Here we go again.
Start at the curb, walk up the front yard, walk in the front door and through every room in house, walk the back and side yards.
Last time we did this, we were looking for items that personalize the property, items that tell prospective buyers that this house still belongs to someone else.
This time, we are looking for items that might elicit a strong, emotional reaction.
Please note, I did not say "a strong, negative, emotional reaction". Positive or negative, if the reaction is strong it will impact the successful Staging of your house.
Why? Well, let us assume that for every one person who has a positive reaction, there is one person who has a negative reaction and one person who does not care. By leaving that non-neutral item out, you have reduced your potential buying pool by 1/3. That will probably impact the time it takes to sell your house.
And, it gets worse. Many of those positive reactions are going to be uncomfortable about the seeing the item. That is because they do not expect to have a strong reaction when looking at houses. The unexpectedness can leave them with a bad impression of your house, as in "It just felt wrong." Of course, the positive reaction and the feeling of encountering the unexpected is going to leave a few people with good memories about your house. They are not in the majority.
So, remove the nude paintings and statues, anything of a sexually explicit or implicit nature, religious symbols, political posters, taxidermy, anything involving or implying violence. Unload and lock guns out of sight and out of reach among your personal belongings.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Home Staging To Sell - Decluttering, Depersonalizing
Research shows an interesting glitch in most potential buyer's emotional reaction to the houses they look at. Perhaps it begins when we are children and fight so desperately for "my" toys, "my" side of the room, "my" clothes. When a buyer walks into an occupied house, they are both consciously and subconsciously aware that this house belongs to someone else. And, if the house shows clear signs of that ownership, potential buyers tend to respect it. That ownership makes it difficult, in many cases even impossible, for the buyer to imagine themselves as the owners.
In Staging, we strive to maximize the number of people who CAN imagine themselves as the owners, as living in, the house.
So, we depersonalize the house. As much as we can, we remove the signs of our ownership.
First, you need to protect yourself. Most potential buyers are honest people who respect you and your property deeply. But a very few buyers are not honest. And, if there a crowd during an Open House, there may be accidental bumps, things can get broken. Look at every item in every room and ask yourself, "What is my emotional attachment to this thing? If there is an accident, or if it 'disappeared', how deeply would I feel the loss?" If the loss of an item would truly damage you, protect it, pack it away.
Second, remind yourself, "The way I live in my house when it is for sale is not the same as they way I live in my home". Now stand at the doorway of each room and ask yourself, "What are the things in this room that tell buyers this is still my home?" Walk around the room, look on bookshelves and counters, look on walls, look into those contained spaces, and ask yourself the same question.
Family photos, trophies, children's artwork, heirlooms, valuable and/or beloved collections all need to be packed and stored in a secure place.
Label the contents of boxes you are going to store very clearly. If you have an emotional need to get at something on a regular basis, put it in a contained space or in a neutral, lidded wicker/attractive box that can be used as decoration when the furnishings are arranged.
This removes some of the beauty of your home. But, your home is not your home anymore. It is your house and you are going to sell it. Staging is pre-packing to move.
I hope you have a great day! See you tomorrow.
In Staging, we strive to maximize the number of people who CAN imagine themselves as the owners, as living in, the house.
So, we depersonalize the house. As much as we can, we remove the signs of our ownership.
First, you need to protect yourself. Most potential buyers are honest people who respect you and your property deeply. But a very few buyers are not honest. And, if there a crowd during an Open House, there may be accidental bumps, things can get broken. Look at every item in every room and ask yourself, "What is my emotional attachment to this thing? If there is an accident, or if it 'disappeared', how deeply would I feel the loss?" If the loss of an item would truly damage you, protect it, pack it away.
Second, remind yourself, "The way I live in my house when it is for sale is not the same as they way I live in my home". Now stand at the doorway of each room and ask yourself, "What are the things in this room that tell buyers this is still my home?" Walk around the room, look on bookshelves and counters, look on walls, look into those contained spaces, and ask yourself the same question.
