Decorating With a Plan: Creating Spaces Buyers Will Love

Anyone who knows me knows I love to decorate, organize, and plan just about anything. Oh, and bake sourdough bread!

I love looking at a room and envisioning what it could be, then figuring out how to bring that vision to life. One of the reasons I enjoy being a real estate agent! That doesn't mean my own home is completely decorated. There are two little things called time and money that tend to get in the way! But having a plan, and there's that word again, along with a little patience can make a big difference.

Start With How You Want the Room to Function

Before choosing paint colors or shopping for furniture, think about how you want to use the space.

Is it a comfortable gathering room? A playroom or hobby space? An office during the day that can double as a guest room when needed?

Once you know how you want the room to function, think about how you want it to feel. Comfortable and lived-in? Light and airy? Warm and inviting? Maybe dark and moody?

That vision can help guide everything that comes next, from paint colors and furniture placement to lighting and accessories.

And don't underestimate the power of paint. Painting a room is one of the most affordable ways to transform a space. Pinterest and Instagram provide endless inspiration, so you don't have to look far to find ideas.

Preparing Your Home for Sale

When you're getting ready to sell your home, defining the purpose of each room becomes even more important.

An empty room, or one that doesn't have a clear function, can leave buyers wondering how they would use the space. While more square footage sounds great on paper, more space isn't necessarily better if buyers can't envision how to use it.

This is especially true for large or unusual rooms. A little furniture, thoughtful placement, and a few finishing touches can help buyers see the possibilities instead of feeling overwhelmed by the space.

A Real-Life Example

We have two living areas in our home. One is quite large, and it has become the kids' space.

Is it decorated?

Nope.

It's massive, and it's definitely on the back burner for now. I already know how I want it to look, feel, and function, and I have a vision for how the space could serve several purposes.

If we ever decide to move, though, I know that room will be one of the spaces I'll want to pull together before putting the house on the market.

That's the thing about decorating: you don't have to do everything at once.

Start with a vision. Make a plan. Take it one room at a time.

And when you're preparing to sell, remember that you're not just decorating for yourself anymore. You're helping potential buyers see themselves living in the home.