Are Your Kids’ Rooms Pure Chaos? 7 Upgrades To Make Before Selling
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Are your kids’ bedrooms such a mess, you cringe before you head in? Well, we don’t blame you. But if you’re planning to sell your home soon, then it’s time to change that.
Sure, the kitchen, main bath, and living room may get the most attention during open houses and home showings. But serious buyers are going to linger in every space—and the kids’ rooms are no exception.
In fact, potential homebuyers are likely to envision their own tots or tweens frolicking around in there. So before you list your home, make a point of upgrading this spot, to both make a great impression and (possibly) seal a deal.
Not keen to break the bank on this project? Furniture rentals are a good option to consider rather than shelling out for new stuff, says Jeanine Boiko, a New York real estate agent. In fact, the potential return on investment in your area might not be high enough to warrant a big cash outlay. (Check with your broker for some advice.)
Ready to upgrade your kids’ play space or bedrooms? Here’s how to punch up the look without spending a fortune.
1. Infuse bright color
You can get away with more vivid colors in a baby nursery or tween lair than you can in the living room.
“With their colorful palettes and joyful energy, is there anything more fun to decorate than a kid’s room?” asks Anna Brockway, co-founder and president of Chairish.
Inexpensive poufs in neon orange or floor pillows in bright lime or fuchsia can offer a bit of flair, and they double as flop spots when building Lego towers or coloring.
2. Add multifunctional pieces
Photo by Erika Ward – Erika Ward Interiors
Kids’ rooms need to be both stylish and functional, which means their furniture and decor accents should serve two purposes wherever possible. Examples: a bunk bed with a built-in desk below or an end table with drawers or cubbies to hold toys.
“I call these ‘sneaky pieces’ or items that do double duty to help a space feel less cluttered,” says Brockway. You might try an ottoman with storage inside as you can slide it around for extra seating or for propping up your feet during storytime.
Or hang a simple fabric-covered dowel on the wall for books, as seen above. This easy DIY project costs less than $50, and it adds a fun pop of color to the wall.
3. Try rug tiles
A blah kid’s rug—or worse, one that’s stained—is a big downer when you’re touring a house to buy. But low-priced rug tiles from FLOR (some start at just $6 each) or another easy-to-lay washable covering (say, from Ruggable) can instantly lift the space, making it look clean and inviting.
4. Curate a wall
Quick prints, colorful wall hangings, or other arty framed pieces can transform a playroom or baby bedroom easily and cheaply. Rehang what you already own in a new way, or pick up frames from a big-box store to hold your tot’s scribbles. Theme the wall (e.g., sports, ballet) or pick a single color (shades of pink, perhaps), and it’ll appear more mindfully curated and less random.
5. Pick simple storage
Yup—you’ll sandblast the playroom before potential buyers file through—and this moment is a prime one for rethinking your storage. Plain white bins from the dollar store or colorful baskets from a home center can corral clutter and give your kids’ rooms a semblance of order. And if you can, choose containers you actually like and would take with you when you move, rather than impulsively shopping and then ditching them all once you have an offer.
6. Use plants and twinkle lights
Many tweens and teens gravitate toward sparkly lights anyway, so a string of small Edison bulbs is a playful and inexpensive upgrade to try. Wrap the lighting around an architectural detail in the room, like a curved window or alcove, to highlight this feature.
And don’t forget plants in kids’ rooms, especially if you can stash a couple in a gorgeous cachepot or two. Plants add an unexpected note of vibrancy in a kid’s space, and your tot just might get a kick out of watering them each week.
7. Fake a kid’s room
Did your kids grow up and move away? Staging one works wonders, says Boiko, so fix up a lesser-used room as a space for children.
“Dress the bed in a fun spread and linens, and add a nightstand to make it visually appealing,” she says.
Facebook Marketplace is a great source for picking up a secondhand bed and some thrift stores even sell used linens, she adds.
No nightstand on hand? “Stack up some books on the floor, and top them with a lamp,” she advises.
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