Family photos, trophies, children's artwork, heirlooms, valuable and/or beloved collections all need to be packed and stored in a secure place.
Label the contents of boxes you are going to store very clearly. If you have an emotional need to get at something on a regular basis, put it in a contained space or in a neutral, lidded wicker/attractive box that can be used as decoration when the furnishings are arranged.
This removes some of the beauty of your home. But, your home is not your home anymore. It is your house and you are going to sell it. Staging is pre-packing to move.
I hope you have a great day! See you tomorrow.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Decluttering - Simplify Contained Spaces, Part Two
Okay, you have gone through all closets, drawers, cabinets, pantries, and all other contained spaces that will be included in your home's sale. You have a pile of things you use regularly. Everything else is stored, donated, or trashed.
And, yes, you can work on the contained spaces in one room (like bedroom closet, bathroom cabinet, kitchen pantry) at a time.
Now, it is time to put things back into the contained space. The keys here are organization and space conservation.
Put like things together. Stack plates on plates. Get small boxes and put the toiletries used by individual family members in individual boxes. Get a bucket or handled plastic box and put cleaning materials there, for ease of future use. Hang shirts with shirts, dresses with dresses.
As you put things back, group them. Plates, bowls, cups, and saucers belong together. Try to leave some drawers and cabinets completely empty, but do not crowed or fill up the remaining drawers and cabinets. Show lots of open space (the more, the better).
And, as you put things back, ask yourself one more time: do I need to keep this out? Do not damage your lifestyle, but do keep contained spaces as empty as possible. Remember, in the next steps we are going to store more things in them.
Speaking of closets, and this is very important, remove all free hangers. Get a decorative or wicker box and store them on a shelf in the closet if you wish, but get empty hangers out of sight! You will be amazed how much space this opens up.
I will see you tomorrow when we start Depersonalizing!
And, yes, you can work on the contained spaces in one room (like bedroom closet, bathroom cabinet, kitchen pantry) at a time.
Now, it is time to put things back into the contained space. The keys here are organization and space conservation.
Put like things together. Stack plates on plates. Get small boxes and put the toiletries used by individual family members in individual boxes. Get a bucket or handled plastic box and put cleaning materials there, for ease of future use. Hang shirts with shirts, dresses with dresses.
As you put things back, group them. Plates, bowls, cups, and saucers belong together. Try to leave some drawers and cabinets completely empty, but do not crowed or fill up the remaining drawers and cabinets. Show lots of open space (the more, the better).
And, as you put things back, ask yourself one more time: do I need to keep this out? Do not damage your lifestyle, but do keep contained spaces as empty as possible. Remember, in the next steps we are going to store more things in them.
Speaking of closets, and this is very important, remove all free hangers. Get a decorative or wicker box and store them on a shelf in the closet if you wish, but get empty hangers out of sight! You will be amazed how much space this opens up.
I will see you tomorrow when we start Depersonalizing!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Home Staging To Sell - Decluttering, Simplify Contained Spaces Part One
Let me start by telling you the phrase "Simplify Contained Spaces" is my own. Other Stagers will immediately recognize what it means, but it is not an industry standard.
So, what is a contained space and how/why is it simplified?
A contained space is a closet, a cabinet, a drawer, a pantry. In fact, it is space in your house/garage/outbuilding that closes so the contents are not always on display.
Staging contained spaces by simplifying gives awesome results: this is one of those things that can tip the balance on a sale. When a potential buyer opens a simplified contained space, s/he does more than think about it, they FEEL about it. At a subconcious level, they feel two things: (a) there is a lot of storage space in this house, (b) this house is organized, if I live here I will be organized and my life will be easier. This is the reason I say a professional Stager is part psychologist. We research studies like this and incorporate the learnings into our Staging techniques.
There are two maxims you need to keep in mind as you do this:
"The way you live in your house when it is for sale is NOT the way you live in your home."
