Home : Blogs : Sheila Swanson (StageStruck Staging & Redesign) : Sheila's Blog

Staging inventory and an update on me

Hi everyone. This is just a little update on what has been going on with me. Last week I did a redesign for a client and tomarrow I am meeting with a virtual assistant. Friday, I am doing a redesign consultation.

I was reading about a stager who keeps towels in her inventory. Are we supposed to have inventory? I have a few accessories that I use, but does any one keep towels, sheets, kitchen linens etc in an inventory? If so, do you keep it in your car and tote it to every stage job? I don't have too much room in my trunk and I don't like to carry more than I need to.

I know for occupied homes you can use the sellers towels, but for vacant homes, do you buy the items and charge the homeowner or do you supply the needed items from your home? I haven't run into this yet, but I was just thinking about this especially since I was reading about this stager. I know there is only so much stuff to put in a trunk.

My paint fan decks are heavy and then there are the wooden floor samples, the tool kit, paper work, step ladder, etc. Do I need to set aside a shelf in my linen closet for towels and such? How many of you do this? Where do you keep your stuff?

What needs to go into this inventory? Linens, sheets, cleaning supplies, etc? I am just wondering and would appreciate any feedback. It sometimes feels overwhelming with all the things that are needed to stage a home. Has anyone got all this condensed into a rubbermaid tub and if so what is in there?

Also, I need to print up some bid contracts and estimates sheets, but I don't know what they look like or what needs to be put on them. If someone knows of a template for one, please let me know.

I found some really neat blank cards that could be used for thank you notes at the Ten Thousand Villages Store. They are homemade in places like Egypt, Bangladesh, and other places. One card is made out of homemade paper, some have native plants on them and there was a cute one from Africa that had two kids made out of copper wire that could be used as a decoration.

These cards cost about the same as a Hallmark card. They are very unique and I found an elephant one that I bought for my client who collects elephants. These make great thank you cards and notes and are not something you see everyday. We have a store in our town or you could go to their website.

Most of the cards were in the $3.50-$4.50 range. I think it is worth checking it out.

Posted by Sheila Swanson (StageStruck Staging & Redesign) on 06/11/2008 10:05 PM

Comments (12)

ten thousand villages, cards, fan decks, inventory, towels, linen, thank you cards and notes

Post is included in group: Stage It Forward...
Post is included in group: Stage Midwest
Post is included in group: Redesign Renegades
Post is included in group: Real World Home Staging for Newbies
Post is included in group: Stager's Coffee Clutch

12 Comments on Staging inventory and an update on me

JUN

2008

Sheila, we actually have 2 storage units FULL of inventory that we mix and match for each project.

Rubbermaid bins - check

Shelving units - check

Towels, linens, pillows, area rugs, artwork, dishes, accessories - check, check, check

Yes, as a Stager will need to provide these items for vacant stagings (you can't really "rent" them) and it's up to you how you want to charge and how much...

If you search for staging warehouses here on AR, you'll come up with a multitude of pitcures

Yep, about the same as Connie. Tons of stuff. Can't do without it. In an occupied home, I usually have the home owner purchase the towels but still tell them not to use them.

JUN

2008

Where do you keep it all? Do you both have storage units or do you keep them at home? You must have a variety of rugs and different colors or do you stick with neutral?

I kept our inventory at our house in my office (um - kids game room) until it was too much to control in the small space. As I said, I actually have 2 units at a local storage facility. 1 smaller just for artwork and lamps (so larger stuff won't tear the artwork or break the lamps). Then 1 LARGE unit for all my bins, area rugs, accessories, furniture pieces, etc.

As for area rugs, we have many difference styles and colors because the sytle of the home will determin the style of the staging, but mostly 5x7 or 8x10 in size.

You didn't pay for all these yourself did you? Were they acquired gradually or all at once. How long have you been staging?

not all at once, gradually, for a few years now. =)

Sheila, My stager wife Linda has a 2,000 sq ft warehouse that is just for her accessories. We have a second much larger warehouse just for furniture. Just searching my memory I recall that between what's in the warehouse and what's out in homes she has staged, she must have at least 100+ towel sets of all sizes, styles and colors. I also recall she has at least 30 7' trees, a bunch of greenery and centerpiece floral, bed spreads, hundreds of glass, pottery and medal items, at least 40 pieces of art work of all sizes and color themes, many bath and kitchen related items, countless table and floor lamps and the one that still shocks me is that she must have at least 200+ toss pillows of every color, size and design you can imagine. All that being said, she has all of these items (and many more I just cannot recall) plus all of the furniture because she does a ton of vacant properties. You really have to decide what you want to specialize in. Occupied or vacant properties. If you want to specialize in occupied properties, you certainly don't need as much and you can easily purchase for each job as they come along. Bottom line is that regardless of what you may think or have been told, whether you do occupied or vacant, Staging is not a no cost business to start and keep going. It requires a large dollar investment and as many will tell you, while growing your business accessories can easily take over your home. Good Luck!

How do you keep track of all that inventory? How much does she charge for the rentals and does she charge on a monthly or weekly basis?

Well, it's fairly straight forward. All items have reference numbers. From a data base we simply show where everything is, either it's at an address or it is in storage. The rental cost is based on a percentage of the purchase price and it is rented out as part of staging services for 60 days and then 30 day increments after that. This is a really basic approach for most stagers....