How to Stage a Bookcase
If you're selling your home, you may not have given much thought to your bookcases. The truth is, they should be one of your prime concerns. There are many ways a badly staged bookcase can hurt your chances of selling your home. However, it's very easy to make your bookcases look attractive to home buyers and add value to your home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Clean up your books. The number one mistake you can make is having cluttered, overflowing bookcases. Most home buyers like to show off their library, but when you're selling your house, an overstuffed bookcase makes any room look cluttered and gives buyers the impression that there isn't enough storage space. Box up most of your books and put them in storage or donate them. Only leave a few attractive books in groupings and leave lots of open space.
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Choose your books wisely. Most home stagers will tell you that your home should be a blank slate so any buyer can imagine living there. That means you should choose the books you display carefully. Choose neutral books such as coffee table books about art or classic pieces of fiction.
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Place the books intelligently. Don't push all of the books to the back--line the spines up so they are all even and easy to read. Place some books on their backs in a pile that tapers up to the smallest book. Make sure the bookshelf looks balanced, and alternate the sides on which you place each group of books. Place large, heavy books near the bottom of the bookshelf and lighter books on top.
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Add accessories such as vases, plants, candles and statues in some of the empty spaces on the shelf to add visual interest. You can use heavier objects as bookends. Stay away from photos or overly personal items and don't go overboard. Items that are too small, such as figurines, make the room look cluttered. It's better to have lots of empty space with a few, large, decorative objects.
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If your bookcase isn't built in, consider removing it or placing it in storage. Look at your room and ask yourself, "Does this feel open and roomy?" If the answer is "No," you should remove some furniture. You only need a few well-placed pieces. Bookcases are easy to remove and can make some rooms feel lighter and more welcoming. This is particularly true if the bookcase is distracting from the clear function of the room--a bookcase makes sense in an office, but may look like just one more thing in a living room.
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References
- Photo Credit teddy-bear image by Vitezslav Halamka from Fotolia.com
