I'd like to show you a way you can "be green" and "save a lot of green" at the same time.

Our IRIS Chapter was approached with an interesting challenge. Alison Oyler, who does marketing for Goodwill Industries, invited us to participate in an Italian Tablescape contest. It was held at the Festival Italiano in the Belmar development of Lakewood, Colorado. Now, here's the fun part. We were given $40 gift cards to Goodwill, and could only spend an additional $10 of our own for flowers, candles, etc.

Here are the beautiful tablescapes:

"Mattina Bella" (beautiful morning) by Elaine Manes-A Wonderful Space

"Palazzo Bella" (beautiful home) by Diane Palazzo-5280 Real Estate Staging and Erica Starich-Star Interior Solutions

"Cucina Coast" by Brenda Peterson-Busy Bee Organizing Plus

"Breakfast in Tuscany" by Mico Smith-Metamorphing Interiors

"Casual in Capri" by Khristy Wilson-Interior Evolutions

"Festa del l'uva" (grape harvest festival) Alison Oyler-Goodwill Industries of Denver

I think the photos speak for themselves. So, if you want to "be green", make your local Goodwill store your first stop. AND, you are guaranteed to "save a lot of green", too! The plates I bought were UNDER 50 cents!

Here are few  shots of the festival:

This one is my favorite:

I was called in by my Realtor, to help a condo which had been on the market for MONTHS!  The owner had moved out, but rented the condo, furniture and all.  I called the seller to see what she was willing to do. Her answer was "whatever it takes".  I LOVE these clients!  I previewed the property and came up with a plan.

First, the RIDDLE:

When is a cookbook NOT a cookbook?

The answer?

When it's wallpaper!

This wallpaper was used as the backsplash in the kitchen!  Convenient? Yes! Everyone's taste? Definitely not!

Next? The color RED!

I love a red accent wall as much as the next person. But, it doesn't work in every home. A small space like a condo will appear larger if you stick to one color for all the walls.  And when the home has a fabulous feature like a fireplace, sometimes the red can be distracting. 

Here is what I mean:

Now, the fireplace POPS!

I prefer to accent a staging with splashes of red, but not enough to be overwhelming!

The living space before:

Just a few changes:

The client agreed to have the whole condo painted, including the ceiling which was painted a dark tan and added to the cave-like feel of the space.  She offered to put in new carpet, but saved a bunch of money by having it cleaned instead.  Remember, there are still renters in the condo, so I advised against putting in new carpet for that reason.  After the cleaning (the cost was just over $100) the carpet looked fabulous!

Now, the REMODEL:

I thought her money was better spent by updating the two light fixtures in the vanity area of the bathroom:

 For a total of $100, we went from 1980.....

.....to 2009!

I agreed to add a few staging items, even though the condo was occupied.  Sometimes, it doesn't take much to make a huge difference:

I think you'll agree that paint, some inexpensive lighting, and a few strategically placed accessories can make a world of difference! Here are a few more "after" shots:

Stagers can be invaluable to out-of-town sellers.  My services included hiring the painter and carpet cleaners, shopping for the light fixtures, adding accessories, and providing new photos to the Realtor.

Thanks for letting me share this enjoyable project! Need a good recipe for chicken soup?

I can feel your outrage, and I have every intention of revealing the culprit!

It might surprise you that the AR member is a stager...

...and it might also surprise you that the stager I am talking about is ME!

I was contacted by an agent yesterday, requesting a preview and staging bid on one of his listings. I was anxious to get there and see what I had to work with. Today, I went. I am writing my bid tonight, and there is one thing I know it will say: Staging this home will be a waste of money. I could easily write a thousand words describing what was wrong with this house, but it's easier to tell you what was right. The view. Period.

Any buyer who considers writing an offer on this listing, will do so simply for the view and probably gut the home for a complete remodel. I asked myself if staging a few of the rooms would enhance the view. My answer is no.

So, am I walking away from this one? Not at all. I am hoping the seller gives me a chance to explain that if she puts any money into this house, it should be to take care of some minor repairs, repaint the front door, which is metal and 50% rust, and have someone remove the bars on the windows. That's right, I said bars. Bars on windows say bad neighborhood. After leaving the home, I stopped and chatted with a neighbor to ask if there was a lot of crime in the neighborhood. She assured me there was not.

Now, I could write up my normal bid, with three options for furnishing the home. And, the seller would probably choose one and I could make some money. But, that would be dishonest, because I know it will not help sell the house.

So, what do I want for my honesty? Perhaps, someday, a statue.

My daughter, Laura, has always been a softie when it comes to animals--a trait I am happy to say we share. Six years ago, she adopted a kitten from a shelter, and she and Boykins have shared a happy home. Boyfriend, Steve, just purchased his first house, and together they decided it was time to adopt a dog. Steve, who is addicted to Craigslist, started the search there. He found an ad from a rescue group that was looking for a home for a very special dog, and he forwarded it to Laura, who forwarded it to me. Here is Cyrus--he has quite a story!

