluttered, and styled the living room to perfection. But real estate professionals say some of the most overlooked staging mistakes come down to small, everyday items that quietly work against you. Here’s what to tuck away before your next open house.
Anything that signals a comfort problem. Space heaters can make buyers wonder if the home is drafty in winter. A cluster of standing fans might suggest the opposite, that the house runs hot and stuffy in summer. Even if these are just seasonal habits, buyers don’t know that.
Small clues in the bedroom can impact buyer perception as well. Foam earplugs on a nightstand seem harmless, but they can plant a subtle doubt about noise, whether it’s traffic, neighbors, or a barking dog next door. It’s a small detail, but staging is all about removing the small doubts.
Countertop appliances. Instant Pots, toasters, slow cookers, and paper towel holders all crowd a kitchen counter and make the space feel smaller and more lived in than you want buyers to picture. Clear counters read as more space, and more space reads as more value.
Bathroom clutter like tissue boxes, soap dishes, and toothbrush holders are functional at home but visually noisy to a buyer trying to picture their own routine in the space.
As much as we love our pets, bowls, beds, and toys can turn off buyers who aren’t pet owners themselves, or who are and start imagining their own pet’s mess in the space instead of picturing it as their own blank canvas. Pack these away, even temporarily, for showings.
Personal and religious decor. Wall art, statues, and personal or religious items can unintentionally make it harder for a buyer to picture themselves living there. The goal of staging is to create a space broad enough that any buyer can imagine their own life unfolding in it.
None of these items are inherently a problem. They’re just part of daily life. But an open house isn’t really about showing your life. It’s about creating room for someone else to imagine theirs. A little extra tidying before each showing can make the difference between a buyer walking through and a buyer picturing themselves at home.
If you are considering getting ready to sell and are looking for staging advice or pre-listing preparation, reach out anytime. I am always happy to walk through and discuss what buyers in the local market are responding to right now!
