Home staging mistakes: So, you’re about to put your house on the market. You’ve watched all the HGTV shows, you’ve read the blogs, and you’re ready to stage your home to perfection. Or so you think.
Home Staging Mistakes
Home staging is an art form, and like any art form, it’s prone to some hilarious missteps. Grab your paint rollers and faux fruit baskets, folks, because we’re about to dive into the funniest home staging blunders that make potential buyers laugh—or run for the hills.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Overzealous Theme Enthusiast
First up, we have the “theme” enthusiast. A little bit of thematic design can be charming, but going overboard can turn your house into a set from a failed sitcom pilot. Imagine walking into a living room designed entirely around a pirate theme.
There’s a treasure chest coffee table, ship wheels on the wall, and a skull and crossbones flag draped over the sofa. Sure, it’s memorable, but unless Captain Jack Sparrow is your target buyer, you might want to dial it back a bit.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Furniture Tetris Master
Next, we have the Furniture Tetris Master, someone who believes that if they can fit every piece of furniture they own into a room, it’s a win. Picture a dining room with a table for eight, six mismatched chairs, two armoires, a grandfather clock, and a piano. Potential buyers walk in and immediately start a mental game of “Where’s Waldo?” as they try to locate the actual floor space. The key to staging is to create an illusion of space, not to challenge buyers to an obstacle course.
Home Staging Mistakes: The “Unique” Art Collector
Art can be a wonderful way to add character to your home, but sometimes, less is more. Consider the case of the “unique” art collector who decided that a giant painting of clowns was the perfect focal point for the living room. Clowns are many things—colorful, whimsical, nightmare-inducing—but they are rarely the selling point of a home.
Unless you’re marketing to a very niche audience of circus enthusiasts, it might be best to store the clowns in the attic.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Potpourri Party
Smells can influence how we feel about a space, which is why some home stagers use scented candles or potpourri to create a pleasant atmosphere. However, there’s a fine line between “pleasant” and “did a Bath & Body Works explode in here?” One seller had so many different scents wafting through the house—lavender, vanilla, ocean breeze, cinnamon—that it felt like being trapped in an olfactory tornado. Buyers were too busy sneezing and trying to identify each scent to notice the granite countertops.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Minimalist Monastery
Minimalism is trendy, but there’s minimalism, and then there’s monastic living. Some sellers, in an effort to depersonalize their homes, strip everything down to bare walls, a single chair, and a forlorn potted plant. While you want buyers to envision themselves in your home, you don’t want them to feel like they’ve entered a stark, existential crisis. A little bit of warmth goes a long way; even monks have more decor.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Light Fantastic
Good lighting is crucial, but too much of a good thing can turn your home into an interrogation room. Imagine walking into a house where every bulb is at maximum wattage, casting a harsh, unflattering glare on everything.
Buyers leave with spots in their vision and a headache. Conversely, the “mood lighting” enthusiast creates a home that feels like a twilight zone, with dim lamps and heavy drapes. Buyers squint and stumble through the shadows, missing the beautiful details entirely.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Personal Shrine
It’s important to remove personal items so buyers can imagine themselves in the space. However, some sellers take this to extremes, leaving behind a personal shrine of their accomplishments. Trophies, certificates, family photos, and the kid’s report cards line the walls. Buyers feel like they’re intruding on a personal museum tour. A few neutral touches can help buyers picture their own lives in the home without feeling like they’re erasing someone else’s.
Home Staging Mistakes: The DIY Disaster
DIY projects can add a charming, personal touch to a home—when done correctly. But sometimes, enthusiasm outstrips skill. Think of the seller who decided to install their own backsplash but ended up with a crooked, uneven mess that looked like a mosaic put together by a blindfolded toddler. Or the ambitious painter who thought bright orange was a good idea for the master bedroom. Pro tip: if you’re not sure what you’re doing, leave it to the professionals.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Techno Overload
Smart homes are all the rage, but there’s a difference between having a few smart features and turning your home into a NASA control center. One seller installed so many gadgets—smart lights, smart locks, smart fridge, smart toilet—that buyers needed a tutorial just to tour the home.
Technology should enhance the living experience, not require a PhD to operate.
Home Staging Mistakes: The Garden Gnome Invasion
Finally, we have the yard, where some sellers think more is more. Enter the garden gnome invasion. Dozens of gnomes, flamingos, and other lawn ornaments create a whimsical scene that borders on terrifying. Buyers feel like they’re being watched, and not in a good way. A few tasteful pieces can add charm, but an army of gnomes is just plain creepy.
Home staging is an essential part of selling your home, but it’s easy to get carried away. The goal is to create a welcoming, neutral space that allows buyers to envision their own lives there. Avoid these hilarious blunders, and you’ll be on your way to a successful sale—and fewer laughs at your expense. Happy staging!
