Having a spare bedroom in a home for guests is always ideal especially if you’ve got a lot of out of town family and friends.  If you are anything like us, then after some time the spare bedroom can become a catch-all space for things you want to deal with later.  When it comes time to sell your Locust Grove house, you will need to transform this space back to its former glory. Here are some tips for how to stage a spare bedroom.

Let it Be a Bedroom

Multi functional spaces can confuse buyers.  It can be hard for them to imagine a child’s bedroom in a space that is currently an office/bedroom/craft area/exercise room.  When staging to sell your Locust Grove house, let the spare bedroom be just a bedroom.  Declutter the space and keep it simple.  A room with a bed and dresser clearly demonstrates the function of the room.  If the buyers have other plans for this space, then it will be easier for them to envision the room differently with simple furniture in it.

Bedrooms also add more value to a home than offices or playrooms.  If you list the home as a four bedroom house, then show it as a four bedroom house.

Focus on Scale

It is important to think about the size of the room in relation to the furniture when staging.  For example, if the room is smaller in square footage, it may not be the best place for grandma’s large four poster bed or heavy ornate furniture.  Select furniture for the room that fits within the space and remove what doesn’t fit.  Of course, most of us do not have an extra bed just hanging around in our homes. That’s ok! Have you ever been in a new construction model home?  Many of the beds in these homes aren’t even beds.  For staging purposes you can grab a couple of boxes (what a great place to hide some of the boxes you’ve already packed!) and set an inflated air mattress on top.  When styled with sheets, comforters, and pillows, you can’t even tell what is underneath.

Bring in the Green

Plants can add focal points to a room without overpowering the space.  If your green thumb is lacking or you fear forgetting about a living plant in the spare room, then add a faux plant like one of these to the bedroom of your Locust Grove house.  

Clean Closets

Nothing shouts “this home lacks storage” like an overfilled spare bedroom closet.  While it is more likely the closet is filled with seasonal items or things that you meant to deal with later, now is the time to declutter and empty the closet.  Pack up seasonal items in boxes in preparation for your move, donate items that you don’t use, and find homes for the remaining things elsewhere in your Locust Grove house.  

Bring in Light

Make sure that the rarely used light fixtures in the room still have functioning bulbs.  If the spare room is a naturally darker space in your home, add some accent lights to the bedside tables that are connected to a timer which will automatically turn on during the evening hours without you having to think about it.  While heavier light blocking curtains might be a necessity in the primary bedroom, add sheer ones here that will allow more light in during the day.