Editor's note, October 6, 2026: this article was reviewed and rewritten in our accuracy check. An earlier version contained price-uplift percentages, staging costs and transaction shares we could not trace to a source; they have been removed or replaced with figures from the sources listed at the end of the article.
Staging is about helping buyers picture themselves in your home, online first and then in person. We don't know of any Ontario study that measures how much staging adds to a sale price, and we won't quote a percentage. The best available evidence is a U.S. survey: in the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 83% of buyers' agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize the property as a future home, and the living room was the room they rated most important to stage. Here is a practical plan.
1. Declutter and depersonalize
- Clear counters, fridge doors and shelves; keep a few deliberate objects.
- Pack away family photos and personal collections, so buyers focus on the house.
- Remove bulky furniture that blocks walkways or sightlines; rooms look larger with less in them.
- Edit closets. Buyers open them, and half-empty closets read as "lots of storage".
- Store what you remove off-site if you can, rather than filling the basement or garage, which buyers also inspect.
2. Neutral paint and good light
Fresh paint in a neutral colour is one of the cheapest ways to make rooms look cared for. Get two or three quotes and start with the rooms buyers see first. Replace burnt-out bulbs, use one consistent colour temperature in each room, and open every blind for showings and photos. Dated light fixtures in the main rooms are an inexpensive swap.
3. Fix the small things
Dripping taps, sticking doors, cracked tiles, missing switch plates and scuffed baseboards tell buyers the home hasn't been maintained, and give them reasons to negotiate. If you know of a larger issue, disclose it honestly; your agent and lawyer can advise how. If your home has older wiring, the Electrical Safety Authority recommends an assessment by a Licensed Electrical Contractor, and having the report ready can reassure buyers and their insurers.
4. Professional staging: when it's worth it
- Consultation only (you live there): a stager walks through and gives you a room-by-room list using your own furniture.
- Partial staging: rented furniture and decor for the key rooms (living room, primary bedroom, kitchen).
- Full staging of a vacant home: empty rooms are hard to judge for size and photograph poorly.
Ask for a written quote and how long the rental lasts, because a home that takes longer to sell keeps the furniture longer.
5. Curb appeal
Clean the front walk and steps, tidy the garden, repaint or clean the front door, replace a tired mailbox or house numbers, and make sure the porch light works. In early spring, when gardens are bare, a couple of planters do a lot.
6. Photography, floor plan and video
Most buyers see your home online before they decide to visit, so professional photos and an accurate floor plan matter. Schedule the shoot after staging is finished and on a bright day. Make sure room sizes in the listing match the floor plan.
Spring timing
Spring is usually the busiest season for both new listings and sales, so you will be competing with more homes. TRREB publishes the numbers every month in its Market Watch; your agent can show you the current figures for your area.
Ready to list? Start with a free instant home valuation, read our guide on preparing your home for sale, or ask Zara, Summitly's AI virtual agent, for a room-by-room checklist.
