Perfect spaces for children to play, a work out area, additional storage, or to utilize as a room the rest of your home is lacking, finished basements are appreciated by homeowners and buyers alike. Finishing a basement also adds value to your home because it contributes additional livable square footage in the form of an open rec area, additional bedrooms or bathrooms.  Buyers appreciate the space for the added value too. If your basement has become a catch-all place in your home, it may be time to give it some attention before you put your home on the market. When staging a finished basement, keep it simple so that buyers can more easily envision the basement as the space they need.  Here are some tips for staging a finished basement to make it more appealing to buyers.

White ceilings and light colors

Many basements have ceilings that are lower than the ones in the rest of the home especially if the home is older and the basement has recently been finished.  Painting the ceilings white can help the space appear taller and brighter.  Since most basements lack natural lighting, keep the paint colors in the space light and neutral.  You can always add in pops of color through fabrics and accessories.

Declutter and Simplify

Since a finished basement may serve many different purposes, it’s important to take the time to declutter and remove excess pieces of furniture.  Buyers need to be able to freely move around the space.  Often the finished basement is one large open space, so highlight the different zones and functionalities of the room- like a table for kid projects, a corner for your exercise equipment, or a desk that is your home office by grouping furniture together or using a rug to outline the purpose of a space.  

Pack Up the Storage

Often basements, whether finished or not, are where all the things we mean to do something with go.  When staging a finished basement, pack up all the things that don’t belong in the space and either donate, discard, or store them.  A finished basement that also hosts a lot of boxes gives the impression that there is not sufficient storage space in the rest of the home. If you have an unfinished part of the basement, like a mechanical room, don’t forget to address the items in this area. Places some boxes neatly against the wall here is okay.

Treat the Space like the Rest of Your Home

Oftentimes the finished basement is the space where the old couch goes to live because you don’t care if the kids get marker on it or the dog chewed a corner.  That’s okay for living purposes, but for staging purposes you want the room to be similar to the other spaces in your home.  Add a couch cover to hide any damage on it.  Use the old bookcase in the corner to hold games, books, and other things that you want out of view in baskets.  Windows in basements don’t always have the prettiest view a.k.a you can see the bottom of your air conditioner when you look out the window.  Use blinds and curtains to keep these views out, but also let light inside the room when staging a finished basement.

Add lights

Basements can be naturally dark areas of a home.  Make the finished basement feel welcoming by adding additional lighting.  Whether it’s a night light down a hallway to a bedroom or a table lamp near the stairs, additional lighting will make it easier for buyers to navigate the unfamiliar space.