Focus your efforts on staging in strategic areas. Your bathroom is one of those. People will inspect bathrooms. They look under toilet seats and inside toilet boxes. Prospective buyers don’t want a public bathroom "feel” about what will be their most private place. Here are a few tips to help you stage your bathrooms properly:

 

• Aim for a spa-like look and feel. Beautiful bathrooms are a big draw for buyers. Since you obviously can’t create a real spa at home, your best option is to make the best of what you already have. With a few changes here and there, you can give your bathrooms a spa-like look and feel that prospective buyers will love, so keep this in mind as you make the changes below.
• Give the bathroom a thorough cleaning. This should be obvious, but clean everything thoroughly, remove stains, and make sure everything is immaculately spotless. Clean water-stained shower doors with a lime-dissolving detergent. You can also hire a professional to refinish a stained bathtub. Cleaning might not be the most exciting task in the world, but it's very important to do, as this gives buyers the impression that your home is well-maintained.

• Ensure there are no cleaning products in sight. Yes, you need them to get that thoroughly clean look that will impress, but leaving buckets, mops, and supplies around gives your bathroom a janitorial closet feel that implies housework and maintenance, not the beautiful spa-like experience buyers want to imagine they can get from a bathroom. Remove other things like bathroom scales, spare toilet rolls, toilet brushes, wastepaper baskets, sponges, etc. Also stash all your personal items, like soaps, toothbrushes, cotton balls, etc., under the bathroom sink, where they're hidden away. Seeing your personal hygiene products can make buyers feel a little awkward, as if they are in your personal space.

• Hang fresh, luxurious towels and lay down bath mats. The addition of beautiful, soft towels can transform a bathroom in an instant. Thick, white, luxurious towels always workwell, but brightly colored towels are also in style these days. Get new ones if you can, as these look better than washed towels, and only use them as display props when prospective buyers are viewing. If you have sufficient counter space in your bathroom, you can create an even more luxurious feel by placing a neatly folded pile of two or three matching towels on the counter, beside the bath.

• Organize storage space. Buyers love plenty of storage space and they will open your bathroom cupboards to see how much is there. You want to create the impression that storage is plentiful, so ensure your cupboards aren't full and overflowing. About half-full, or up to two-thirds full, is a good look, and make sure everything inside is well organized. This applies to your counters, too. Clear off the counters and remove all your everyday toiletries and bathroom supplies. If you really don't have enough space for all your toiletries, put the excess in toiletry baskets and store them out of sight.

• Accessorize for a better look. Once your bathroom is free of clutter and your personal hygiene products, enhance the whole look with a few well-chosen accessories. Use items such as scented candles in varying heights, fragrant soaps, bath oils, natural loofahs, a basket of tightly rolled washcloths, or even a good book. Choose accessories in soft colors and keep things simple, so it doesn't create a cluttered look. Candles create a layer of warmth, elegance, luxury, and tranquility. If you've got the space, you can go one step further by putting in a stool or ottoman beside the bathtub. This is both functional and stylish, and will give your bathroom the ultimate private suite look.

• Add fresh flowers. Flowers and plants add a nice touch to any room and the same goes for bathrooms. Add color and texture to your bathrooms with your favorite flowers. It doesn't have to be a bouquet, especially if the bathroom is small. A single stem or a small planter will enliven the bathroom.

• Upgrade where necessary. Although you don't need to spend a lot of money to stage your bathroom, there might bethings that you might consider replacing. Small, inexpensive upgrades can have a big impact on the total look of your bathroom - repainting your walls, for instance. You can only pull off the "spa look" if the walls look good. If your bathroom is wallpapered, it's likely that the wallpaper is peeling - so remove it, and paint instead. Even if your walls are painted, you may want to consider repainting them to give a fresh new look. If you're going to paint or repaint, it's a wise choice to stick with neutral colors. They're more likely to appeal to more prospective buyers. Apart from painting, other bathroom upgrades that you can do without spending a fortune are replacing leaking and worn taps, installing new light fittings, and updating the cabinets. If your toilet is broken, badly stained, or outdated, you should consider replacing it. Buy a new shower curtain and tie it back with ribbons, or replace a shower screen that's badly stained or cracked. If your home is higher-priced, you may also consider other more substantial upgrades, like changing tiles to preserve that luxury- bathroom feel buyers will want to find in a home.