Bookshelves, especially grand ones, are not just for books. They are great for displaying items of sentimental value that brings your personality into a home. While this may be great for those living in the home along with their friends and family, it can put some home buyers off when it comes time to stage your home for sale. This is the case for bookshelves that may be too distracting or too personal giving off a different energy and/or style to the viewers. Home stagers believe simplicity is always best.
If you’re thinking about selling your home or are already in the process, it’s recommended to remove half of what’s on your bookshelf and follow the tips below. Remember, the key is to make your home look appealing to all, not just to you.
REPLACE FAMILY PHOTOS
If anything is ‘too personal’, family photos are on the top of the list. These can be distracting as people may get curious about the people selling their home – they can make judgements too! Framed imagery is lovely so you can easily swap photos for artwork.
UPGRADE PLANTS
Plants are beautiful anywhere, but if they are starting to look unhealthy, it’s a good time to replace them with another green baby full of life and one that is trending. Succulents are always a good idea as they require very little maintenance.
REMOVE SPORTS MEMORABILIA
Some die hard sport fans can be affected negatively when seeing someone supporting the opposing team so it’s best to hide sports memorabilia away.
DITCH CONTROVERSIAL BOOKS
Another thing that can give off negative energy & distract buyers are books that they disagree with. Just like the photos and sports memorabilia, these books can alter their judgement. Fill your shelves with well-loved neutral books with positive words and colours.
LEAVE SPACE
One of the rules of design is to give every element breathing space and it’s no different with books and decor on a shelf. Books that are too tightly compacted makes the shelf look cluttered. One trick is to lay books down the opposite way rather than upright.
