There are so many enjoyable fall activities, from carving pumpkins to lounging around the bonfire. Autumn can also be a great time to enter the housing market. While there may not be as many interested parties as there are during spring and summer, you may face less competition selling your home, and motivated buyers may want to move into a new house before the holidays. However, before potential buyers visit your home, it can be beneficial to stage your house with fall-inspired ideas to help it stand out.

Make use of light

As fall progresses and days grow shorter, your home may lack natural light. So, make sure to provide plenty of additional light around your home, as well-lit rooms will help the space look larger and more inviting. Go room to room, and try to scope out any shadowy areas that could benefit from a lighting upgrade. You can leave your lights on timers throughout your home so they shut off after the showing, but make sure to regularly check your lamps and light fixtures, and replace any burned-out bulbs. If you’re looking to improve the light in certain rooms, you might also consider painting the walls. Neutral paint colors such as white and gray are both excellent options that reflect light well.

Don’t forget to leave on exterior lights to help guests get a better look at your home and yard if they’re there after dark. This will also allow warm, welcoming lights to greet guests, which will help boost your curb appeal.

Turn on the heat

It’s imperative to keep your home as comfortable as possible during a showing, especially in areas that have frigid fall days. If you’re getting ready for a showing, try to keep your home’s temperature between 70 and 73 degrees. If it’s too hot, the potential buyers may become sweaty and distracted. If it’s too cold, they may worry that your heating system does not work well.

Emphasize being cozy

Fall is a season in which comfort is of utmost importance. Use this to your advantage, and accentuate your couch or armchairs with accent pillows and throws in an autumn color palette. You can also place soft rugs around your home if it has hard tile or wood floors. If you have a fireplace, stack some wood near it to help potential buyers imagine themselves warming up there on a cool fall day. You can even ask your agent to turn on a gas or electric fireplace before the showing to emphasize that homey feel.

Keep up the curb appeal

Summer might be over, but there is still plenty you can do to make your outdoor space look more appealing. Here are a few suggestions to boost your curb appeal:

• Keeping up with raking leaves
• Patching brown spots in your lawn
• Planting fall-friendly flowers like celosias, heleniums, spider mums, and pansies
• Cleaning the gutters
• Trimming back plants or bushes
• Adding a new doormat

If you want to decorate the outside of your home, a fresh pumpkin or two on your front porch can feel homey and add a pop of color. However, you must remain diligent in making sure the gourd doesn’t start to show signs of rotting, which is a major turnoff to potential homebuyers.

Keep holiday decorating to a minimum

While you may enjoy decorating for Halloween or Thanksgiving, it’s better to keep your decorations in storage when selling your home. An abundance of seasonal decor can be distracting, and some items may even offend a potential homebuyer. Instead, keep the decorating to a simple fall theme, like an autumn-inspired wreath or a fall color palette.

If you’re looking for more home staging tips, check out this decluttering guide to help each room of your home look spacious and clean.