Cyrus lived in Kansas with his owners. He was hit by a car, requiring surgery his family couldn't afford. Enter the rescue group, and a generous vet, who gave him the care he needed. Unfortunately, his leg was too damaged, and the vet amputated it. When he had recovered, he was placed in a foster home here in Colorado. Not much more is known about Cyrus, except he is between 4-7 years old, probably a mix of Corgi and Australian Cattle dog, is recovering from a mild case of heartworm, and gets around remarkably well, considering the surgery was in January. The woman fostering him reports he is the smartest dog she's ever met.

Steve and Laura fell in love with Cyrus immediately. As you can see, he is a happy fellow, and I'm not even sure he knows he only has three legs. He fetches and climbs stairs, and does everything a four-legged dog does. He's also a great ambassador for handicaps, because he gets attention everywhere he goes. He still has a strong urge to chase cars (probably the Cattle dog in him) but they are working on that.

I am very proud of my daughter and her boyfriend, and Cyrus joins my group of granddogs and grandcats, and I will spoil him like I spoil the others! I think they make a nice family!

Perhaps this has happened to you.You check your voice-mail, and there is a message from an agent or homeowner interested in hiring you to stage a property. You call them back, only to get their voicemail. You leave a message, telling them how anxious you are to talk to them about your services. And then...you never hear back.

We can only assume when they couldn't reach you by phone, they called someone else. And, that person answered their phone, and consequently got the job. I can't tell you how many times this has happened to me. So, what is the answer?

Let's be realistic--there are times we just can't answer our phones.If we are driving, or in a meeting, we are forced to let our calls go to voice-mail. What about when we are on a job?

It was always my practice not to take phone calls while on a staging job. I am being paid by the hour, and it didn't seem fair to use any of that time on the phone. But, frustrated from missing too many staging opportunities, I tried keeping my cell phone in my back pocket. As you know, staging is a very physically demanding job. It's constant kneeling, squatting, stretching, and even a little pushing furniture with our backsides. Too often, I would take my phone out of my pocket to see that during all that activity, I had inadvertently hit some buttons, and I would probably be seeing some charge on my phone bill for accessing a feature I don't already have. I tried my front pocket, but couldn't handle the jabbing pain every time I bent over. I discovered that the only time I would get a call was when I was standing on a chair with a painting in one hand, a hammer in the other and a nail in my mouth.

My voice-mail directs callers to visit my website, which some of them do, and some of them do hire me. But, the majority vanish forever. Since I don't believe I'm the only one having this problem, I would love to hear any and all solutions you may have tried, and what works for you. 

 And, for you stagers who may have gotten the calls I missed, I understand if you don't want to help!

We all know what a home wrecker is, right? Someone who comes into the picture and breaks up a relationship? Well, last week, I did exactly that!

I was called in for a consultation by an agent I have worked with only once. The first home had been on the market for months. It sold two weeks after I made some changes. He really believes in what we do, he just can't seem to remember what it's called. He asked if I could come "showcase" the home, and then introduced me to the seller as the "Feng Shui lady". But, that's okay. I do live by that old adage "I don't care what you call me, just call me".

The home where I was meeting the agent was right across the street from the first house. Very attractive homes on a nice quiet street which winds around a hill. The house looked great from the curb, and I started to wonder why I had been called in. The agent greeted me with a smile and a handshake, and told me the pertinent info on the seller. "She has nice things" he told me. Great! I love when they have nice things!

I met the seller, a bubbly fifty-something woman, and she welcomed me warmly. She had no idea I was a home wrecker, and that my main mission that day was to break up one of her longest relationships.

The agent was right--her furnishings were extremely nice. At first glance, I again wondered why I was there. And, if buyers only got a quick peek and didn't actually walk around the home, the seller wouldn't need me. But, as I walked from room to room, something became glaringly obvious.

DOILIES! That's right..the D word. Every surface in every room sported at least one crocheted disc. I had never seen such blatant over-use of an accessory in my life. As my eyes bounced from one to the next, I lost all awareness of the furniture, the walls, the house. This was not good. Try to picture this in your mind. Every object, every lamp, every candlestick, every plant, sat on it's own little doily. They were on the kitchen counters, the island, on every shelf! The 800 pound gorilla in this home was made of lace! I had to mention it.

"I generally recommend the removal of doilies" I said in my best feeling-my-way voice. "My grandmother made these" she blurted out with a more than slight emotional tremor. I flashed back to another home I wrecked. The seller with so many plants, her home looked like a jungle. She knew exactly who gave her each plant and what the occasion was. I limited her to three plants in each room, and suggested she turn the rest over to family members for safe-keeping. The agent told me that after I left, the seller cried. Now, I've watched enough Dr. Phil to know that it wasn't really about the plants, just as it wasn't about the doilies. Both these sales were a result of divorce. I could see it in my new client's eyes. Everything around me is changing, please don't take my doilies away too. Well, I did take her doilies away, because I had a job to do.

The home was vastly improved when all the doilies were removed (yes, ALL of them) and some furniture had been rearranged.  When the home sells, and she moves into a new place, she can wallpaper the walls with doilies, for all I care. But, for now, I had to break up this relationship. Elaine Manes--home stager, home wrecker.