"Staging is pre-packing to move."
Read each of those aloud three times and listen to what they mean.
Ready? Let's get simplifying.
Open every storage space that will be part of the sale (not your personal dresser drawers unless you are selling the dresser with the house). Take everything out.
Get a good household cleaner and clean the interior thoroughly.
Examine the things you took out. Throw away trash, damaged items, and out of date food stuff. Pile up the things you have never used, and realize you will never use, to be donated.
Think seriously about every item that you do use. Do you use it daily? Put it in a pile to go back in the contained space. Do you use it for special occasions like holidays? Put it in a pile to be packed. Is it redundant? For example, while you live in your for sale house, you do not need a spaghetti strainer and a colander. Keep the colander out - it serves a lot of purposes, pack the spaghetti strainer. Pack the good china away. If you have eight plates and two people live in the house, pack four of the plates. Pack out of season clothing.
Get a large sticker, make a lot of notes about what is in the box, then attach the sticker to the box. That way, you can find things if you need them later.
The goal is to have about 70% empty space in each storage area. At a later phase of the decluttering, we will use some of that empty space to store things. So, it will fill back up a bit. In the end, when the house is Staged, we want all contained spaces to be about 50% empty.
Now, you have a pile of things you use regularly. Everything else is stored, donated, or trashed.
Tomorrow we will talk about how to put those things back into the contained spaces.
So, what is a contained space and how/why is it simplified?
A contained space is a closet, a cabinet, a drawer, a pantry. In fact, it is space in your house/garage/outbuilding that closes so the contents are not always on display.
Staging contained spaces by simplifying gives awesome results: this is one of those things that can tip the balance on a sale. When a potential buyer opens a simplified contained space, s/he does more than think about it, they FEEL about it. At a subconcious level, they feel two things: (a) there is a lot of storage space in this house, (b) this house is organized, if I live here I will be organized and my life will be easier. This is the reason I say a professional Stager is part psychologist. We research studies like this and incorporate the learnings into our Staging techniques.
There are two maxims you need to keep in mind as you do this:
"The way you live in your house when it is for sale is NOT the way you live in your home."
"Staging is pre-packing to move."
Read each of those aloud three times and listen to what they mean.
Ready? Let's get simplifying.
Open every storage space that will be part of the sale (not your personal dresser drawers unless you are selling the dresser with the house). Take everything out.
Get a good household cleaner and clean the interior thoroughly.
Examine the things you took out. Throw away trash, damaged items, and out of date food stuff. Pile up the things you have never used, and realize you will never use, to be donated.
Think seriously about every item that you do use. Do you use it daily? Put it in a pile to go back in the contained space. Do you use it for special occasions like holidays? Put it in a pile to be packed. Is it redundant? For example, while you live in your for sale house, you do not need a spaghetti strainer and a colander. Keep the colander out - it serves a lot of purposes, pack the spaghetti strainer. Pack the good china away. If you have eight plates and two people live in the house, pack four of the plates. Pack out of season clothing.
Get a large sticker, make a lot of notes about what is in the box, then attach the sticker to the box. That way, you can find things if you need them later.
The goal is to have about 70% empty space in each storage area. At a later phase of the decluttering, we will use some of that empty space to store things. So, it will fill back up a bit. In the end, when the house is Staged, we want all contained spaces to be about 50% empty.
Now, you have a pile of things you use regularly. Everything else is stored, donated, or trashed.
Tomorrow we will talk about how to put those things back into the contained spaces.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Staging To Sell - Clutter, Part One
First, I must apologize for missing yesterday's blog. My husband and I are the personal property of two cats, both rescues. One of them, Arianne, had a series of escalating medical events yesterday beginning with a trip to the vet where she was diagnosed as having a urinary tract infection, and culminating in a second trip when she had an allergic reaction to a medication. She is fine now, napping under the dining table after eating a hearty breakfast. In time, I expect to recover.Between the two vet trips, I paid a visit to a house that started me thinking about clutter. Specifically, when a Stager tells a home owner to declutter, what they mean - and what the home owner hears - are frequently two different things.
