There are many psychological factors behind staging a home that compels people to buy - based on the feelings it instills in them. Here are a few popular examples of staging - as well as some mistakes to avoid. 

1. Small and empty won't do. 

You may think that if you leave a room empty or mostly bare, it'll look bigger and offer more space. But an empty room can actually make it look much smaller. This is because it's hard to get an idea of space when there's no point of reference for item size. The right kind of furniture helps potential buyers understand how much of their stuff will fit into the room. 

2. Give focal points loud vocals. 

You should take advantage of and accentuate the focal points of the property. Whether you choose to orient furniture toward focal points like fireplaces or use vases or other accessories to accentuate things like bay windows and kitchen island tables. 

3. Flowers and greens to brighten the scene

Adding in flowers can not only improve your potential buyers' moods but can actually help them remember that moment of walking into the room more clearly and favorably. Keep in mind that you can also add hypoallergenic plants for a sense of health and ecological consciousness. Using the right plants can really make the home feel more open and fresh. They can also add great pops of color throughout the house. 

4. The odd ones win

There's a "golden rule" when it comes to staging a home. It's "the rule of three". This rule is applied to everything from accessories to artwork, lighting to chairs. The idea is that if you group things in threes, fives, sevens, or nines, (but seriously - three is plenty!), your eye will be forced to look around the space more carefully. This means that your potential buyers are looking at the home in their own time, thoroughly enjoying the experience. This is much better experience than having to tell them to look here or there. 

5. Accents - good and bad

Accent pieces are a great way to add to the overall feel of the home. And home stagers use it extensively to invoke feelings of openness, happiness, and joy. However, there are right and wrong ways to go about it. For example, you may want to toss a few rugs down to make the room look more interesting. But this can make the room look smaller and feel more cramped. This is due to the fact that unbroken floor space makes an area look larger. The same goes for things like bed skirts and any other item that could be left on the floor - especially in closets. Alternatively, adding decorative mirrors can help open a small space up. This is done by the light mirrors reflect. It also comes into play when a home buyer walks by. They will quite literally see themselves in the home you're trying to sell them. It can invoke a sense of ownership. Likewise, adding things like curtain rods to just below the ceiling rather than right above the window can help to add the illusion of tall ceilings, making the room seem larger and more breathable. 

6. Make rooms flow with consistent colors. 

Don't worry - you don't have to paint every room the same bland shade of white. However, keeping a similar theme throughout the home can make the home feel more cohesive, breathable, and open. You can achieve this by tying in the same few colors (or similar hues) through each room via accessories, artwork, and pillows. Typically, the recommendation per room is that you stick with 60% main color, 30% secondary color, and 10% to a nice accent color. Keep in mind that colors matter quite a bit. Having said that, it's important to know that the standard practice is to go with mostly neutral shades, so that the potential buyer can see the home as a canvas on which they may paint. 

7. Furniture placement is key. 

Where you place the furniture (and what kind of furniture you use) can alter the way buyers perceive the home's space. For example, if you put the tallest bit of furniture in the far left corner, the room will seem much larger. That's because we tend to scan rooms from left to right as we enter. You also have to keep in mind a theme for your furniture. Eclectic pieces with great stories can be amazing accents, but if you shove every interesting piece of furniture you find into the home, it can be bulky, cramped, and even discourage cleaning. Meaning that your buyer will assume the home will be hard to clean. 

There are tons of ways to stage a home so that it will sell quickly. If you're uncomfortable or not confident with the idea of staging it yourself, you can always hire a company and pick up a few pointers from them.