Staging websites, staging brochures and even staging TV shows chant the mantra "De-clutter, de-clutter, and de-clutter some more....oh, and don't forget to de-personalize and neutralize, too!"
Could the overuse of these common terms actually be helping homeowners come to the conclusion that they really do not need staging after all?
- De-clutter: This staging term is often used to denote "too much" of anything. "Clutter" is usually synonymous with messy or disheveled so someone who has too much furniture in a room or too many items neatly lined up on the mantel may be thinking: "My house is not cluttered. There are no toys or dirty clothes on the floor. I don't need home staging."
- De-personalize: This is a term used by stagers to refer to anything that reveals the owner's personal tastes. Someone who has proudly displayed a doll collection or children's artwork may be thinking: "I don't need someone to help me de-personalize my house. I already took down all the family photos. Home staging won't be necessary."
- Neutralize: This is a staging term for anything that needs to be "toned down". Someone whose house is decorated with animal prints and bold florals may think: "I don't need to neutralize---all my walls are beige. My house IS staged!"
Are we inadvertently insulting our clients with marketing messages that imply they have done something wrong?
Not many of us would be inclined to hire a housecleaning service whose marketing message is: Let us help you de-filth, de-germ, and deodorize your house so you won't be ashamed to invite people over. The cleaning companies don't say that they can make our homes look better than we can. Their marketing messages imply that our homes are clean and that they want to help us keep them clean so we will have more time to enjoy other things. This message comes across as helpful; not demeaning.
We need to describe what we do in terms that don't insinuate neglect or wrongdoing on the part of the homeowner. Our focus shouldn't be on the things that are faulty with the house but rather on implementing methods to assure that buyers notice and fully appreciate everything that is RIGHT with it.
- Negative message: We will help you de-clutter, de-personalize, and neutralize this space so buyers can envision themselves living here. This implies the homeowner has done something wrong.
- Positive message: We will eliminate eye-catching distractions and increase visual enhancements so that potential buyers can fully appreciate the home's special features and the lifestyle it offers. This implies that you are going to make the home even better than it already is.
So, let's stop "insulting" our clients or "helping them talk themselves out of the need for our services" and start using some compelling phrases that will entice them to hire us even if it is just because we piqued their interest and they want to see just how we plan to "remove beautiful distractions, eliminate interesting detractors, eliminate eye-catching distractions, and increase visual enhancements."
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HEROINE. Where was this ingenuity when I got the infamous email? LOl - I keep rereading this blog! Everytime I reread it it gets better and better! 
Hey Judy, I double that! Excellent...attention to details even in the spoken word. I like to elude to the magic that takes place when an outsider comes in and detaches the emotions that could keep the home from selling and then the pre-packing aspect helps back that up. Then there is the 'protect your valuables'! Keep em coming.