The home owner hears, "Pick up and straighten up." As in, prepare for company. Donate old magazines, throw away old newspapers, dust the amusing paint-by-numbers art that Uncle Filbert created in 1957, organize the shelves covered with books, set up a lovely diorama using the elephant figurine collection and yards of silk vines, straighten all the family photos on the walls, put out the collection of miniature racing cars that always fascinates guests.
That is not what the Stager meant. The Stager meant simplify confined spaces, depersonalize, neutralize, and remove distractions.
That is a heck of a lot to put in one little word, declutter, isn't it? It really is. In fact, decluttering takes most of the time spent Staging many houses.
And what does all that mean?
In the next four blogs, I am going to address each activity. By the time we are done, you are going to be a clutter pro.
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow when we investigate the intricacies of depersonalizing.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Staging To Sell - Space, the final frontier
Studies show approximately 80% of people cannot accurately judge whether their furniture will fit in an empty room. And, of course, if they are feeling good about a potential house purchase, they try to make that judgment. That is the reason houses staged with furniture outsell vacant houses: buyers use the staging furniture as a guideline then imagine their own furniture in it's place. If they can "get" the mental image, they feel even better about living in the house. This is a major step towards selling the property.
So, one of the primary goals in Staging is to make each room "feel" like it is the right size to most potential buyers. Well, one buyer wants a small, cozy living room, and the next person needs enough space for five people to sit comfortably. Conflicted? Yes. Impossible? If there is furniture in the room, it is less difficult than you might think.
One key to making the buyer perceive the space as being "right" is the art of choosing and arranging furniture and accessories. If the room is small, I take most of the furniture and decorative items out, then arrange what is left to give the impression of lots of space. This is best accomplished by keeping the furniture well away from the walls, removing all rugs, and using no more than three large decorative items. If the room is oversized, I leave more furniture in the room. I still keep the furniture off the walls but I arrange two separate furniture areas in the room, and I use five or seven middle to large sized decorative items.
In no case do I bunch pieces of furniture up against each other: big or little, the buyer needs plenty of space to move around. If they have to turn sideways to walk, the room is going to "feel" wrong, no matter what size it is.
So, small rooms seem to expand. And large rooms seem to contract. And, each buyer perceives the space according to their own needs.
So, one of the primary goals in Staging is to make each room "feel" like it is the right size to most potential buyers. Well, one buyer wants a small, cozy living room, and the next person needs enough space for five people to sit comfortably. Conflicted? Yes. Impossible? If there is furniture in the room, it is less difficult than you might think.
One key to making the buyer perceive the space as being "right" is the art of choosing and arranging furniture and accessories. If the room is small, I take most of the furniture and decorative items out, then arrange what is left to give the impression of lots of space. This is best accomplished by keeping the furniture well away from the walls, removing all rugs, and using no more than three large decorative items. If the room is oversized, I leave more furniture in the room. I still keep the furniture off the walls but I arrange two separate furniture areas in the room, and I use five or seven middle to large sized decorative items.
In no case do I bunch pieces of furniture up against each other: big or little, the buyer needs plenty of space to move around. If they have to turn sideways to walk, the room is going to "feel" wrong, no matter what size it is.
So, small rooms seem to expand. And large rooms seem to contract. And, each buyer perceives the space according to their own needs.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Wallpaper Thoughts
Staging To Sell
Patterned and colored wallpaper, and wallpaper borders, are as deeply personal as family photos, ages a house as quickly as accent colors change, and present visual clutter that pulls a potential home buyer's attention away from the room. Of course, there are a few buyers who will find your colors and patterns charming. But, most buyers will just find it is hard to judge the shape and size of the room because the patterns and colors get in their way. When you live in the home, it should be decorated any way you like it. If you like wallpaper - go for it! But, when it is time to sell your house, it is also time to take the wallpaper down, sand and prime the walls, then paint the walls a neutral, current color that will both focus buyer's attention on the room and will make most buyers feel comfortable (not distracted) in the room.
