4 Smart & Easy Ways to Make Your Pantry Appear Bigger for Potential Home Buyers
For many home buyers, a large, well-organized pantry is no longer seen as a nice amenity – it’s a necessity – and the bigger, the better. Big pantries have become increasingly popular recently, especially in surviving the pandemic. Many people began cooking at home more regularly because the number of people working from home is increasing, therefore spending more time in their kitchens. This shift has many homeowners re-examining their kitchens’ storage and organizational space.
Fortunately, with the proper staging techniques in play, even a smaller pantry will appear more spacious and organized. Below are four effortlessly crafty ways to make your pantry appear larger for potential home buyers.
EMPTY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE — Just know that potential buyers will not only be peeking into your pantry, they will be examining it. If it is crammed with cereal boxes and chip bags, that will tell a potential home buyer that there is insufficient storage space in the kitchen. Begin purging as soon as you know you will be listing your property, and avoid trips to your local wholesale club or larger volume purchases.
REMOVE ALL ITEMS OFF THE FLOOR — This simple tip will instantly have your pantry appear more spacious and neat. Keep all items that need to be in the pantry on a shelf and relocate all other items elsewhere or give it away.
USE MATCHING CONTAINERS — Transfer dry goods into air-tight matching containers, when possible, to visually streamline the shelves and make your pantry look organized and spacious. A rainbow of colored boxes is great for marketing on grocery store shelves but not so pleasing for staging a pantry. Any extra visual clutter tends to make an already small space feel even more chaotic and cramped.
CLEANLINESS & ODORS MATTER (A LOT) — Be sure to dispose of all recycling and garbage and remove all pet-related items from the pantry. Sweep and mop your pantry thoroughly. Remove any other items that may have an odd smell or are particularly pungent (i.e., strong spices, box of mothballs) before showings.
Wipe down the shelves and door to the pantry. If you have scuffs and scrapes, try using a Magic Eraser. Your other option would be to apply a fresh coat of paint. Highly recommend keeping this area light and neutral — my preference is Sherwin Williams Pure White SW 7005.
A nicely staged kitchen differs from a kitchen you live in daily. It’s not convenient or practical for daily use. But when done correctly, your kitchen will be more appealing to buyers, resulting in a quicker sale and more profitability. Prepping your first impression is worth the investment, especially over multiple open houses and the dreaded price reductions. Reach out!