Dressing your Home for the Holidays
If your home is on the market this Christmas, you’ve got an extra bit of luck on your side thanks to the magic that holiday décor adds to a space.
We all have at least a few Christmas décor skeletons in our closets from that garish wall hanging from Aunt Susan to the tabletop fibre optic disaster from your early 20’s. Consider keeping those types of pieces tucked away this year, and always keep in mind that you want potential buyers to be able to imagine spending many future Christmases there. That’s hard to do if they’re walking through your own personal museum of Christmases past. Below are some tips and tricks for staging your home for the season.
Start with a blank slate
Clean and declutter all rooms as you normally would, and keep it ready for showings. Here is some tips you can find on a previous blog: SIMPLE TIPS TO KEEP IT CLEAN AND TIDY BETWEEN SHOWINGS
Focus on natural accents
A real Christmas tree, sprigs of holly, or an evergreen wreath will add freshness and that iconic holiday fragrance to the air without potentially irritating perfumes. Oranges with cloves in the peel smell divine and look gorgeous in a china or glass bowl, while a pot of cider simmering on the stove is possibly the most welcoming scent this time of year.
Does the tree fit?
If you opt for a Christmas tree, make sure it’s the right size. Viewers should have plenty of room to walk around and look at the entire space. If your living room is on the smaller side, choose a narrower or shorter tree, or even a potted tabletop tree. Conversely, if you have soaring ceilings, play that feature up with a grander tree. If you opt for this, keep other decorations quite minimal and let that beauty take centre stage.
For a room with a rich colour palette, play up the warmth of the space with red and gold ornaments. For a room with a cooler palette, silver and white looks very refined. The goal is to make it look like your tree just rolled out of a department store catalogue and into your living room.
Keep exterior décor simple
Outside, keep the decorations streamlined and just let the strings of lights accentuate the architecture. It’s tempting to be the next Clark Griswold, but you can do that next year in your new home.
Think minimal and classic
Avoid overly personalized décor or anything giant or inflatable. A tasteful nativity scene is fine, but the life-sized one you drag out every year might not be so well-received. This is your chance to take a good look at the collection you’ve amassed throughout the years and pare it down to only what you’ll use, and what you’ll actually want to move to your new house.
Work with what you’ve got and highlight extra special areas
Focus on areas in the home that you want to stand out, like a big bay window or river rock fireplace. Try an evergreen garland or small tasteful display of your favourite figurines to really bring out that natural beauty.
Share some sweet treats
Viewers are braving the snow and sleet to view your home, so a bit of comfort is a nice touch. A small plate of cookies and a pot of hot tea or apple cider is a welcome gesture and quite easy to pull off.
If you’re considering making this the year you sell your home, give me a call or send a note. I’d love to hear from you and make your vision a reality. I have the experience to position your home and sell it fast. I work hard to ensure you get the right price for your home by using a combination of traditional real estate services and modern, innovative marketing. I happily serve sellers in the Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, and Campbell River real estate markets. I’m also a Brookfield Relocation Specialist authorized to help members of the military and RCMP transferring from the Comox Valley.
Let’s get your property on the market and sold!
Contact me at 250.792.2776 or email tvincentrealty@gmail.com for a no-obligation consultation.
