Holiday wish lists vary from person to person, ranging from new kitchenware to the latest technology. But if your home is on the market, selling your house is probably at the top of your list. The good news is that buyers shopping during the holidays are usually highly motivated. The bad news is that if you don’t decorate mindfully, they may find your holiday décor off-putting. Luckily, it’s easy to decorate your home in ways that are festive and attractive to buyers. Follow these tips and your house is sure to stand out for all the right reasons.
- Coordination is key. It’s important to coordinate your holiday décor with your home’s interior. If you use blues throughout your living room, don’t hang red decorations. Instead, stick with blue and silver holiday accessories. Using greenery is typically a safe bet no matter what your home interior looks like.
- Don’t go overboard. Pare down the decorations if your house is on the market. Buyers want to envision themselves in the house, and overwhelming them with your personal holiday memorabilia may hinder their ability to do so. Additionally, over decorating can take away from your home’s features. Instead, keep it simple with a garland and a few tabletop accessories.
- Beware of outdoor accessories. Blowup snowmen and flashing lights scream holiday cheer, but they are not everyone’s cup of tea. Skip polarizing decorations and stick with a wreath and subtle white string lights. Use them to highlight your home’s architecture or the impressive trees you have in your front yard.
- Be mindful of religious symbols. For many people, religion is the reason for the season, and their beliefs are reflected in their decorations. However, you want to appeal to buyers of all faiths and backgrounds. To avoid alienating anyone, keep decorations secular.
- Reconsider your tree. Christmas trees are a holiday tradition, so it may be difficult to picture the season without a pine in the living room. But oftentimes trees overwhelm the room, in turn making it look smaller. Many experts recommend skipping the tree all together, unless you have high ceilings you want to show off. If you can bare to part with the tree for one year, do so, but an alternative would be choosing a small tree. Just keep it decorated neutrally, skipping the eclectic handmade ornaments.
- Rely on scents. You want to keep the decorations to a minimum, but infusing your home with seasonal scents is a great way to convey the holiday spirit. Choose wintery candles, such as pine or cinnamon.
Take these tips into consideration while decorating your house while it is on the market. However, it is still your home, and you don’t want to completely sacrifice your holiday for the sake of potential buyers. If you just can’t do Christmas without your huge reindeer or collection of nativity scenes, keep them on display for you and your family. When a showing approaches, simply do a clean sweep to neutralize your home. Happy holidays!