house staging

when we decide to put our house on the market, there are some things i want to do to "stage" the interior and exterior. i have a feeling it will be on the market for a long time (other houses in the neighborhood are for sale and they've been that way for awhile), so the house will need to look picture-perfect, but still be livable. this will most likely involve packing and renting a storage unit.

STAGING CHECKLIST:

  - flooring (hall, office, guest, master)
  - touch up grout paint
  - touch up wall & ceiling paint
  - smaller kitchen table
  - bleach, scrub & add peel and stick tile under kitchen sink
  - remove in hallway 
  - caulk office shelves, bathroom sink, mirrors
  - add mosaic tile to master bath sink area
  - stage as office (bare minimum--desk in center of room)
  - pack up closets (i'm serious. everything)
  - empty medicine cabinet and bathroom drawers
  - add cabinetry/shelving/hanging bar in laundry (maybe doors?)
  - new chandelier in dining?
  - get microwave fixed
  - add brick to front entry walls
  - touch up paint exterior
  - remove front shrubbery (and possibly in the back)
  - lawncare
  - plant flowers
  - remove bricks from backyard
  - empty shed in backyard
  - fix back gate to open with ease

FUN STUFF:

  - guest tray on guest bed
  - towels in bathroom
  - bath/shower products (make it spa-like)

leslie, the sweet spot and liz have some pretty awesome staging tips/pics on their blogs