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A Note to My Home Seller: Tissue Boxes are Not Accessories

By Kimberly Uksik

Home Stager with Independent

June 09, 2009 08:09 AM

With all of the homes I have had the privilege to either consult on or stage there is one common theme that seems to come up time and time again. The debate about tissue boxes and whether or not they belong in the decor of a home when you are selling.

Photo: Kleenex.com

Tissue boxes are not accessories and should not be out on display while your house is on the market. "But they come in so many decorative boxes now". Well yes they do but....

Photo Clorox.ca
When we are selling a house we do not want there to be distractions. Tissue boxes are such a distraction. Potential buyers do not want to come through a house that has tissue boxes all over the place. Why you ask??? Well they really don't want to be reminded of being sick and that is what tissue boxes do. Yes, they look more decorative now than ever and fit into many decor themes but let's leave them tucked away during the selling process.

If you think they need to be out in the open for what ever reason, then consider tucking them away for open houses and showings. This little trick will go along way as to not distract potential buyers.

Photo: Kleenex.com

Happy Selling!

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Liz Jenkins

a fresh space :: home staging & thoughtful organizing - Franklin, TN

Let me count the ways one can decorate with a tissue box . . . .

Seriously, I've been in houses where that was about the only decor available! If I was lucky, they were color coordinated with the drapes.

I don't even like the decorative covers for the boxes - tissues need to go away just like the toilet plungers, the body bath scrubby things, the dirty clothes basket, etc.

Good post!

Jun 09, 2009 08:49 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Good point Kimberly. Most of the daily necessities should be tucked away and most sellers don't seem to get that. When did they last visit a model home with tissue boxes on display to help sell the house...hmmmm?

Jun 09, 2009 09:29 AM

Virginia Tatseos

Stage-Show-Sell - Bloomfield Township, MI

ditto, store thm until you need them and then put them away again.

Jun 09, 2009 12:52 PM

Cathy Lee

CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA

ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

LOL! Why do they seem to be in every room in every home!!! Thanks for making my tired mind laugh!!

Jun 09, 2009 04:44 PM

Kimberly Uksik

Independent - Pickering, ON

Home Stager - Durham, Toronto, On.

Liz ~ I am amazed at how many there are in homes - I am so with you when it comes to the covers as well!

Ginger ~ I so agree!

Virginia ~ yes good advice

Cathy ~ I really don't know - make them go away!! No problem for the laugh

Jun 10, 2009 12:51 AM

Jacqueline Forde

Alluring Interiors - Ajax, ON

Amen, Kim! Why do people consider them as decorative items? Not only do they have them in every room...I've also spotted them in the rear end windows of cars, flanked with 2 other unknown "decorative" items! Ha, ha...too funny! Love your post!

Jun 10, 2009 02:57 AM

Judy Colburn

ProStaged Homes - Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles Glendora, San Dimas Covina, Home Staging

Kim, I'm a HH student (awaiting response on my job app) and the first house I staged had a tissue box in EVERY SINGLE ROOM! And the funniest part is that no-one was living in the house!

Jun 10, 2009 01:13 PM

Jacqueline ~ LOL!! I know exactly what you mean!!

Judy ~ yes it seems to be a regular occurrence. No one living there!!! OMG!! - I am sending you contact message - look for it

Jun 11, 2009 12:34 AM

Joanne O'Donnell

Chic Home Interiors - Oakland, CA

Kimberly, thanks for the chuckle. Just one more little thing that clients think are decorative and actually are just clutter... my favorite is the itsy bitsy rugs - like bathroom rugs or kitchen rugs... no, my real favorite is dish towels... no one wants to be reminded of doing the dishes, no one...

Jun 11, 2009 03:32 AM

Joanne ~ no problem at all

ah yes the rugs and dishtowels

here is another one: FUZZY TOILET SEAT COVERS! Bleh!

Jun 12, 2009 12:02 AM

Terry Haugen STAGE it RIGHT! 321-956-2495

Stage it Right! - Melbourne, FL

Kimberly, they're not? But they're so attractive :-) I just saw a use for empty tissue boxes this morning. Use them to stuff your newspaper bags in, just in case you need to re-wrap your newspaper or something! Well if kinda made sense, if one uses a lot of newspaper bags.

Jun 13, 2009 03:35 AM

Nicola Lindsay

Nicola Lindsay ReDesign and Home Staging - Saint Stephen, NB

CRSS

And don't forget the industrial type plungers.

Jun 13, 2009 11:41 AM

Bettina Settles

Greenwood, IN

Your Indiana Connection

I never thought that homonwers consider tissue boxes as accessory..I am learning something new every day.

Jun 14, 2009 01:12 PM

Terry ~ Good one

Nicole ~ ah yes that is another good one

Bettina ~ yep - homes I go into have them in every room LOL!!

Jun 15, 2009 04:05 AM

Tori Lynn Wallitsch

Prudential Ambassador / Ross Designs, LLC - Omaha, NE

I agree with you completely! It also seems that in a home with a kleenex box in every room, they also have a wastebasket visible in every room. The only place Kleenex belongs in an open house or for showings is in a bathroom if it has a decorative (as in, a separately purchased ceramic type) of cover that goes with the other decor items. Even then it's questionable.

Jun 18, 2009 06:56 AM

Hi Tori Lynn

I so agree with you there!

Jul 22, 2009 12:15 AM

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Kimberly Uksik

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