So, is there any time I leave existing or install new wallpaper in a house? Of course there is. Sometimes my client's budget cannot cover the cost of removing wallpaper, patching the walls, priming, and painting. In that case, I examine the existing wallpaper very closely. If it is secure to the wall, and the seams are tight, I will prime and paint directly on the wallpaper. If the original installation was done properly, the coverage will last for many years.
If the wallpaper is loose or peeling, or if the seams are gapped, then I do recommend taking it down.
And, occasionally, when the walls are wavy, I have used grasscloth to apply a very simple pattern that minimizes the uneven walls. Or, I match the wall paint color to a neutral grasscloth color, then use the grasscloth on the focal, or accent, wall. Using the same color on differing textures creates a subtle, elegant effect.
Finally, if the house has a definite and defined style, like a Victorian Painted Lady, and the existing wallpaper is both in very good shape AND appropriate to the style, then clean it and leave it.
Staging To Live
When I Stage a home to live, my clients and I explore wallpaper as a good way to make the house feel more like their home. If my clients expect to live in the home for a long time, and if they really like a wallpaper pattern, I encourage them to have it installed. Staging To Live uses the principles of Staging to accomplish the opposite of Staging To Sell: Staging To Live personalizes the home. So, please do not think I don't like wallpaper. Wallpaper serves a very good purpose. It obscures uneven walls. It dresses up a room. It adds motion and accents to the room. It makes the individual who chose it very happy, very comfortable. It reduces the chances a house will sell, but it enhances the pleasure of living in the home.
Patterned and colored wallpaper, and wallpaper borders, are as deeply personal as family photos, ages a house as quickly as accent colors change, and present visual clutter that pulls a potential home buyer's attention away from the room. Of course, there are a few buyers who will find your colors and patterns charming. But, most buyers will just find it is hard to judge the shape and size of the room because the patterns and colors get in their way. When you live in the home, it should be decorated any way you like it. If you like wallpaper - go for it! But, when it is time to sell your house, it is also time to take the wallpaper down, sand and prime the walls, then paint the walls a neutral, current color that will both focus buyer's attention on the room and will make most buyers feel comfortable (not distracted) in the room.
So, is there any time I leave existing or install new wallpaper in a house? Of course there is. Sometimes my client's budget cannot cover the cost of removing wallpaper, patching the walls, priming, and painting. In that case, I examine the existing wallpaper very closely. If it is secure to the wall, and the seams are tight, I will prime and paint directly on the wallpaper. If the original installation was done properly, the coverage will last for many years.
If the wallpaper is loose or peeling, or if the seams are gapped, then I do recommend taking it down.
And, occasionally, when the walls are wavy, I have used grasscloth to apply a very simple pattern that minimizes the uneven walls. Or, I match the wall paint color to a neutral grasscloth color, then use the grasscloth on the focal, or accent, wall. Using the same color on differing textures creates a subtle, elegant effect.
Finally, if the house has a definite and defined style, like a Victorian Painted Lady, and the existing wallpaper is both in very good shape AND appropriate to the style, then clean it and leave it.
Staging To Live
When I Stage a home to live, my clients and I explore wallpaper as a good way to make the house feel more like their home. If my clients expect to live in the home for a long time, and if they really like a wallpaper pattern, I encourage them to have it installed. Staging To Live uses the principles of Staging to accomplish the opposite of Staging To Sell: Staging To Live personalizes the home. So, please do not think I don't like wallpaper. Wallpaper serves a very good purpose. It obscures uneven walls. It dresses up a room. It adds motion and accents to the room. It makes the individual who chose it very happy, very comfortable. It reduces the chances a house will sell, but it enhances the pleasure of living in the home.
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