Please notice the term "new", used to describe our current economy, instead of what you normally hear. I use the term "new" to mean different from the former or the old (thank you thefreedictionary.com) 

There will be NO negative words in this post! This is an inspiring, uplifting and altogether nauseatingly POSITIVE post. "Elaine, what have you been drinking?" you might ask. I have just decided that all I can control is my attitude. So, if you enjoy wallowing in depression and self-pity, STOP READING HERE!

OK, to better explain where I'm going with this--TIME FOR AN ANALOGY!

Let's say you have been playing the board game, Monopoly, your entire life. But, the deeds have become dog-eared over the years, all the money has disappeared except a five and two ones, and the only playing pieces that haven't been misplaced are the iron and the thimble. But, you remember seeing the game on sale at Target, so you put the old game out in the trash, and purchase a new one.

You open the brand new box, and it doesn't take you long to realize that the game is different and the rules have changed. You get upset. There should have been a warning on the box: MONOPOLY NOW HAS NEW RULES! You run out to the trash only to discover that the old game is covered in coffee grounds. It starts to sink in. The old game is gone for good. If you still wish to play Monopoly, you will have to learn the new rules. If you aren't willing to learn the new rules, you will have to play a different game. You think to yourself if only I had known it was going to change, I would have taken better care of the old game.

So, if you think of our current economy as being different, all we have to do is learn the new rules. And, the best part? We get to make them up as we go. We get to be creative. It's all trial and error, now. There are those who are so stuck in the past, they aren't willing to make the changes necessary. Those people will have to play CandyLand (I mean that in the nicest possible way). 

Here are a few suggested new rules:

1.   If reading the newspaper or watching the news depresses you, STOP DOING IT.

2.   If your old marketing strategies now feel like a waste of time, THEY PROBABLY ARE.

3.   If the old stuff isn't working, THINK UP NEW STUFF.

4.   If you know someone who feels very negatively all the time, STAY AWAY FROM THEM.

5.   If all you can do is complain about the new administration, YOU ARE NOT HELPING.

6.   If you feel like you could manage better with more moral support, GET IT.

7.   If you need help, ASK FOR IT.

8.   If you feel like you are all alone, YOU ARE NOT.

9.   If you think you will die without the luxuries you are accustomed to, YOU WILL NOT.

10.  If you can still laugh, HOW BAD CAN IT BE?

As far as I know, we don't have poor farms anymore. Most of us will survive (although some of us may have to cut back on the Starbucks) and some of us will even flourish. If we stop acting like victims, we will stop being victims.

So, get out there and PLAY!!!

For those of you who still want the old Monopoly, I hope your houses and hotels are still worth something.

Stagers are multiplying like...well, rabbits. I was recently contacted by three different women about staging.

The first already had her company formed, and just wanted advice on how to get her foot in the door with local Realtors. Three years ago, when I started my company, the challenge was educating the public and the real estate industry about what staging is and what it can do. Now, when I check the local MLS, I can tell by the photos that staging is here, it's prevalent, and the honeymoon stage is over.

So, my advice to her was be good, if you aren't good, get good (I'm not sure she had any training), and find some way to stand out. She was so excited to tell me that she dropped off cookies at real estate offices. I worked in a real estate office for ten years, and we loved when companies brought in goodies, BUT it had NO influence on our willingness to work with this person. AND, there were not too many days that someone WASN'T bringing in treats for us. Her face fell when she saw I was not sharing in her excitement of her marketing attempt. So, I told her it was a good start, but she needed to punch it up, get really creative, and stay focused on what she wanted to do--which was stage listings. Find something that you offer that other stagers don't.

The second woman called to ask about the IRIS training course I took. I only have glowing things to say about that, and she completed the course last week. Turns out she is the sister of the woman who photographed my son's wedding AND took my initial promotional head shots. If she has half the talent of her sister, she will do very well at staging. AND, she's a smart girl because she's already a member of ActiveRain! We are planning on getting together for coffee, and I am hoping we become friends. I really believe friendship among stagers is VERY important. I would not be staging if it wasn't for the friendship and support I receive on almost a daily basis.

The third woman is the one I worry about.She is only considering a career in staging. She is a single mom and needs to make enough money at staging to support her family. I decided to fore-go the flowery speech about how rewarding it is to own your own business, how fun it is to get paid to shop, what a great creative outlet it is. I kept seeing a mental picture of her kids needing things for school while she waits for payment on a job she did months ago. Or her losing job after job to a stager who only dabbles in staging on weekends so offers her services at rock-bottom prices. I told her that staging can be a full time, lucrative career, but it takes a talent for business almost as much as a talent for decorating. And the most successful stagers I know, made a pretty hefty investment in their own furniture and warehouse. The challenge today is finding sellers or agents in this less than stellar market who have the funds for staging, and then beating out the competition. This area went from a handful of stagers just four years ago to hundreds of hungry stagers today. I would never tell someone not to become a stager, but I wanted to be honest about the challenges she would face.

I enjoy getting these phone calls, and sharing what I know about our industry. But times are tough right now, and I just wish these weren't the only calls I was getting. I would love to hear what advice you are giving out these days.