Staging My Home to Sell & Moving Checklist

Hi friend!  I cannot believe how fast this is all happening.  If you missed the news, I unexpectedly fell in love with a home and we moved yesterday!  Talk about a long day!  Did you catch the new home tour?

It’s been a whirlwind with the process of buying a new house while simultaneously getting my house ready to put on the market.  I wanted to make sure it was show ready, so I deep cleaned, touched up paint, and started packing up to make our house look staged.

The goal is to make it pretty and inviting and like no one lived there. But we do live there, so that is stressful!

I’m sure my kids were ready to wring my neck while my OCD was off the charts for the couple of days we showed the house.  Thank God two offers came in right away and we were able to get the house under contract within three days of being for sale!

Here’s a peek inside our home in it’s “show ready” condition.

DINING ROOM

It was early 2020 that our dining room got a makeover.  I think it made a good first impression as you enter the home.  It was interesting that several people that were interested in the house specifically requested that the drapes stay with the house.  They have a good eye- those were custom made to fit the space!

The nice lighting sure helped too!

Dining Room

Chandelier • Dining Table • Similar Dining Chairs • RugCabinetSimilar MirrorLampsFig Tree

Dining Room

Fiddle Leaf FigChandelier • Dining TableSimilar Dining Chairs

PLAYROOM/OFFICE

This room was an office with dark wooden moldings, but we lightened it up with grey and white paint and turned it into Jordan’s playroom.  It’s been a useful space with lots of fond memories playing kitchen, family with dolls, coloring and playing with things like Paw Patrol figures.

Playroom

TableChairsCabinetMirrorRugLamps

Playroom

KitchenMinted Art

WET BAR

This area is so handy for entertaining and especially when we host our annual Favorite Things party!  The wine wall is a gorgeous focal point, but I never filled her up!  Early on, I added a mirror backsplash to the wall and that made the room look even bigger.  It’s still really functional with a sink and wine fridge too.

Wet Bar area

Wet Bar

Canisters

FOYER

The curved staircase was one of my favorite features in our home and where our Christmas tree always lived.  I painted those wide stripes many years ago (2014 to be exact) and never tired of them.

Foyer

Black Vase • EucalyptusGreeneryTableTarget Rug

HALF BATH

This is so silly that I’ve never really shown our downstairs half bath because it doesn’t get good lighting.  My realtor suggested switching out the lightbulbs in the light fixture and that did the trick! I can’t believe I never thought to do that sooner!

Half Bath

Cherry BlossomSimilar Soap DispenserTowel

KITCHEN

Of course the kitchen is the heart of the home and ours had well used and loved carrera marble counters and tons of storage space.

Kitchen

S&P ShakersOlive Oil BottlesGrindersMini Faux Plant • Dotted DishesSerena & Lily Pitcher

Kitchen

VaseCookbook HolderPlantTissue Box

PANTRY

This was a dream pantry and perfect for storing decor as well as food.  It also houses a second fridge.

Pantry

 Glass Jars w Wooden Lids • Font Labels • Chalk Labels • OXO Containers • Glass Jar • Cork Shelf Liner • Glass JarsWoven BasketsExpand-A-ShelfPantry BasketsLadder

MUDROOM

It was only about a month ago (and before I realized we’ve be moving) that I upgraded our mudroom.  I added the lower doors where the space was previously open and a big eyesore.  I probably wouldn’t have done it if I realized we’d be leaving, but hopefully, the new owners enjoy this updated space!

Mudroom

Cabinet PullsSmall Pulls

BREAKFAST ROOM

This is where we eat our family dinners and have enjoyed so many weekend morning with pancakes, bacon and eggs.  I love the light fixture Brian installed last year- it really brings a coastal vibe to the space.  That table is from Restoration Hardware and I’m hoping it fits in my new office because there’s only one dining space in the new house.

The upholstered chairs are from Ballard Designs, but my kids were so hard on them that Brian helped me recover them in wipeable fabric.  It was an easy DIY that was well worth it!

Breakfast Room

ChandelierTable • Ballard Designs Chairs • VaseOlive Branches

LIVING ROOM

Over the years, I’ve gotten so many questions about our media unit.  It was built in with the home and such a great space to style with loads of additional storage.  I kept board games, puzzles, candles, batteries, art supplies and more in there.

LIving Room

Leopard PillowVelvet PillowCoffee TableTrayCandlesticksCouchLamp

Living Room

UPSTAIRS HALL

We’ve painted all of our doors Sherwin Williams Black Fox and they contrast nicely with the lighter walls.

Upstairs Hallway

Circle Mirror

SON’S ROOM/MEDIA ROOM

We weren’t really getting much use out of the dedicated media room space, so I let my son move his room there.  But, we want buyers to be able to envision this room as a media room, so we removed a bookcase, L-shaped gaming desk, gaming chair and large leather chair from the room to open it up.

Even my son said it felt, “refreshing”.  But he’s excited to put his gaming desk back into his new room when we get there!

Bedroom /Media Room

Similar BedBlue Stripe Bedding

James Room / Media Room

GUEST ROOM

The guest room didn’t need any work since it was recently decorated and already minimal.

