Hi there! As you may know our house is now SOLD! We’re moving in 3 weeks!
What a great way to end our “How we staged our home to sell series”! Its very rewarding to see that all our efforts, were not wasted!
Today I’m sharing about our bathroom and half bath.
Buyers love the allure of a fresh, beautiful bathroom that reminds them of luxury hotels or soothing spas they have enjoyed. And, most important, buyers want to envision themselves enjoying this luxury every day in their new home.
However, the reality is that most of us do not have the perfect bathroom. And we know that, in most instances, it is not a wise investment to do a full, costly renovation just for a home sale. It simply doesn’t translate into profit.
A better strategy is to maximize what you already have, on a budget. You want to transform your real-life, everyday bathroom into a five-star hotel experience that prospective buyers will love, without overcapitalizing. Here are simple ways to create havens with a wow factor.
Our main bathroom before:
The Half bath/laundry Combination
Here are things we did:
1. Clear off the counters to create a blank canvas.
Remove all of your everyday toiletries and bathroom supplies. This includes soaps, toothbrushes, cotton balls — everything. (And don’t forget the products in the shower.) Buyers do not want to see your personal hygiene products. In fact, this can make them feel as though they are intruding on your personal space, which can be distracting and a little awkward.
2. Get rid of cleaning products.
Remove all items that imply housework and maintenance, such as toilet brushes, wastepaper baskets, sponges, cleaning products, bath mats — even spare toilet rolls. These are a necessary part of everyday living, but they do not create a beautiful spa-like experience for your buyers.
Tip: Remove the bathroom scale, too. Remember, your buyers want a luxurious bathroom experience, not a reminder of those extra pounds they are trying to lose.
3. Maximize your storage. Storage space sells. Your buyers will be looking inside your bathroom cupboards to see how much space they offer. Make sure they are only half to two-thirds full and well organized. Store the little things you use every day (hair elastics, lip gloss) in a pretty box or basket with a lid to avoid a tidal wave of trinkets on the shelves.
Tip: If you’re running out of space to store your toiletries, keep the overflow in simple wicker baskets. When buyers are coming to inspect your home, just grab the baskets and stash them somewhere else ( I put it under the bed!)
4. Make minor upgrades. Rather than spending many thousands completely renovating your bathroom, it’s much smarter to spend your money only where it will show and to make small, inexpensive upgrades that will create a large impact. As a general rule, improvements that can’t easily be seen don’t translate into a higher sale price.
The best bang-for-your-buck bathroom upgrades are: repainting the walls, replacing leaking and worn taps, updating the cabinet hardware, installing new light fittings and updating towel bars. We had no towel bars and always used an above door system like shown in the picture above. We added a chromed finish towel bar on the wall and it made the bathroom more functional.
5. Clean thoroughly. Clean everything to within an inch of its life. No, it’s certainly not exciting, but it’s super important. Buyers will pay a premium for new, so your aim is to create a new feel. Everything must be immaculate, as this creates the impression that your home has been well maintained and well loved.
6. Avoid poopy colors!
New plush towels add an instant hotel feel to any washroom. However when selecting your towels, avoid any neutrals like brown, beige or khaki because well… You know?
White towels are always a winner in any bathroom
Wanna see the results?
No cleaning products in the shower, no toys in the tub, a cleared counter, that white towel!
Look at our towel bar on the left? So much better then the door unit we had!
Half Bath/ Laundry combination
The main thing we did in this room is remove the wall paper I installed last year, wall paper is too specific! We also removed the wall unit in which we kept magazines and toilet paper rolls, it gave the illusion that we had no storage in this room.
And this is what concludes our “How we staged our home to sell” series!
If you go back and look at each room:
You’ll see that the overall decor is connected, as you visit, one room to the next, there are similar colors, styles that all go well together. And that is the last tip I’d like to end with. Make sure that your home has continuity from one room to another, either with complementing paint colors or similar colored accessories.
And when in doubt, contact us! We’ll be glad to bring the best out of your home and help you have a greater return on that investment!
