Spontaneous Moving Week: How We Staged and Sold Our House

Today the house looks like a genuine moving zone, so—by spontaneous decision—this week is officially Moving Week. While we unpack a few essentials (and hunt for underwear), we’re sharing a deep dive into the sale of our house. Here’s what we’ll cover during Spontaneous Moving Week:

• How we prepared and presented our home for sale, including the flyer we designed and the specific changes we made before showings
• The financial side: what we invested to sell the house and what we kept in the budget
• Photos of the empty house and the closure that comes with seeing an echoey, vacant space
• Moving day photos at the new place and reflections on that first-day documentation
• A lighter house-hunting post about other properties we toured for comparison
• Other little anecdotes and tips we remembered between boxes and paint swatches

We got a lot of questions about staging and whether we depersonalized the house. A few readers asked:

“Did you stage your home to sell it? Did you store personal items to make it less personal for buyers?”

“Can you share your For Sale flyer (with personal details removed)?”

Below is the double-sided flyer we made in Photoshop (we removed the address, price, and contact details). Click either image to view a larger version.

We don’t follow the strict, cookie-cutter staging advice that recommends repainting every room neutral and removing all personal touches. We sold our first home without doing that, and it worked again for this house. Rather than strip the place of personality, we highlighted how lived-in and welcoming it felt—so potential buyers could imagine themselves there.

That said, we didn’t do nothing. We focused on simple, effective improvements and thoughtful edits to present the house at its best. Here’s the checklist we used before showings—a practical staging and home-selling routine:

• Boost curb appeal: we over-seeded the lawn and let the rain help it green up, mulched garden beds, and planted a few seasonal annuals to show the home is cared for.
• Make the exterior inviting: we mowed, edged, and blew away pollen, twigs, and leaves from the driveway, patio, and deck for a tidy first impression.
• Declutter functional spaces: closets, the attic, and the basement were organized so any space buyers peeked into felt usable, not stuffed.
• Surface cleaning: counters in the kitchen and bathrooms were wiped down and faucets polished for a fresh, clean scent and look.
• Showcase flooring: we rolled up a kitchen rug and stored it at the new house to display the cork flooring, which helped buyers notice a desirable feature.

• Minor touch-ups: scuffed paint in doorways and baseboards got quick touch-ups so small imperfections didn’t distract buyers.
• Staged details: a runner and a few cups on the deck table gave the outdoor space an inviting, “sit down” vibe even though the furniture was coming with us.
• Thoughtful removals: we tucked away Burger’s food and water (they were stored in the walk-in closet and could look odd to non-pet people), removed Clara’s bath toys, potty seat, and step stool from the hall bathroom so it wouldn’t read as exclusively a kids’ bathroom, and removed bath mats to make bathrooms look more spacious and show off tile.
• Quick cleans: a thorough vacuuming, dusting, and last-minute pickup (with the help of our toddler’s clean-up song) made a surprisingly big difference in perceived care and maintenance.

• Small high-impact tasks: wiping the front door with a damp rag and mild soap took five minutes but brightened the entry noticeably.
• Buyer-friendly access: we left the separate entry basement door unlocked during showings so visitors could easily explore that area without hassle.
• Helpful cues: a small note on the microwave cabinet clarified that the microwave is vented—little details help buyers notice desirable features.

Most of these steps required a one-time setup before the first showing; maintaining them between showings was manageable. Getting a toddler and a dog out of the house for each showing was the most chaotic part, but thankfully we only had three showings this time (compared to 14 the last time we sold). Fewer showings meant less churn and stress.

If you’re about to list, focus on curb appeal, clean and organized storage spaces, highlighting unique flooring or built-ins, and small cosmetic touch-ups. Thoughtful, lived-in styling can communicate warmth better than a sterile, empty home. What do you do when your house is on the market? Any staging tips or tricks to share?