Guest Room Reveal

Bed Frame • Mattress • Euro PillowsFloral Lumbar Pillow • Lumbar PillowSheetsLinen Blend Duvet & ShamsWoven Headboard • NightstandsLampsBench • Wall Art • Rug • Rug Pad • Wallpaper

JACK & JILL BATHROOM

I didn’t get a new picture of this space, but I did remove the rug and all the items off of the counter.

Neutral Bathroom

Eucalyptus PlantGreen PlantTissue BoxToothbrush HolderSoap DispenserSoap & Lotion Set • TowelBath RugMirror

OFFICE/BEDROOM

My office has never been so clean!  Rhonda and I are super excited for the new office space though and can’t wait to share it with you!

Home Office

DeskDesk Chair • Table ArtBookcaseRug 

GIRLS’ ROOM

My kindergarten daughter keeps her room pretty clean since most of her toys are in the playroom.  But, she did help me remove the Peppa Pig wall decal stickers.  It was awesome that they peeled right off without damaging the walls.

Jordans Big Girl Room

Upholstered Bed • Chandelier • Night StandRugSimilar RugSimilar Check BeddingSoftest SheetsMacrame Mirror

LAUNDRY ROOM

Buying a new washer and dryer was such a big ordeal with backorders and delays and then the pedestals took forever to arrive also.  And, once they did arrive, they came with the wrong mounting hardware.  Uggg!  It was such a long process to get the correct parts and finally get these babies installed!  Needless to say, I’m taking them to the new house!

Washer DryerPedestals

PRIMARY BEDROOM

I love this feminine bedroom with the abstract wallpaper, but am also looking forward to a blank slate.

Master Bedroom

Bed • Euro Pillows• Similar Bolster • Honeycomb DuvetLinen QuiltSoftest Sheets Ever • Bench •  Wallpaper • Similar Chests • Mirror • Lamp • Rug • Chandelier

SITTING ROOM

As a blogger, this is often the room I shoot videos and take outfit pictures in.  I was lucky to have built-in bookshelves that I used as extra shoe storage.

Of course, I’m sure that would be weird for most people, so I moved all the shoes into their proper home in my closet and added in a few books to fill in the space some.

Sitting Room

WingchairSide Table • Similar OttomanRugPillowRound MirrorVaseLamp

I love how soft and plush these rugs feel underfoot and the new house has no carpet, so they’ll be welcome in the new home.

Sitting Room

Rug • Wooden LinksLinen Boxes

Sitting Room Books

Coffee Table Books

PRIMARY BATHROOM

That lone towel wasn’t there while I showed the house.  There was nothing in the shower and no bath mats on the floor.  I’m sure when people are looking at a house, they don’t want to see that.

Bathroom

 Hand Towels • Similar VaseFaux Flowers

HIS CLOSET

I cleaned everything out of the closet and just left a few handbags in there to style it up. It also got a coat of fresh paint.

His Closet

HER CLOSET

My closet stayed pretty much like this, and it’s such a functional space with loads of storage.  There’s a built-in dresser, cubbies in the island and more shelving behind the door.

Organized Master Closet

Chandelier • CandleMatchesAmber VaseFaux TulipsSimilar Tray

MOVING CHECKLIST

It’s bittersweet leaving this home we’ve lived in and loved for 12 years.  There were lots of very happy memories here and lots to be grateful for about the home itself.

When you start packing and preparing to move, things can get crazy and feel overwhelming.  Having a checklist handy has made things easier!  Here’s one you can print if you or someone you know is moving!

Have a fantastic day friends!

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Meet Megan

Hi! I’m Megan, mom to a thoughtful teenager and spunky young girl. We call Houston home and recently moved into our dream home. I traded my lawyer hat to become a full-time blogger in 2010. I love sharing my passion for affordable fashion, home decor, organization, & fitness to help inspire you to take care of you!

11 Comments

    1. Thanks so much Veronica and thanks for following along all the way from Argentina! It’s a blessing I have my blog to look back on all these photos and memories in that home!

  1. Beautiful old home and beautiful new home! Congratulations to your precious family. What is the grey paint color in the downstairs of your old house? I absolutely LOVE it. Like you, I only use Sherwin Williams!

  2. I love both of your homes! Quick question…when you packed up stuff for the showing, or took stuff off the counter tops, where did you keep it? We are about to sell our house and that is what I can’t figure out! Thank you!

    1. Hi Ashley! I was able to put packed boxes stacked neatly in our garage. Other items I still needed like shower essentials I tucked away under the sink. Sending you best wishes for your house to sell quickly!

  3. looking for the grilled curry chicken that you had on one of your weekend posts. several searches and i’m still not successful. would you mind pointing me in the right direction? thanks

  4. How can I print out your moving checklist…it doesn’t seem to be in your printables and wasn’t sure how to print it off of your post. Thank you!!!

  5. What a happy time! I remember stumbling on your blog when you were first building your home. In fact some of the elements you went with helped me think through things for our first home. Grateful for how you take us along for the ride.

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