Home Staging Blog

It is amazing the results you can achieve by making small changes.  I got a phone call this morning from a consultation client I met with last week who shared with me what an impact making just a few of the changes we discussed has had on their home.  And she has just begun implementing the list we made together.

Sometimes people tend to get wrapped up in thinking that something drastic has to happen in order for positive change to occur.  But the truth is that more often than not, it is the little things that make an enormous difference. 

For this client, as soon as I walked in, I noticed that the front door would not open all the way.  The sectional sofa was positioned so that it was sort of hiding behind the door and it was facing a dark corner where the TV was located, as though that was the focal point of the room.  The true focal point of this room is the fabulous view of the gorgeous backyard with beautiful landscaping, an outdoor fireplace and dining area, filled with flowers.  We talked about relocating the living room furniture so that the sitting area faced the true focal point and the TV was relocated to a less obtrusive spot.  And of course, you always want the doors to open freely.

This client told me this morning that everyone that has come over this weekend has just loved this new arrangement and can not believe the change in the room.  She went on to explain how it changed the entire feel of the room and how it affects the way the people feel while being in there.  She will be continuing to work on the items we discussed over the next week, so she will have the opportunity to experience new joys with each small change they make.

The arrangement of your things has a definite effect on how you feel in your home.  It has an effect on how others feel in your home.  It has an effect on how well things will function in your home.  If you want to see instant results, start with small changes now.  See how they feel.  And if you are ready to dive right in do it all at once, go for it!  Just be ready to deal with all the energy you’ll be stirring up.  It takes commitment to see it through, but once you have it all done, you can sit back, relax and revel in the joy of a job well done.

We are all looking for success in life, right?  And we all know that success starts in our heads.  Visualizing what we want out of life is the first step to getting it.  If you are getting ready to stage your home, whether it is for sale or for living in, start with the right attitude.  Know what you want to achieve, picture it and feel it.  The knowing will help you get it done.

I met with a couple of new clients this week who had been spending way too much time listening to the news.  Here in Los Angeles, the media has been covering the real estate market and its decline and it seems to be the talk of the hour, every hour.  Staying in touch with the reality of the market is essential to making good business decisions, but allowing yourself to become so wrapped up in that you begin to feel desperate and anxious is going to take your mind off the focus of what you are trying to achieve.

Stay in the moment.  Focus on your goals.  Educate  yourself and stay balanced.  Seek the help of a professional to help guide you through the changes you are making.  If your goal is to get your home staged for sale, contact a stager in your area that is experienced and can provide you with the assistance you need to get your home ready quickly and smoothly.  Hire an agent that knows your neighborhood and will market your home efficiently.

Remember, keeping the picture of what your life is going to be like once your goal is achieved, is going attract the energy you need to get it done quickly.  Taking action will get the energy flowing and put your mind at ease.  Once you have your attitude in the right state, everything else will start falling in place.

We staged a home in Studio City last week that is full of details and charm.  It has a  charming courtyard in the front, private back yard with a pool, and a great den with french doors opening to the patio.

This fun home has some great features, as you can see in the show above.  We just staged this home a week ago, and we have heard that it may already be in Escrow!  You may want to contact the agent though, just to be sure.

Here in Los Angeles, we have the opportunity to come upon unique properties everyday.  And we had the chance to stage a home right in the heart of Los Angeles that many people would never expect to find in the hustle and bustle of LA. 

This home reminds me of an estate from a bygone era.  It features huge picture windows, an enormous family room, architecture that might be featured on the cover of a romance novel and both the master suite and the rear gardens are magnificent!

Check out this Real Estate Show and see for yourself.  If this home suits your needs, please be sure to contact the agent direct; his contact information is on the details page.

Whew, moving is a tough job!  As most of you know, there is a ton of work involved, and boy, have I had an opportunity to practice what I preach lately!  Not only have I had an opportunity to stage an occupied home (my own) and get it sold quickly in this market, but I have had the challenge of moving not only my home, but my busy business as well.  (Can you imagine the amount of inventory a busy stager has that would need to be moved??)  And keep working to boot.  Thank you everyone for confirming to me that this move has been the right move in the right direction.  It seems the energy is just flowing in.

I am really looking forward to Bloggers Connect next week.  I hope I have at least one day off before then to not only pack (a suitcase this time :)), but maybe take a breather too and gather myself for what is sure to be an exciting and both fun and information filled few days.

