The Staging Life: Mud Rooms and How To Stage Them

By Nan Johnston, Special to The Shopper

Staging a Mud Room may seem like a silly thing to consider, however, it is one of the top of the list features home buyers want and are hoping to have in their next purchase.

Mud Rooms are functional, they hold the jackets, backpacks, shoes, dog bowls, leashes, cat litter boxes, and sports equipment. They are super functional, which means they are usually over stuffed when it’s time to put your house on the market.

So what’s a busy family to do when it’s time to sell the house? Basically, you have to clean it up and decorate it just like the other parts of the house.

• Clear it all out, remove all the personal items, sports gear, muddy boots, etc. Store it in your car trunk or truck. It may seem like you are not showing off the space by not “keeping it real” but hey, if the space is crowded with all of your items, the buyer will think it’s not large enough.

• Clean it up, wash the walls, paint if necessary, clean up the “mud”, put a new floor mat or rug out.

• Then add a few items for décor like fun art or signage.

• And here is the tricky part, add a few things back … it can’t be too full or too empty. It has to be just enough to show some empty spaces, but also enough to show how functional the space is.

Living in a staged home isn’t easy but hopefully all your efforts will have a great offer coming in right after the first showing.

For more information about staging your functional spaces and other areas of your home, email [email protected].

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Nan Johnston is a professional home staging consultant from Newnan with over 30 years experience in the real estate industry. Check out her website for some interesting before and after photos at www.southern-staging.com.