Staging the Garage

Curb appeal should extend all the way up the driveway and into the garage. The garage is an important amenity for many home buyers. According to research on home-feature preferences from the National Association of Realtors^®, 78 percent of home buyers purchase a house with a garage, especially if they’re buying a new home or live in the suburbs.  Even if buyers do not have a big car or multiple cars, they like having extra space for storage.

De-clutter Your Garage
Just as you've beautified the rest of your house, making it open and clutter-free, you should give the same attention to your garage. Follow these guidelines:

• Get rid of all that extra stuff. Gather the items you don’t use anymore and have a garage sale. Once you've sold everything you can, take what’s left over to a local charity.
• Hang up heavy-duty hooks for larger items like bikes and equipment that are taking up space.
• If you have cabinets, shelves, or ready-made storage systems, organize the contents. Get rid of anything you don’t need.
• Try to get everything off the floor and into cabinets, shelves, or bins. Put tools away in drawers or cabinets or hang them on a pegboard.
• Make sure all flammable items, tools, and chemicals are stored out of the reach of children. You don’t want potential buyers to wonder what else you may have handled irresponsibly.
• If you don’t already have one, install a smoke detector in your garage.
• Dust the walls and corners. 
• Paint walls and cabinets, if the space looks dingy even after a scouring.
• Check lighting. Replace any burnt-out light bulbs, and consider adding lights if the garage is dim.
• Make sure your garage door opener is working, or install an automatic opener if you don’t have one. 

Clean the Garage Floors
Finally, remove unsightly and slippery oil stains from the garage floor:

• Wipe up dripped oil with a towel or cloth.
• Pour some paint thinner on the oil spot, making sure it is fully saturated.
• Pour an absorbent material over the saturated spot: cat litter, sand, baking soda, cornmeal, sawdust, or any other absorbent material you have on hand.
• Let the mixture set overnight.
• Sweep up the mixture, preferably with a heavy push broom with sturdy bristles.
• Pour a little laundry bleach, dry dishwasher detergent or a concrete-cleaning solution on the oil-marked concrete. Let it sit for about an hour.
• Rinse the area off with hot water and scrub the area with a broom.
• If the floor needs more than a scrub, consider painting and sealing it or adding a floor covering.

If your garage has a workbench, extra storage space or any unique features, let your real estate agent know so that those features can be pointed out to potential buyers.  Don’t forget the garage door - part of the total curb appeal package. Make sure it’s clean. If it’s worn or marked up, a coat of fresh paint will make a difference to the house hunters who pull up and see the garage right away.


While a garage usually won’t make or break a sale, it could be a tiebreaker. Set the stage for a good first impression by making sure your garage is clean, organized, and in good repair.