It's just the laundry room! (Or is it?)

I must admit…I’ve got a thing about nice laundry rooms. 

 The kitchen may be the heart of the home but many hours are spent each week in the laundry room. And THAT makes this room a very important space to feature when selling your home.

Many times when I am consulting with sellers and we get to the laundry area, they’ll ask if I want to see it because after all, it’s only the laundry room. In their minds, it’s that space that’s a catch-all for dirty clothes, cases of water bottles, dog food, cat litter, the vacuum and old paint cans... But I ABSOLUTELY want to see what’s behind that door.

The Laundry Room needs some attention and staging too. This is one space you don’t want to overlook when selling. The biggest issue is getting rid of everything that is not needed so the room can breath and look spacious. Yes, that means you have to bring all that "stuff" you were storing there to the thrift store or storage and the 40lb. dog food bag has to go and you’re going to have to store all that water neatly in the garage.


Here’s a few Staging Tips that can help you transform your laundry room into a fabulous space that buyer’s will love:

DE-CLUTTER: Get everything out that you don’t need (as mentioned above). The only thing that should be in there is the stuff you need to do laundry (detergent, softener, etc.). Now is not the time to buy the HUGE bulk size bottles of detergent.

CLEAN LIKE CRAZY: Wipe down that washer and dryer from top to bottom. Push it back against the wall if needed. I’ve seen a lot of washer and dryers pushed out with all those hoses showing. Tuck the hoses in while you’re at it. Wash out the laundry tub and put away the scrub brushes. Think ORGANIZED.

PAINT: Most laundry rooms need a fresh coat of paint and a different color. For some reason, I see a lot of sponge painting in these spaces. Probably because it was a safe room to try your hand at the technique years ago. I’m speaking from personal experience here -I picked good colors but it still looked just dreadful because it was way too busy for that small room. Trust me, a fresh coat of neutral paint goes a long way.

STAGE: Matching bins and Baskets make a HUGE DIFFERENCE visually when used to store all those detergents on the shelves above the washer and dryer. Buyers do not want to see all those bottles that look like clutter and they don't need to focus on the brand you use. It looks so much more organized and fresh staged with these pretty bins and baskets. This is why you don’t want to hit Cosco for the jumbo size detergents....easier to hide!

KEEP UP THE LAUNDRY: Not letting the laundry get out of hand during selling can be a challenge. We lead busy lives. Doing a load a day keeps you on top of the process. Buyers should NEVER see dirty clothes in piles, in a basket, anywhere. EVER. The same goes for clean laundry. It should not be sitting out on the counter or top of the dryer waiting to be put away or hanging around. Buyers want to see the space. Show them an organized room they can emotionally connect to….NOT how much work laundry can be. If you have a last minute showing or you are just behind, make sure you get it out of sight and HIDE those baskets. Is it just one load? Put it in the washer but do NOT start the washer! Many loads behind? Maybe this is your opportunity to throw them in your car and take them to the laundry mat and get caught up during the showing. :)

HANGERS, DRYING RACKS AND CLOTHES BASKETS: Yes…we need them to do the laundry but during showings, they should not be anywhere in sight. Storing all those extra hangers on the clothes rack/shelving is not an option either. Throw them in one of the bins or baskets or if you are lucky to have a closet in your laundry room, store them there.

Does your laundry room need a facelift?  Get inspired HERE.