Blog by Betsy Carstairs

<< back to article list

Home Staging CAN be fun!

I just listed a home that was cute but did not show off the positive features as well as it could have  so we decided to hire the expert to make it sparkle. Here is what Trish the home stager has to say..........
What a wonderful sense of accomplishment I felt today!  I helped a great family stage their beautiful, but well lived in home for their upcoming open house.  

Sometimes homeowners feel overwhelmed by the giant task of prepping their home for the purpose of selling it. As a home stager and interior decorator,  how do I tell someone that their lovely items, pictures and knick knacks, although great, are distracting from the 'bones of the home'? 

When it comes to properly staging your home for sale, there is no need to spend a ton of money on expensive trendy items. The most important thing is to clean, de-clutter and clean some more.  Polish the bathrooms, clean the windows and eliminate items from counter surfaces and floors so the potential buyer can move freely and feel like it's ready to move in. Hiring a professional home stager is money well spent, as often great homes may sit on the market for months, just because they are not in tip top condition for selling.

If you happen to be a pack rat or a collector, renting a storage unit for the selling process is a very inexpensive way to pre-pack and store some of the items that clutter your home.

A fresh coat of paint is inexpensive and can give an instant facelift. Just be sure you pick a current 'neutral' tone if painting is a necessity.

If you happen to have lighting from the dark ages, then a few hundred dollars on some new light fixtures is money well spent.

When it's time for your open house,  have a fresh bouquet of flowers set out on the table, sparkling clean windows and freshly washed floors and bathrooms.  Having a plate of fresh baked cookies or bread also gives a wonderful homey aroma to the potential buyers and makes them think "I want to live here!"

Until next time happy selling! 


Trish Chilton
Home Stager and Interior Decorator