Inviting Strangers to Your House?

When do you feel the most comfortable in a stranger's home? My thoughts are most likely when you're a guest, when you've been invited over to share a drink or a meal with them. Most people when expecting guests who have never been in there home will spend a little time preparing for the visit.

So the question in Staging is then, "How do you prepare for having guests?" a lot of what I see in today's "Staged" homes is the removal of almost everything including personality. There is a big difference between de-voiding a room of personal belongings and de-voiding a room of personality. Where is the décor, the artwork, the focal points, the curtains?

Ok granted, some people don't live with these things to begin with but if it's going to get you more money for your home why would you not consider the investment of renting? It's the same for repairing your home. If you are not willing to invest in fixing your home, what makes you think anyone else will want to invest in it?

If you know what you're doing Staging is an easy thing to do, but it does have a ton of little things that need to happen to make the job a success.

You can go on line and find many, many lists of how to stage your home. Each one has its value, but many are repetitive, and like any other skill you can learn "how to" and then give it the old collage try hoping that you haven't missed anything. After all of your efforts you're left with asking yourself was is worth it? How long did it take me to do this and what was my time worth? And the big one: Will my job be effective enough to gain the desired results?

Many people have the ability to decorate, some even have the confidence, and others just need a little guidance and reassurance that their ideas will work. If that sounds like you then ideas and inspiration are a magazine away. Look at how rooms look in a magazine. Dissect what it is that draws you to the picture. Is it the feeling, the colour combination, the style of furniture, or is it the sense of order? Whatever your answer, the true test will be, Can I reproduce this for myself?

The more I try and define to others what Staging is the more I think realize it is simply about decorating, It is not clearing away everything, clearing out all character and personality from a room. It's about decorating to sell.

Don't stop short on your staging jobs. Regardless of who does the work, Staging to me is setting the stage for guest to enjoy their visit and then leave wishing that it was there home.