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Home Stagers LOVE-HATE Relationship with House Cleaners
"..squishing our perfectly placed accessories and moving everything around from furniture to window treatments in their quest for a tidy home."
A house cleaner moved home staging - shower curtain pushed to other side, accessories squished.
Ahhh.. cleaning people. The coveted crew that makes us, the Home Stager, happy and horrified at the same time. In our perfect world, the cleaning people sweep in just prior to our detailed obsessed styling when we stage a home. We love them because they're the experts in cleaning and polishing a home to make it fabulous for the prospective buyer. The down side is, they clean the home after our job is done, moving what we've styled, squishing our perfectly placed accessories and moving everything around from furniture to window treatments in their quest for a tidy home - forgetting to put all those things back.
Our obsession with perfection has a goal - it produces a great online photo and gives the room optimum visual appeal. We take spaces and stage and style them not only visually appealing, but attractive to everyone who takes a peek. We showcase the best of the room which is why it is important to retain the product we produce.
Here are some ways a homeowner can preserve the integrity of the original staging.
1.) Have an photo archive of the recent staging for each room on your cell for reference.
2.) Print out a picture of the room/space and slip it into a plastic protector for the cleaning crew.
3.) Have a plastic storage bin that can house and protect staging props when the space is being occupied for daily usage or cleaned.
A Tale of Two Homes – Home Staging is for EVERY Home
Home Staging services for every home.
I’m hoping that you don’t think that home staging is just for empty homes, that you need to have deep pockets to hire a stager, or that we remove what you have and bring all new in - But just in case you do, here’s a glimpse of what a talented home stager can offer you.
Whether tiny or grand, we offer a variety of home staging options. At Reinventing Space, we combine a perfect blend of home staging, interior styling and decorating services to best market your home. Our goal is to bring out the very best of the home and create an environment, backdrop and mood that potential buyers can relate to and picture themselves living in the home.
Home #1. 1906 farm house in a very desirable community.
Pros: Charming, cozy, perfect for a young family or professional single. Cons: A kitchen and bath not as charming as the home and a real lack of style and arrangement defining the rooms. Solution: Paint, update kitchen just enough and stage and style the home with a young city couple returning to the ‘burbs in mind. We used what the homeowner had, made wise, cost effective updates and enhancements keeping in mind the price point and target buyer of the home. A bit of painting, minor repairs, a new sink/ faucet, a cleaning service both for home and windows and a day of hands-on home staging and styling did the trick. Within 3 weeks a contract on the home. To see the MLS listing, CLICK HERE by Dean Rouso of Baird & Warner.
Home #2. Lovely, luxury home in a gated golf community.
Pros: Gorgeous, custom built, perfect for an executive who loves to entertain. Cons: A few key rooms with little or in-need of properly arranged furnishings. Homeowner had great furniture, just not in the right place or missing pieces in key rooms. Solution: Purchase key new pieces (which will move to the new home) rearrange and move other pieces, rugs, etc… to other rooms. Depersonalize the home, add new accessories to stage and style the home accordingly. Take a look at the results and see if you can find the rearranged pieces. CLICK TO SEE THIS SPECTACULAR LISTING by Rosemary West, RE/MAX Professionals Select.
BEFORE: Home Staging.
So whether a home is a cute 1906 farm house or a fabulous grand estate - Every home can use a bit of staging to present the home in its best condition and attract its best buyer.
5 Home Staging Tips if Selling in the Winter
If your home is on the market during the winter months...
If your home is on the market during the winter months, here are a few extra staging tips and ideas to ensure your home will show well during the chilly and sometimes weather challenging season.
#1. A Clear Path. Make sure from curbside to front porch your potential buyers have easy access to your home. Keep walkways clear of snow and ice. Purchase a non-salt based de-icer that will not leave white residue tracks.
#2. A Shoe Removal Friendly Foyer. Make it easy for people to remove their footwear with seating and a stylish boot tray in the foyer. You don't want the 1st impression to get off on the wrong foot.
#3. Light it up. During the winter months, evening comes early and days may be overcast. Keep your exterior and interior lights on timers so that your home is well lit for showings. Replace light bulbs with a higher wattage and choose a bulb that casts a warm tone.
#4. Bring on the Greens. With nature on siesta, have a evergreen container garden to greet guests, showcase your porch and to liven up the entry to your home. Inside, pack away the fake floral and replace with potted flowering plants in pretty containers and a few vases of fresh floral. Fresh always adds a bit of hospitality and creates a cheerful display.
#5. Set a Warm Mood. Give home lookers a sense of cozy by making sure the temperature is at a comfortable setting, rooms look inviting with an added decorative touch of a warm throw, a few extra pillows and the flicker of a few candles. Use battery operated candles which are safe while you are gone for showings.