If you’re looking to sell your home and move into a new one, you’ll have to give it some TLC before listing it. Potential buyers will want to see a home they can imagine themselves living in, which means you’ll have to at the very least optimize your home’s lighting. This is an often overlooked aspect of staging, but your home’s lighting can make a big difference on a buyer’s first impression.
A home that is well-lit and inviting appears warm and spacious. Your listing photos should maximize your home’s natural light and convey a bright space that is sure to make your listing stand apart from the rest. In contrast, a poorly lit home appears uninviting, cold and small, making it unlikely that multiple buyers will be clamoring to get inside to view it in person.
Here are a few ways to effectively brighten up a room before selling.
Replace the Light Bulbs
Good lighting starts with having quality, working lightbulbs, says Moving.com. Avoid bulbs that give off a dark, yellow tint, which makes rooms appear dimly lit. Replace those darker bulbs with white LED lightbulbs in an effort to instantly brighten and liven up a room. Don’t neglect exterior lighting too, as a property with lots of outdoor lighting will appeal to potential buyers more than shady, dimly lit exteriors.
Flood lights, string lights, porch lights and outdoor lanterns are all great ways to brighten up your home when it’s dark out.
Add Lighting and Lamps
On a related light, add more lighting and lamps to your interior, making it appear brighter. Each room should have many different lighting sources, from overhead lighting (recessed lights, sconces, chandeliers and pendants) to task lighting and mood lighting.
Clean the Windows
An ideal way to maximize your home’s natural light is to clean the insides and outsides of all of your windows, allowing as much sunshine to enter the room as possible. You just need some paper towels or rags, and a window cleaning spray product. You could also make your own water and vinegar solution too. Wipe in a circular motion to prevent unsightly streaks from appearing.
Add Mirrors
Mirrors make rooms appear larger, to be sure, but they also serve to brighten up any space. Adding large mirrors to a small room is an ideal way to reflect light and ensure your home sparkles and shines. Place a large-scale mirror opposite a window to make as much light reflect into the room as possible.
Paint Walls a Light Color
If a particular room doesn’t get much natural light on a daily basis, paint your walls and ceilings a light, neutral paint color. Dark colors in an already-dark room will just make it appear darker and gloomier overall. Stick with whites, grays, and beiges for the best results. If you want to get a little crazy, paint the ceiling a baby blue – representing the color of the sky, suggests Elle Décor.
Add Sheer Curtains
Replace dark curtains and heavy blinds with white, sheer curtains that augment your windows and allow more light to enter. The windows themselves will also be able to stand out better, which is always something potential buyers are looking for.
Declutter, Reorganize Furniture
The more furniture you have in a room, the more cramped it looks. Items like wall art and rugs tend to absorb light, which can make the room appear darker as well. Do some decluttering of furniture you don’t really need, but leave a few pieces of light-colored furniture.
Trim Trees
If your home is surrounded by large trees and shrubs, you’ll want to trim them back before showing the property to buyers. This will maximize the amount of natural light that streams inside your home.
Install Front Doors With Windows
Any door that leads to the outside, such as front exterior doors, should have windows to light up your entryway. If you want a bit of privacy, opt for frosted glass or multiple planes at the very top of the door.
Do a Deep Clean
Before putting your home on the market, do a deep clean of every room. Wipe down walls and baseboards, dust all surfaces, clean the floors, and do a general pickup of items from the floor. Ideally, you want potential buyers to focus on the brightness of all your rooms, not the clutter or dust.
Contact Best Fit Movers
Now that you have brightened up the rooms in your home, you’re ready to sell and book your movers. Contact us for a free quote at 858-683-6314.