But I do want to share with all of you out there right now, that despite the hard work and commitment it takes to get an occupied home in top showing condition and the little inconveniences that might be involved in maintaining that staged and ready to sell look, it is very well worth the effort.  I see it every day with the results my clients receive and I have experienced the same results myself.  (My daughter is really the one who had the challenge of maintaining the staging, great job Amy!)

So tonight I am at least finally back online and while I am still completely booked with new appointments and catching up with several bids, I am very happy to say that our warehouse is settled into its new space and now that our office is functioning and when I get back from Bloggers Connect, I think I should actually have my home in shape too.

So any skeptics out there that might think those Staging Consultations are lofty dreams not based on the reality of living in a home; know that I have been there and done that.  I can totally relate and can tell you first hand, it is worth every effort you put into it.  You will reap the rewards of your efforts.

And here’s best wishes that the rest of you don’t have to wait as long as I did to get back online and up and running at your new place.  No matter how much planning and prep you did at your old place, your new place needs to be ready for you too. 

It sure feels good to jump back in and take over where you left off - only this time you’re in a better place and ready to move on to a better future.  Ahhh… the beauty of moving on!

If only I could get my email working 100%…  Hmmm….

PS, And just wait ’til this weekend when I will get a chance to put together a couple more Real Estate Shows for you and a few more success stories.  We have some great staged properties and happy client stories to share with you!

A clutter free environment is essential to a healthy, happy lifestyle.  It is, as you know, also essential to having your home show well should you be trying to sell it.  But how clutter-free a home should be may not be clear to everyone; after all, each person has a different perspective to start from.

As I was listening to some of Karen Rauch Carter’s CD’s this week, she  mentioned her 50% Space to Stuff Real Estate Ratio, which I find a brilliant way to simply spell out how much stuff someone needs in their home.

As Karen was discussing, think of your home and consider the floor space.  If yours is almost completely covered with furniture and just a path to manuever the space, you have no room left for new opportunities to come in.  By removing some pieces and freeing up space, you will create room for movement, growth and opportunities to bring in what you desire for your life now as well as your future.
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We had lots of fun staging this beautiful light filled home in Westchester!  This home has a grand staircase and beautiful arches and niches and a large rooftop deck with an enclosed viewing room.

Be sure to take a look at the real estate show which showcases a few of the rooms.  We didn’t have a chance to see the rooftop deck at night, but I’m sure that if you are an interested buyer, the real estate agent on the property will be happy to set up an appointment for you.

We love the niches to display artwork and sculptures.  If you get a chance to visit the property, be sure to let us know which features are your favorite!

Staging a home is about showing off the selling features.  Oftentimes, the way you live in a room might hide these features.  As homeowners, it can be quite difficult to see your home as a buyer does, but it is essential that you take an impartial view at each room so that you can put the focus right where it needs to be, regardless of how you have been currently using the room.

Many sellers love to have large sectional sofas that consume much of a room’s floor and wall space.  While this is great for hanging out, talking and watching TV, these types of seating arrangements often block selling features like sliding glass doors leading to the patios or windows with views to the rear yard. 

In smaller living spaces, rooms are often crowded with seating and tables so that fireplaces and pathways are blocked.  The built in features of a home are what you are selling, so be sure buyers can see what your home offers.

Stand at the doorway of each room and look inside.  Decide what is the focal point of the room.  If it is the fireplace, be sure there is no furniture blocking it and that it is not cluttered with too many items that distract from it. 

If the room features indoor/outdoor entertaining access, highlight that by ensuring the doors are not blocked.  Add a small table and chairs or other focal point outside the door to draw buyer’s attention outside and invite them to explore.  If there is no view, you can try placing a potted plant outside the window or hanging a windchime or sculptural piece.
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Moving is tough!  You’ve got to sort, organize, pack, label, labor and then bring all of your belongings to your new place.  But moving on is more than just moving out and moving in.  There is a lot of emotion that goes with you too.

The beauty of making the physical move though, is that it forces you to sort through a lot of the emotional clutter that might need sorting and organizing too anyway.  And just as you make decisions about what isn’t going to fit into your new home and your new space, you have an opportunity to choose what other parts of your life you no longer need as well.

If you are moving, take the time to really sort through what you are bringing with you, on all levels.  Choose wisely what  you want to live with.  Even if you are not moving to a new location, you can take the time to evaluate both your belongings and your attitudes.  Decide what fits now and eliminate the rest.

As you let go of things that no longer fit, the new things that belong in your life now will have room to come in.

Wherever you are today and however you choose to spend it, be safe, and enjoy.

Have a fun celebration!