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.