Stage the Laundry Room?

You may be thinking, “What’s the point? It’s just a laundry room.” Yet… it’s actually a place that we spend time each week and depending on the size of your family, you may spend time there multiple times a week. The laundry room could in fact be a selling point to the right buyer. I recently staged an older home that had relocated their laundry room upstairs since that’s where most of the bedrooms were situated and where most of the laundry accumulated. Pretty smart for a family of six. The owner was hesitant to show me the laundry closet since she thought there wasn’t much interest in staging that area. Au contraire! Once she cleared the clutter and added some decorative storage, the space looked great. It gave potential buyers the ability to imagine the place that they’d be spending time each week, if not each day! The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that some of us are spending almost 20 minutes a day on laundry. I don’t know about you but I think I’d rather those 20 minutes be spent in a space that’s clear of clutter and has storage potential. By staging this space, that’s in fact what buyers can imagine.

Here are a few steps to follow when preparing your laundry room before selling your home.

• De-clutter – Remove anything that doesn’t belong in the laundry room. This space often gets clutter especially if it’s near an entry into the home. Shoes, sports bags, umbrellas… the list is long so get moving!
• Depersonalize – In another recent home staging, there were family photos throughout the laundry room. For buyers to imagine themselves living in your home they have to be able to project themselves there. This includes imagining the place they’ll be doing mundane chores! Family photos are a constant reminder that this is NOT their home, so remove any photos or personal belongings.
• Clean – Clean the laundry room, including the washer and dryer. Think of all the dust and lint that accumulates around the dryer. Make sure to remove any dust on the floor and other surfaces of the laundry room. You might also consider a fresh coat of paint if the walls look dingy.
• Store – Store any cleaning products in decorative bins or in cabinets as you want the space to look neat and functional. Baskets or colorful bins could add a bit of cheer to what many may consider their least favorite place in the home!
• Eliminate odor – Finally, make sure the space smells fresh. Sometimes washers have a funky smell so do what you can to eliminate any foul odors. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean your machine most effectively. Using plug-in type deodorizes just before a showing are another fantastic way to quickly freshen up a stuffy room.