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A Stagers bag of Tricks....Don't Leave Home Without It!

By Phyllis Pafumi

Home Stager with ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey

October 13, 2007 01:56 PM

Since I started my company ReStyled to Sell Home Staging I have found some things that work when staging and some things that I simply cannot live without. I have my little black bag packed with goodies that MUST accompany me on every job.

I could NOT live without my rubberbands and pushpins. I always have a hefty supply. How else do you hang curtains?? Oh yeah, rods I guess! But it is always much more interesting to create my little rosettes. Safety pins and straight pins are always handy when tapering chair covers or wrapping tiebacks from a curtain around lampshades or towels, to name a few.

As a woman who simply cannot lift an armoire by myself, then my handy dandy furniture movers become my "men" when they are not around. Just tip your furniture a bit and slide one under each leg with your foot. Place on under each corner and with the touch of a hand your furniture will just glide along the floor. Make sure you have a set for hardwood floors and rugs, and remember to get all sizes to accomodate all furniture.

For hanging pictures, mirrors, plates and rods I rely on my Hercules Hooks, Commander Hooks and my bucket of nails accompanied by my pink (yes pink) hammer. Spools of ribbon are always great to have around when you need to tie some towels together or decorate napkins for a table. I keep these in ALL colors and ALL sizes.

I love keeping swatches of material on hand. These can be tucked into glasses or baskets for a punch of color.

For cleaning supplies I LOVE MY MR. CLEAN MAGIC ERASER. On numerous occassion this product (which is TRULY MAGIC) has saved many a client from repainting their walls. Just a simple swipe and fingerprints and scuffmarks ARE GONE.

For those stubborn black lines in the bottom of most tubs, I love my Greased Lightning. Simply spray on the area, let it soak in and then scrub off with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser....POOF ALL LINES WILL DISAPPEAR!! A clean tub is always much more inviting then a tub streaked with black lines. YES YOU REALLY CAN CLEAN THESE AWAY, YOU JUST NEED TO USE THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO DO SO.

I love shopping for inventory, but nothing frustrates me more than a price tag that is happily living on the front of my mirrors or picture frames. WHY DON'T THEY STICK THOSE PRICE TAGS ON THE BACK OF THESE ITEMS INSTEAD? So how do you remove these tags and the stubborn glue residue they leave behind?..SIMPLE...GOOF OFF! No, I don't mean GOOF OFF, I mean use the liquid solvent GOOF OFF. Peel the sticker and then squirt a bit on the spot, then simply rub with a paper towel..glue gone!

I make sure that every staging job I work on, my bag of tricks is the first thing that is packed in my car. Like Felix the Cat I would be lost without it.

So what's in your bag?

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Phyllis Pafumi

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ

ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

Hey Terry - I have heard of using straight pins for hanging wall art but is it really sturdy enough?? I too have used Olive Oil, it works great on slate, never tried it on stainless steel, will do, thanks

Hey Betty, I have not heard anything about the gloves while using Mr. Clean Magic Eraser but I would imagine it has to be pretty powerful because that stuff is SICK the way it works. Great another thing to worry about.

Phyllis Pafumi

Oct 13, 2007 03:24 PM

Laura Cerrano

Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY

Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Phyllis, I'm glad I read and heard about some of these products, they sound wonderful! And they sound like they've saved you a lot of time!

Oct 13, 2007 04:21 PM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Phyllis ~ Your bag is full of tricks all right! What a great list you've provided. I too love the Magic Erasers and have been using them for about 3 years. I don't think rubbber gloves are necessary unless something has changed -- I checked the MSDS facts on this product when I worked at a university and it checked out OK as far as chemicals, but now I'm curious about what Betty heard.

Another thing I keep in my bag is a small hand steamer -- it's fantastic! Very portable and easy to use, made by Rowenta. It doesn't "spit" water out like some of the larger models.

Oct 13, 2007 04:48 PM

Missy Caulk

Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI

Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

I'm not a stager but I love Mr. Clean Magic, it works great, even on shower glass doors.

Oct 14, 2007 01:24 AM

Tanya Venable

Orlando, FL

SEO, Mobile SEO, and Internet Marketing Consultant

Hey Phyllis, great stuff. I will definitely have to try the Magic Erasers. I have not seend Greased Lightning sold around here, but I keep a bottle of Awesome with me at all times. It works wonders and you can it at the $ store. Definitely could not live with out my furniture movers, hercules hooks and after our last job ribbon and extra towels.

Also a wood pen, measuring tape, invisible tape and a level.

Oct 14, 2007 01:53 AM

Maureen Maureen

Orangeburg, NY

Betty - the Magic Erase thing is an urban legand. There was an email going around that the product burned a child's face after he used it to clean his sticky mug. This is not true and there is nothing toxic in Magic erase.

Phyllis - I have everything except the furniture movers. Must go out and get them. Also I use Goo be gone for the stickers. Do you ever go to the Christmas Tree Shop? Their stickers are the worst!!! OMG I almost wrote an entire blog about it. (Decided it would be more of an insane rant so I didn't).

Oct 14, 2007 03:23 AM

Isabel Gomes

Gomes Design - London, ON

Interior Decorator, Stager - London, Ont

You have provided a great list in your bag of tricks. I do love the gliders.

