Staging your furniture pieces to sell is one of the most important steps in flipping furniture. It is also one of the most overlooked steps in the process of flipping. These 5 staging tips for furniture flippers will make the process easy and ensure you are making the most out of your staging.
Why Staging Is So Important
Staging your flipped furniture is the glamorous part of the flipping process. This is where you get to showcase the piece. By staging, you are illustrating to the buyer how the piece could look in their home. You are putting the best foot forward. This is where you are highlighting the features, the functionality, the character, and the charm. You do this through props/decor, amazing lighting, taking a ton of photos, and bringing the piece to life.
Just think about how you shop and look for things for your home. If it was just a dresser sitting on a driveway, you may not even look twice at it. If you saw the same dresser inside a room that is decorated and well-lit, it shows you how this piece could look in your home. You take more time to look at it. You notice it more. It stands out more.
STAGING IS ESSENTIAL IN FLIPPING!
It can make or break a sale. I have tested it time and time again. I will take a photo of a piece in the driveway and the piece will sit unsold for days. Then, I will bring that same piece inside the house and stage it. Every single time I have done that, it has sold within the day of the staged photos going live. It isn’t rocket science. It is just the best way to get the piece sold.
5 Staging Tips For Furniture Flippers
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Clean
Make sure that you take the time to clean the piece of furniture before you take photos. Dust can collect on furniture so fast and if it has been a few days since you finished the makeover, chances are there will be some dust on the piece. You want to put the piece in the best light and making sure it is clean is the first way to do that.
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How It Can Be Used
So many pieces of furniture can be used in different ways in homes. We have had a dresser in our living room since we lived in our home. A buffet makes a great entry table and a hutch can be used in a bedroom. Stage the hutch inside your bedroom and fold sweaters inside. A dresser can be functional and look amazing in a living room. If the piece has doors, open them and stack throw blankets or old quilts inside. If the piece has shelves, show them how to decorate the shelves or what to store on them.
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Decorate
When people hear the word “staging” they think of decorating. Staging is so much more than decorating but adding decor touches to and around your flipped piece is an important part of the process. When you take the time to decorate the item, it really shows buyers the possibilities. It shows the buyer how they can decorate the piece in their home. Add some decor to the walls above the piece. Place a chair next to a hutch. Put some decor to the top of a dresser. Add a basket filled with throw blankets on the floor in front of the piece. Really take the time to show that buyer how the piece could look in their home. You may even have people asking if they can buy all the staged items you used too! That has happened a lot to me.
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Lighting
Good lighting is of utmost importance. It is part of the staging process that people don’t think about. Lighting is just like decorating your piece. It has to be part of the equation. Before you decorate it or think about different ways people can use the piece in their home, make sure you have a spot that has a lot of good, natural lighting for photos. Bad lighting can ruin a sale. PERIOD.
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Staging Items/Props
Always have staging items on hand. If you have a lot of decor in your home, use that. If not, browse thrift stores and yard sales for inexpensive decor you can use when staging your pieces. You want to switch things up with different pieces. You don’t want the same items in every listing. Mix it up. If you are staging a dining room table, set the table. If you are staging a dresser, maybe add a small clock, a jewelry box, and some books on top. Here are some universal ideas to have on hand that are good for every piece: old books, bigger/coffee table books, baskets, vessels and vases, faux flowers/stems, small clocks, etc.
I hope these 5 staging tips for furniture flippers were helpful. Never underestimate the importance of staging. It literally can make or break your sale. It is one of my favorite parts of the flipping process because I get to decorate and show how the piece can look in different spaces.
Do You Want To Make Money Flipping Furniture?
After twenty years of doing this, I am still picking up pieces when I can find them because I love the creative outlet, but I am now coaching other furniture flippers on how to make more money in their business. If you are someone who is looking to start and/or grow a furniture flipping business, I would love to help you. There are ways to make money in your business beyond painting a piece of furniture. Once I learned that, my business flourished. Don’t waste your time trying to figure it out on your own.
To help other flippers, I created The Furniture Flipping Academy! The academy includes everything you need to start, grow, and/or scale a furniture flipping business. It includes courses, resources, templates, social media planner and guide, a private community, and so much more. It will ensure that you are doing the steps that will lead to success and not wasting your time on things that won’t.
You can find all the information about the Furniture Flipping Academy HERE.
Let’s get your business started and/or moving in the right direction. The Furniture Flipping Academy is for any flipper, from beginner to experienced. If your business is stagnant, there is a reason for that. Let me help you grow it into a flipping career that is profitable and fits the lifestyle you want to live.
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