Kitchen Staging Tips to Impress Every Buyer

If your entire home is in top-notch condition, but your kitchen is not, the chances of you selling your home quickly and for the best possible price are relatively low. It is because kitchens are the ones that sell the house! Thus, you must do everything in your power to ensure they are in the best possible condition. Most often, this means renovating and upgrading work. And, it means spending a considerable amount of money. But, what if we told you that you could stage your kitchen without it costing you an arm and a leg? It is true, renovating and upgrading your kitchen on a budget is more than possible. All you have to do is follow our kitchen staging tips to impress every buyer! 

Have Your Kitchen Professionally Cleaned

We spend a lot of our time in the kitchen – we cook, entertain, help kids with their arts&crafts projects, etc. That is why our kitchens are always messy and dirty, no matter how much time we spend cleaning them. But, if you plan on selling your home and want your kitchen to increase the value of your home, our advice is to have it professionally cleaned. Yes, hiring these professionals is expensive, but, trust us, hiring them will also be one of the best investments ever. No one can clean and disinfect the kitchen as they can. Thus, consider doing this before you opt for any kitchen remodeling project. 

Then, Declutter Everything! 

Once the kitchen is spotless, it is time to declutter. You will need to declutter your kitchen cabinets, shelves, drawers, pantry, etc. That is, you will need to declutter any storage you have in your kitchen. Get rid of expired groceries, dispose of broken appliances, pack away the extras. So, brace yourself; this can take a while. The most important thing is to ensure there is nothing on the floor and nothing on the counters. Of course, you do not have to get rid of the items you use just because you do not have a place for them. Either rent temporary storage and put away the clutter or buy cardboard boxes and start packing for your relocation sooner. 

Repaint the Cabinets 

Homebuyers want many kitchen amenities, but what they pay most attention to is its interior design. If the kitchen looks outdated and run down, nobody will want to buy that home. Of course, completely changing the interior design is crazy expensive and not something you should do before moving out. But, what you should do to improve the look and style of your kitchen is repaint the cabinets. It is an inexpensive project, but one that will completely transform your kitchen and make it look brand new. Make sure you choose neutral colors for this. White, grey, beige, or light pastel shades are the best option for kitchens. 

Update the Fixtures 

Another small and inexpensive remodeling project that will completely transform your kitchen is updating the fixtures. Take a screwdriver and remove old, rusty hardware. Then, replace it with something new, sleek, and elegant. You would be surprised by how much this will change your kitchen. The best part is that you can buy knobs and pulls at the dollar store! But, if you want to go all out and invest in certain fixtures, we suggest getting a new, fancy faucet. It will provide a great return on investment as well as impress every buyer! 

And, Update Electrical Outlets 

For example, most websites you find online will tell you that the most crucial kitchen staging tips to impress every buyer concern decluttering and putting away your items in storage until you are ready to move out completely. Experts at Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage also remind us that removing all personal items from the kitchen is necessary. Those involve kids’ drawings, family photos, or magnets. Even though this is true, just as we mentioned initially, sometimes, what impresses every buyer are those little things. For instance, updated electrical outlets are a cheap update and a relatively easy one – so no, you will not need an electrician. All you need is a screwdriver and some new decorative outlets, which you can, again, buy at a dollar store. 

Invest in New Light Fixtures 

This project is on the more expensive side, but just as with faucets, this can also be a great return on investment. Thus, remove the old light fixtures and get some new ones. It would be wise to research and see what kind of lights would be best for your kitchen. Go to the light fixtures store and talk to an expert, or do some online researching yourself. Nowadays, you can find anything online. We advise using pendant lights on the ceiling, over the kitchen island, and some recessed lights under the cabinets. 

Upgrade Appliances 

And now, the most expensive part – upgrading your appliances. Even though this will impress every buyer, it may not be something that will impress your wallet. Unfortunately, as you probably know, appliances are the most expensive thing in a kitchen. Big ones like fridges, stoves, ovens, dishwashers, etc., can be crazy expensive. Thus, do not replace them unless it is necessary. Try cleaning and fixing what you already have first. However, if your existing appliances are too old or not working, then your best bet is to replace them. You do not have to buy something too expensive! Just get something that suits your kitchen (stainless steel preferably) and something of good quality. 

Dress Up the Kitchen 

Once you have upgraded what needed upgrading and cleaned and decluttered everything, all that is left is to dress up the kitchen. Everything lies in the details. So, for instance, put a vase with fresh flowers on the counter, light a candle, fill a bowl of fruit, display your nice china set, etc. Just make sure you do not go overboard. That is, do not clutter your counters. 

Finally, you have probably heard about that cliche story where sellers prepare freshly baked cookies and lemonade – it works! Thus, if you have the time, we strongly advise you to make that extra effort. A tray of cookies is one of the kitchen staging tips that will impress every buyer.