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Tackling The Staging Towel Problem

Staged bathroom towel holder

How do you keep visitors & Realtors at open houses and showings from using your nicely folded, perfectly hung, and oh so clean and dry towels? I have read that some suggest tying them in ribbons or raffia and therefore signal that they are off limits. Does everyone know how to read raffia? A sign "Do Not Use Towels" along with "Do Not Use Toilet or If in the case of an Emergency : please close lid & flush (or maybe flush and then close lid)", "Do Not Sit on Bed" , "Don't kiss the Mirror", "No eating or drinking in any room", & "No smoking right outside the door and then throwing butt on doorstep" (still referring to the cigarette here) - might help!

What I do is provide a wicker or metal holder towel holder with lovely paper guest towels or on a low budget - nicely folded printed Bounty. The reality exists that - "when you've go to go, you've got to go". Realtors at open houses are sometimes there for hours. Children are always unpredictable in their potty habits, some are still in training! I designate a powder room or the guest bathroom for use and indicate that in the other bathrooms. This has helped with the towel problem - the others are still out of control!

What do you do?

Kathleen Lordbock towel holder

Re$ale Design & Home Staging

Brainerd Lakes area of Minnesota

~Changing the way houses are sold in Minnesota~

Welcome from the Brainerd Lakes - where outdoor and indoor recreational opportunites abound. Looking to buy on one of our many lakes? Ready to move up or down? Having trouble selling your home? Falling behind on payments or already in the foreclosure process? I am a Certified Short Sale Specialist as well as a Home Staging Expert.

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Posted by Kathleen Lordbock Keller Williams Realty Brainerd Lakes on 10/04/2008 12:40 PM

Comments (23)

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23 Comments on Tackling The Staging Towel Problem

OCT

2008

Maybe we need to have them sign a release form with all the rules before they can enter! The idea of nice paper guest towels is a keeper.

Kathleen: I provide hand soap, paper guest towels and toilet paper in the powder room. In vacants, I tape all other toilets shut (with clear 2" packaging tape) with a nicely printed sign "Please use toilet in powder room (or Guest Bathroom) ". We don't put paper hand towels or toilet paper in any of the other bathrooms. We put a sign on the designated bathroom door "Guest Bathroom".

If you are going to do this, be careful to only allow the tape to touch the porcelain portion of the bowl. Some toilet seats can be damaged by the tape.

Kathleen ~ Your list of "other issues" is amusing -- some folks will try anything

Michelle ~ How do you tape the toilet shut without the tape touching the lid??

Magi - maybe we just make things too complicated - thanks for the comment.

Michelle - thanks for mentioning the other things like soap and TP - those would be beneficial too. LOL

Maureen - If there is a rule, they will work around it and if not - well anything goes,

Kathleen: I put a piece of wide ribbon down first (just enough to cover the lid and seat on the sides) and then tape over that. taped toilet I have even had REAs ask to buy these from me!

Michelle - maybe another business on the side selling " decorative toilet labels".

It is cute!!! Thanks for the picture - we stagers are visual people.

OCT

2008

I think it's a great idea to have one facility that the realtors and potential buyers can use.

Let's face it, when looking for homes the REA and buyers can be on the road for hours in just one subdivsion.

Your way of handling it is great.

Thanks Virginia - I know I appreciate a bathroom facility being available - I see they put plastic over the bowls in IKEA bathroom displays - that always cracks me up. I suppose people really get into the bathroom setups and image that it is their home.

OCT

2008

I agree, it's a good idea to expect that they will use the facilities. SO being prepared is less frustrating. Good topic, realistic and happens all the time.

Terrylynn- What we do in staging should be practical - having a little faux food is fun but the entire setup to be make believe......................

Maybe we just need to think of this as a test drive of the plumbing system!

I've had this happen too Kathleen and it's one of the reason I use fluffy white towels alot in case I need to bleach them or dark colors so the dirt won't show.

On the counter tops if I put towels, I now put river rocks on them to discourage someone from having to pick up all the rocks and put them back. It has worked with the ones that have them... I shudder to think about someone using the bathrooms in some of these vacants and not having toilet paper or soap there and what they may be doing with my towels....

OCT

2008

I have to admit, home staging really is the way to go when it comes to a vacant listing. I recently had a home staged and after a month, the owner decided he wanted it vacant. I more or less pleaded with him to allow the staging to remain. No such luck and we're still on the market. Plus, we're the lowest priced home in that neighborhood by 15k.....

Karen - pretty picture and who would ever think that river rocks are just for decorating - here they serve a triple role: decorating, protecting the towels and making sure the towels don't fly away in a wind gust.

Good use of the mirror for a photo shot.!!!!

Joe - They almost got it and then they lost confidence.

I gave a staging proposal to a vacant painted builder's grade chalky white with one odd room that needed staging to define its use. They decided to test the market instead. 5+ months later and $48,000 lower they are still not sold & having another open house of their white wonderland this weekend. The other 3 staged properties in the neighborhood sold months ago.

OCT

2008

I am a REALTOR, and I carry paper towels in case there are none in the house. I won't use the owners towels, as I realize that they are normally "show" towels. Actually, I won't use the towels even if they are NOT show towels... who knows what they dried with it last? I don't think I want to know... LOL

OCT

2008

Scott - How thoughful of you to BYOT- thanks for the comment.

Hi Kathleen - We keep a supply of paper towels and tp in the cabinets - it's an investment ;)

I don't think it is a good idea to tape the seat - buyers are buying a house..they should be able to check the plumbing...let them flush away to a sale!

Margaret - You have a good point there - if I was buying, I would probably check out the flushing power too.

Margaret - My husband says he would flush first and buy later - he appreciates good working plumbing LOL

Flush first and buy later - love it! PS - my son is going as Joe the Plumber for Halloween ;)

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