No, that’s not a typo. Yes, closets are for “the clothes.” But I’m going to take this in another direction. Real estate is a tricky business, and in recent months, markets have gone nutty with home prices soaring across the country. Competition is strong, and every little detail matters for buyers and sellers. If you’re about to put your house on the market and have staged and straightened every room, consider this blog your reminder to not overlook an especially important space . . . your closets. It’s quite common to see inquiries about the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and we know garage space is often at a premium. Recently home offices have topped the list of desirable features. But how much closet space your home offers and how that space appears can be the deciding factor that gives you the secret selling edge to “close” the deal. 

While closets serve mostly as storage for clothes, we all know that they hold (hide) other household items and overflow. Sure, many of us have attics and basements, but closets are conveniently located and are often where we stick things last minute. And when out of sight . . . out of mind. If your closets are dark, cluttered, and unorganized, they could be a reason a buyer passes on your home and chooses another property. Before you post that listing, take a fresh look at your closets, and work to make them a competitive feature. 

First off, thin out the contents of every closet . . . clothes, linens, toys, and luggage crowded behind closed doors can make your home seem small and unable to handle storage needs. Make sure there is visible space on shelves and clothing rods. Gather stray items like belts or books, and gather them into attractive bins, baskets, or containers. Consider choosing a color theme for those accessories and switching out hangers to match. And a fresh, vibrant coat of paint can’t hurt! Move out boxes or cabinets of personal paperwork like taxes and bills. No one wants to see those in any setting. Nor do you want strangers to have access to that type of information as they stroll through your home.

Now it’s time to really close the sale . . . install some lighting in every closet. It makes the space more accessible and attractive. For linen closets, try light bars or tape lighting to gently illuminate neat stack of towels and sheets. In spare bedroom closets, add one or two recessed can lights to really make the space appear large and clean. For kids bedrooms, get creative with themes and consider adding a pop of pink light for a princess bedroom or green for a dinosaur boys room. For the grand closet finale, dress up the master bedroom closet with layered lighting at every level. A stylish chandelier supported by recessed lights or decorative wall fixtures plus some undercabinet lighting at eye-level shelves can make your master closet memorable. Don’t forget to add floor-level lighting for that little something extra to highlight shoes (don’t underestimate the impact of this addition.) Rope lighting is perfect for this boost. 

One added consideration that offers a significant impact for little investment is incorporating controls. Imagine a buyer stepping into your master closet and it automatically illuminates! Motion sensors can make that a reality! Dimmers can also add to the drama of your closet presentation. Many of these extras are the types of things a buyer doesn’t even know they want until they experience it. Get top dollar and sell fast by diving into these details. 

For more inspiration on dressing up your closet for sale (or for yourself), check out this blog. If you need expert help in detailing the lighting in your closets, reach out to our experienced lighting specialists at 1-800-624-4488 or try our convenient pop-up chat feature at the bottom right corner of our web pages.