Staging on a Budget: What to Spend $0, $500 and $5,000 On

For $0: declutter ruthlessly. Remove half of everything on every surface, then half again. Pack away personal photos, magnets, and any item that says "this is someone else's home". Buyers need to imagine themselves living here.

For $0: rearrange furniture for flow, not for how you currently use the space. Float sofas off walls, create clear walking paths, and pull dining tables centred under lights. Open every curtain and turn on every lamp before each open home.

For $500: fresh linens on every bed (white, hotel-style), new towels rolled in the bathrooms, a large neutral rug under the main lounge furniture, three or four large indoor plants from a garden centre, and an oversized fruit bowl for the kitchen island.

For $5,000: full professional staging of the main living, dining and master bedroom. Vacant homes especially benefit — empty rooms photograph cold and feel smaller than they are. Staged rooms photograph warm and feel intentional.

Skip: feature walls in bold colours, novelty décor, scented candles set too strong, and anything that draws attention to itself instead of the home. The goal is for buyers to remember the house, not the cushions.