How to stage your closets to make buyers swoon

Ah, to be a fly on the wall as potential buyers tour your Spokane home for sale. They peek into your closets. They open cupboards too. No, they aren’t being nosy (well, most of them at least), they trying to get an idea of how much storage space there is.

What happens when your clothes are crammed randomly into the closet, shoes littering the floor and the shelves packed with clothing and other items? Your closet looks tiny – like there isn’t enough room to store your clothes. The same goes for cupboards and, yes, even drawers (they often look there too).

We have good news for you: even the tiniest of closets can be made to appear larger with just a few organizational hacks and a little money.

Walls

Give the inside of the closet the illusion of maximum space by painting the walls and ceiling with a semi-gloss paint in the whitest shade of white you can find. The semi-glossiness of the paint will help reflect light and white always makes a room appear larger – even a closet.

If your closet lacks doors and is open to the room, paint the inside the same color as the room, or lighter, according to the Paint Quality Institute’s Debbie Zimmer. She has tips for painting other closets as well. A pantry, for example, requires a durable paint that reflects light, such as the semi-gloss mentioned for the bedroom closet.

Light it up

If you’re lucky, your walk-in closet has a lone bulb stuck in the middle of the ceiling. If you’ve ever had to drag dark-colored clothing out into the light of the bedroom to determine if it’s navy blue or black, you have an idea of how ineffective this type of lighting is.

More light will not only make the closet appear larger, it cheers it up as well and serves as the perfect way to highlight some of the other DIY changes you’ll be making. Check out the lighting available at the department stores (there’s a Home Depot at 9116 N Newport Hwy. in Spokane or check out the selection at Lowe’s Home Improvement Store at 6606 N Division St.).

Storage

Home builders of the past either didn’t realize how important storage space in a closet is or they just didn’t care because so many existing home closets have one shelf that runs along both sides, up high.

Find shelving and other storage ideas online at Apartment Therapy, Remodeaholic and Houzz, or shop for shelving and other closet storage items in Spokane Valley at California Closets (506 N Sullivan Rd.).

Organize

The next best way to help your closet appear larger is to clear out the clutter and organize what’s left.  Remove anything you don’t wear, especially bulky items like winter coats (unless it’s winter, of course). Pack them up and take them to a storage facility.

Then, purchase matching hangers and hang the clothes that are left according to color. All shirts and blouses should be grouped together and then separated by color. Do the same for slacks and other items.

Remove anything from the floor of the closet – it will help make it appear less cramped and larger.

A clean, organized closet looks larger and gives the impression that the entire home has been as impeccably maintained.

Image: Chicscribe

Related Links

• Every single home listed in the Spokane MLS is here and the list is updated in real time!
• Get more tips on selling a home in Spokane
• Read more from our Spokane real estate blog