Oct 14, 2007 04:03 AM

Ginger S

Wilkinson & Associates, Wilmington NC - Wilmington, NC

Wilmington NC Real Estate & Relocation~

Phyllis, Does the Mr Clean Eraser have a strong odor? I am super sensitive to chemical smells

Ginger

Oct 14, 2007 04:52 AM

Kathy Riggle

STAGING SMART N SOLD - Houston, TX

Houston Home Staging

Ginger-No odor with the Mr Clean Eraser & it is amazing. So are the furniture movers-I found mine at Walmart & the complete pack with different sizes and floor types was $18.

I haven't seen Hercules hooks-who sells those? Thanks for another informative post, Phyllis!

Kathy

Oct 14, 2007 06:51 AM

Nancy Morrish

Stage Tucson! Professional Home Staging - Tucson, AZ

Stage Tucson!

my kit also has very similar items to the above....but I absolutely LOVE those "Heavy Duty Wall Hangers" that are curved...and you don't need a hammer. (only problem is that you are in trouble if you happen to hit a stud) -- they work great for heavier artwork.... heavy mirrors.......or wrought iron pieces.

Oct 14, 2007 08:18 AM

Dawn Taylor, SE Minnesota Home Stager~

Taylor'd To Sell - Winona, MN

You are all great! Now I have to go shopping....

What do you carry your "bag of tricks" in? - A bag, small rolling case, ?

Oct 14, 2007 12:09 PM

Sheryl Delorme

Special Effects Staging & Decorating - Belleville, ON

Everyone should have a few tricks up their sleeve. Thanks for sharing yours.

Sheryl Delorme, Special Effects

Oct 14, 2007 12:19 PM

Abby Roselli

ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC - Staten Island, NY

Staten Island Home Stager

Great post Phyllis! I keep lightbulbs, papertowels, windex, rubberbands, sliders, Goo-Gone, ribbons, tealights, floral wire and scissors in my Staging bag and then I'm armed with my toolbox...hammer, pliers, wirecutters (ever try to cut through stems?), nails and picture hangers, pins, level, screwdriver, and other stuff (my hubby put it together for me!)

I've used Magic Erasers when I was in the store and it worked GREAT on our flat wall paint when it got scuffed from the handbag displays...a cheap bottle of Ammonia worked well, too, but it stinks...ME is better for that reason.

Oct 14, 2007 12:46 PM

Kimberly Uksik

Independent - Pickering, ON

Home Stager - Durham, Toronto, On.

I have many of the items listed above plus a hang and level to help hang lighter pieces of art and a furniture lifter ~ works well with the furniture glides except it works like a jack to lift the furniture off the floor so it is easier to slip the sliders underneath.

Oct 14, 2007 11:15 PM

Joanne Paquette

Image Home Staging - Ottawa, ON

Image Home Staging

To answer Dawn, I carry all of my 'stuff' in a (Black & Decker I think) rolling tool box. It comes apart in two so that the top which has a bunch of small compartments for nails, pins, elastics, etc. can be carried separately. My husband got me this as a Mother's Day gift last year - that was the most fun he's ever had in getting me a gift! There's stuff in there that I have no clue what to do with! I do love my tool box - even if it is big and takes up valuable space in my van.

Oct 15, 2007 12:10 PM

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

How do people think of these crazy urban legends where Mr. Clean can burn off a child's face?! Craziness! I do love Mr. Clean. I also have an electronic level to help out from time to time. But my favorite is the hammer! I love hanging up pics. Where did you get a pink one?

Cheers,

Cindy

Oct 15, 2007 04:34 PM

Betty Haney

Haney Consulting - Calgary, AB

Hey thanks Maureen for checking that rumor out. I read your link and it seems reassuring. We will continue to use the Magic Erasers. Betty

Oct 17, 2007 03:16 PM

Judy Kincaid

Tampa, FL

Phyllis -- I have most of the same items in my staging bag. However, instead of the Goof Off, I have Krud Kutter wipes....they are fantastic for removing sticky residue from price tags. I like your oversized furniture movers.

Oct 17, 2007 04:03 PM

Cheri Dueker

Transitional Designs, LLC - Saint Louis, MO

Transitional Designs, LLC, Home Staging St. Louis

We also include wire (sturdy enough for art) and velcro dots. I can use them in a pinch to hang curtains. My son built my tool kit and it includes lots of tools, screws, nails, felt pads, clear spacers for under glass, tape measure, scissors, ribbon and a multiuse tool (never actually used that). He was so happy building that kit!

We have a seperate kit for cleaning. Love the magic erasers! And the Hercules Hooks!

Oct 17, 2007 04:20 PM

Ken Cook

Content, coding, marketing, host. - Marietta, GA

Content Marketer/Creator

Isn't it amazing how we all have our tricks? I recently blogged about how we think the other people don't do any work and their job must be so easy! It doesn't matter if you are a stager, a loan officer, an agent, or a gas station attendant ... no other person except your pier fully understands what you go through AND (more importantly to us all) how to be a professional and give superior results. Little tricks of the trade!

Oct 22, 2007 06:31 PM