taxidermy wall (SilverleafPhotos)
Selling a home is all about presentation, which is why home staging is such a big deal. A vase of flowers, a bowl of fruit -- such details can really draw buyers in. And yet on the flip side, certain items lying around your home can kill any potential for a sale.
While you might think common sense would prevail and prompt people to hide this stuff, we think it's worth reminding y'all, just in case. Before showing off your home to buyers (or any guests for that matter), make sure to stash these 10 things out of sight.
Drug paraphernalia
Let's state the obvious, shall we? Even if it's legal in some states, not everyone approves of marijuana. Get your 3-foot bong off the coffee table and into storage, clean out the ashtrays, and stash the rolling papers. Now is also a good time to remove the "Yes we cannabis!" posters and your stack of "High Times" in the bathroom, too.
Mousetraps and roach motels
There's no better way to say "This place is crawling with critters!" than to display these sure signs of aggressive pest control. Just tuck those items underneath the fridge, and pray the things they're trying to catch don't scuttle out when prospective buyers walk through the door.
Cameras by the bed
If you and your partner like to make your own private videos, more power to you. Just remember to move the camera.
Any kind of sex stuff, honestly
Personal massagers, oils, condoms -- pack 'em up in a box and stick it deep in your nightstand or closet. Yes, it may sound obvious, but we've all stumbled across these items in someone's home at some point. Awk-waard!
Taxidermy
We understand hunting is a hobby, and we're not here to judge you (not much anyway). But multiple animal heads on the wall and an upright stuffed badger chillin' in the parlor can give an otherwise great-looking room a creepy or foreboding vibe.
For buyers, a new home often means the start of a new life, or an infusion of new possibilities. Dead animals, well, they can impose a feeling of dread that can linger throughout the entire showing (and perhaps long after). And those buyers who straight-up hate hunters may make a snap judgment not to deal with you. So even if you stuffed the beloved family pet, just keep it out of sight.
Firearms and other combat weapons
If you're a gun aficionado, make sure your rifles are tucked away in a safe. For other weapons -- like combat knives, throwing stars, swords, great axes, spears -- try and clear them from view, or at least put them behind glass. Preferably in a cabinet that locks.
Creepy collections
Rooms stuffed with porcelain dolls, celebrity shrines, human skulls, a vast collection of disturbing cinema -- these are things that could put buyers off. Way off! You want them to envision their own lives and family in the house; showcasing a collection of something that could be in a museum of medical oddities will only make people think of "Silence of the Lambs."
Anything political
With a particularly contentious political season in full swing, you should get rid of any kind of party affiliation or presidential endorsement. The last thing you want to do is bring politics into a home sale, or have that topic come up at closing. Do a political purge, and get rid of any party signage.
You
You're great, really. But when you're showing your home, you need to make yourself scarce. Seriously. It's something real estate agents really hate.
The departed
Not the movie -- we're referring to your loved ones. An urn carrying ashes of the deceased framed by family photos is a touching tribute, but unfortunately not something a lot of buyers want to see. You don't have to sweep your loved one under the rug, but you may want to temporarily relocate them when home buyers come around.