Staging: Fighting Odors Safely

We all know that the wrong smells can kill a sale: cigarette smoke, cat pee, old people (sorry I know that last one isn't PC, but it did come in 3rd in a recent survey of home buyers.) On the flip side, the right smell can help seal the deal with buyers, but many of the tips and tricks people turn to can be downright dangerous. Baking cookies before a showing is fine--as long as you remember to turn off the oven. Candles should never be left burning, and even the plug in air fresheners can pose a fire hazard. And, you certainly can't turn to these methods if you are listing a home that you have already moved out of. So here is my favorite tip for fighting stale, empty house smell or just making you home smell more appealing to buyers:  COFFEE

Ok, to start with, your house MUST smell clean. To achieve this, I am a huge fan of white vinegar. The acid in vinegar will cut right through many of the worst smells, including cigarettes and cat pee. It also has the added bonus of removing hard water stains and cutting through soap scum like a champ. Once your house is nice and clean smelling, I suggest introducing pretty containers of fresh coffee grounds throughout the house. This glass container was a buck at my local dollar store. The fake succulent was on sale for 50 cents. I like to put glass containers of coffee on window sills that get sunlight. The light heats the coffee and causes the smell to waft around the house like magic, no fire hazard required. A small vase with some fake flowers tucked into the coffee also looks pretty.

I also like to buy pretty bowls from the dollar store or yard sales and fill them with coffee topped in decorative items. If you live near the beach, you can use sea shells (just make sure they are also clean) or you can pick up pine cones, pretty rocks, whatever. This project should be as close to free and cheap as you want to make it as you may be leaving these objects behind for the next owners if you are staging an empty house. I try to put one of these bowls or vases in every room. The bowls look particularly nice on bathroom counters, while I generally use a larger, tall vase with flowers or branches for kitchens, but mix it up!
You can also make sachets using coffee grounds and cotton or mesh gift bags to hang in closets or near litter boxes.
Don't like the smell of coffee you say? Try cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg. Spices can be expensive, but cinnamon is often available in fairly large containers at--you guessed it--the dollar store. These spices also have the added benefit of acting as an insect deterrent, and bundles of cinnamon sticks make attractive displays.
On a final note, coffee is also great for absorbing existing odors. I once used half a can of coffee to exorcise the smell of running shoes from an entrance coat closet that a tenant has used as a sports locker.