Should you stage your closets and cabinets when you are selling your home?

As a Home Stager and Realtor I often get asked by clients if they need to tidy or organize their cupboards, cabinets or closets. My answer is always the same – “If you go and look at a home do you want to see if your clothes will fit in the closet?”. If they answer yes, then they understand that prospective buyers are going to want to look too. And yes, prospective buyers (and your nosy neighbours at the open house) do peek into linen closets, hall closets, bedroom closets, laundry rooms, furnace, and cold storage rooms. Part is human curiosity, part is wanting to see what stuff you store there to see if that is where their “same kind of stuff” will go.

When you are selling your home you will want to make it sell quickly and for the maximum sale price. This is the time to make your home shine and to think about your next steps. Consider how you’d like to live in your next home (take a look at the lifestyle section of the blog for more information) and use this time to really think about what you need to take with you and what is no longer necessary in your life. You’ll find it really helps you streamline and organize your closets and cabinets.

Here are some tips to help you get started

• Declutter: Remove any items you no longer need or use. Keep only essential items and those that contribute to a clean and tidy look. For clothes, shoes, and boots you could put away clothes that are out of season. When you are staging your closets you will want to emphasize the storage space in your closets. For perspective buyers, the more storage the better. If you don’t already have them, consider using just one type of coat hanger. I like the thin velvet ones as items don’t slip off the hangers. They look neat and take up less space.
• Clean Thoroughly: Ensure that all the shelves and surfaces are clean in your closets and cupboards. Wipe down shelves, doors, and handles, and cabinet doors. Clean doors, especially around the handle area.

Make your closets and cabinets visually appealing

• Use Uniform Storage Containers: Invest in matching storage containers or baskets to create a cohesive and organized look. Clear containers can also help keep items visible and accessible, but for items that you don’t use everyday consider storage that isn’t clear. Your label will state what’s inside but it’s more restful to the eye to not see everything all at once.
• Arrange Items Neatly: Arrange items by size, type, or use. Group similar items together and keep frequently used items at eye level for easy access.
• Maximize Vertical Space: Utilize vertical space by adding additional shelves or stackable storage solutions. This helps make the most of the available space. I use hanging shoe storage in closets to store purses, shoes, scarves, and other items. It keeps them tidy and off the ground.
• Organize and stage your closets and cupboards with Minimalism in Mind: Avoid overcrowding the shelves in your cupboards. Leave some empty space to give the impression of ample storage.

Tips for Organizing and Staging Closets

• Declutter and Purge: One of the major steps in organizing your closets is to go through your clothing, shoes, and accessories, and donate or discard items you no longer wear. A less crowded closet looks more spacious.
• Clean and Freshen Up: Clean the closet thoroughly, including floors, shelves, and walls. Consider adding a fresh coat of paint if needed. After all, you took all your clothes out of the closet to sort them so now is your chance to clean and if necessary paint. I find kid’s closets almost always need a fresh coat of paint inside.
• Use Matching Hangers: Replace mismatched hangers with a set of matching ones. This creates a streamlined and tidy look. See my tip above for the velvet thin hangers.
• Organize by Category: Group similar items together—shirts, pants, dresses, etc. Within each category, arrange items by color or length for a visually appealing display.
• Utilize Storage Solutions: Add shelves, shoe racks, or hanging organizers to maximize storage space. Use bins or baskets for smaller items like scarves or belts. If you have a large collection of scarves consider folding them and packing them away now, be that in a drawer or straight into a moving box. Many scarves have a lot of pattern which can make a closet look cluttered.
• Organize and Stage all your closets with Purpose: Display a few select items to highlight the functionality of the space. For example, a well-organized shoe rack or neatly hung clothes can demonstrate the closet’s capacity.
• Showcase Space: Leave some open space to give the illusion of a larger closet. Overstuffed closets can make it seem like the home lacks adequate storage.
• Add a Fresh Scent: Consider adding a fresh scent to the closet with sachets or odor-neutralizing products. A pleasant smell can enhance the buyer’s experience.

You can read more about what prospective buyers look for in a primary bedroom here.

Tips for Organizing Cabinets

Do people peek into kitchen cupboards? Yes, again, it’s human nature to be inquisitive (ok nosy!). But they also want to see if their dishes, plates, serving dishes and plates, kitchen appliances, trays, cutlery, baking sheets, etc., will fit into the space. As someone with a small kitchen I know that space is a premium and I try to contain my kitchen equipment to fit into the space available.

However, as someone who peeks into people’s kitchen cupboards on a regular basis (in a strictly professional context you understand, not because I’m nosy!), I do see that kitchen “stuff” tends to expand to fit the size of the cabinets.

So, what do you do with all the extra stuff? (Hint: it’s a round receptacle that you take out regularly!) (ok, or you can donate).

De-clutter the easy stuff first – Do you really need that many plastic storage containers? Let the ones that are cracked, broken, or missing lids go. Get rid of the take out containers. You don’t want them in your new house, let them go now. And, my pet peeve – random plastic forks, straws, take out chopsticks, packages of condiments in junk drawers, utensil drawers, etc. Put them in the garbage!!!

Organize like with like – Ensure that dishes are in one section, cups and glasses in another. If you have a lot of mismatched glasses, mugs, etc., consider packing them away and just keeping a few ones that do match.

If any are chipped, cracked, or faded from the dishwasher just throw them out. This might be the time for you to invest in new dishes, mugs, glasses, etc.

Label Containers: Use labels to identify the contents of each container. This not only looks organized but also makes it easier for buyers to understand the storage potential. While you are doing that throw out old spices and condiments, old baking supplies, and anything you haven’t used in the past 3 months. You won’t be taking them with you so get rid of them now.

Counters should be cleared off – if at all possible put away your coffee maker, kettle, kitchen appliances. While they are functional, they are not beautiful. Clear countertops make a kitchen look bigger than it is. Consider adding some plants or flowers and items that will showcase the kitchen and elevate it – especially if it’s a dated kitchen. I’ve written a post just about how to Stage a Dated Kitchen which you can read here.

Pantry and Appliances

If you are fortunate enough to have a room or part of a room for pantry storage, well, then I just straight up envy you! I’m kidding. Having a dedicated pantry closet, storage area, or entire room is a dream for many and definitely something that you will want to highlight when you are selling your home. That said, it’s vital to ensure that it’s organized, presents well, and showcases the space to prospective buyers. This will be one of the spaces they discuss when looking at the benefits of buying your home.

If there is enough space you can store the extra kitchen appliances – kettle, toaster, coffeemaker – while you are selling your home, thereby keeping the countertops clear.

If you have enough of various items ensure again, like with like, and nicely labelled. Today’s buyers are savvy. They all watch HGTV. They all watch the Home Edit. Emulating the spaces in those shows will help sell your home. You want buyers to look at your pantry space and sigh in delight. I know I do when I see this pantry!

Looking for more ideas on how to Stage a Kitchen – here’s a post to read.

Conclusion

Organizing and staging your cabinets and closets is a valuable and often overlooked step in the home-selling process. Visually appealing and well-organized storage spaces not only makes your home look better but also help buyers appreciate the functionality and potential of the property. By following these tips, you can create clean, tidy, and appealing cabinets or cupboards and closets that leave a lasting positive impression on potential buyers. And, the benefit is that you will be only taking what you really need and want into your new home.

Happy De-cluttering and Organizing!