There is a common misconception that believes that just because a home for sale is nicely decorated, that it does not need to be staged prior to going on the market.

Keep in mind that staging is not decorating. You use decorating to create the atmosphere, but you also draw on other elements to stage a home.

Staging is different than decorating because:

When you decorate, your goal is to satisfy the homeowner. You place items in the home that are reflective of them. You decorate with items that are personal treasures and are important to the homeowner.

In staging you decorate the home to appeal to the buyer. The "less is more" rule comes into play first. Staging removes the homeowner's personal imprint from the home. Even though you may be using the homeowner's belongings, you arrange items to highlight areas in the home that are selling features, not to highlight the homeowner's taste.

You "decorate" only to create an appealing atmosphere that anyone could call home. Staging takes the scene a step further beyond decorating by using props subtly to tell a story. Dressing a dining room table for example sends a message to the buyer "You can entertain your family here."

When staging is complete, the home should appear professionally decorated. The buyer will love the home for its look and feel.

Before you place your home on the market, it is imperative to have an objective opinion of how your home is presented. A professional home stager can conduct an evaluation of your home and give you advice on the best way to present it so that buyers will fall in love.

Home staging is SMART!

Cari Pilon is co-founder of SMART Stagers, a home staging and design company with offices in Michigan and Florida. If you are ready to put your home on the market, contact us to reserve your consultation today!