home staging blog: RESA Las Vegas Staging Conference - A Burlington Home Stager's Point of View - 02/05/10 09:28 AM
 
Well, I'm a little late adding my two cents on the RESA International Staging Conference, but I have an excuse since I just got home late Saturday night.  My Sister-in-Law and a girlfriend joined me for a few more days of Vegas life after the Conference.  Must say I'm "Vegased Out" now, but back to the real reason for my blog - the Staging Conference!
We couldn't have asked for a better turnout, especially for our first conference.  Once we hit 200 attendees, Shell Brodnax managed to pull another 20 tickets out of her hat to bring our total up to a whopping 220 professional home … (20 comments)

home staging blog: REALTOR Magazine's Online Blog 'Styled, Staged & Sold' - I Just Became a Guest Blogger! - 07/28/09 12:39 PM

Aside from home staging, another one of my passions is writing.  I don't write for a living, but I sure get a lot of enjoyment from it.  Since things have slowed down a little over the last couple of weeks, I decided to put a little more effort into my writing during "low tide".  I don't know about other Home Stagers, but for me, my business seems to come in waves.  Everything comes all at once and I'm crazy busy, and then it slows down for a week or two.  I guess that isn't a bad thing though, it gives you a chance to … (12 comments)

home staging blog: "Staging" The Home Stager - New Headshots - Can You Help Me Pick? - 07/01/09 10:39 AM
When selling your home, it's important to make a great first impression (the first rule of home staging).  The same goes for selling your business services - first impressions really count.  It's been over 2 years since I had headshots taken.  The last photos were taken by my Hubby - good thing he's so patient because I had the poor guy take tons of them.  
I decided though, that it was time to have updated photos taken, and this time I wanted them taken by a professional [no offence Honey if you're reading this :-)].  Mandie took a ton of photos and narrowed it down to 17 for me to choose from.  … (25 comments)

home staging blog: Feng Shui It! Part 8: How To Improve the Knowledge & Self-Cultivation Area Of Your Home - 06/16/09 12:10 PM

Whether you are selling your home, or improving it for your own enjoyment, Feng Shui can play an important role.
In Part 8, the final instalment of our Feng Shui It! series, we will be looking at the Knowledge and Self-Cultivation area of your home.  You will want to pay particular attention to this area if you wish to further your knowledge or are looking for ways to improve yourself.
If you have read Parts 1-7 of this series, by now you will be familiar with the Bagua Map and know how to locate the Knowledge and Self-Cultivation area of … (8 comments)

home staging blog: An Open House Gone Terribly Wrong - 06/03/09 11:51 AM
An alarming story out of Brampton, Ontario this week:  It seems that a woman arrived at an open house with two young boys in tow.  While the older child stayed with the agent, the younger child and the woman looked through the house. 
Allegedly, she "relocated" a video-game console, digital camera, jewellery and cash - all into her purse.  The story gets worse.  This wasn't the only open house that she and the boys attended.  She has been charged in connection with thefts at 7 open houses during April and May of this year.  The two children were also arrested but later … (17 comments)

home staging blog: Feng Shui It: Introduction. How To Improve ... - 02/28/09 03:24 AM

Feng Shui [pronounced Fung Shway].  The name keeps appearing throughout the design industry in both print and on television.  Is it a trendy gimmick, or is there more to it?
Well, it certainly isn't the new kid on the block so to speak.  Feng Shui has been around for several thousand years since the time of the Han Dynasty in China.  It's definitely not a passing fad.
When I first signed up for training to become a Feng Shui Design Professional, I must admit that I was somewhat sceptical about all of this "Fung Shooey" stuff.  That being said, I … (13 comments)

home staging blog: What To Look For When Choosing A Home Stager - 01/23/09 03:40 PM
                 
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With the growing number of home staging training schools popping up to make a fast buck, the result is a glut of "Home Stagers" in the marketplace with absolutely no experience and no idea of where to start.  Are you willing to put your client's largest investment into the hands of someone without the expertise necessary to get the results you need?  This could turn out to be a very costly mistake.  
Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a Home Stager:
  LOWEST QUOTE/FREE CONSULTATIONS   Beware of Home Stagers that come in at a … (44 comments)

home staging blog: The Stagers - Episode 7 - Who Says Oil & Water Don't Mix? - 08/13/08 04:58 AM

[Photo from HGTV's website]
I would have to say that this was the best episode to date in my opinion.  Matthew and Tracey are the dynamic duo that brings this project to its successful completion along with Rukiya, their staging assistant.  Rukiya, as in other episodes, comes to their aid and makes the project gel together with her cool, "keep everybody calm" manner.  We could all use a Rukiya in our lives.  She commented early on in the episode that Matthew and Tracey are like oil and water and that they come from opposite design spectrums.  That may be the case, but … (8 comments)

home staging blog: How To Bring Zing Back To Your Bedroom - 06/17/08 11:56 AM
Good, I got your attention.  If this is not the type of blog you had in mind, sorry to disappoint, but since you are here now anyway, you might as well read on.  Who knows, maybe my advice will be of some help to you, and it is free after all. 
Some clients have asked me for tips on an easy fix for their bedroom when they are trying to sell their home.  They don't want to spend a large sum of money, but want to give the master bedroom an extra bit of life to appeal to potential buyers.
One way to achieve that is through simply changing the bedding … (13 comments)

home staging blog: De-Staging: The Least Favourite Part of a Home Stager's Job - 06/11/08 12:03 PM
 
I was at a client's home the other evening to de-stage their property.  I got thinking about how I feel each time I do that.  There's always a bit of melancholy going back to remove everything that was carefully chosen and placed in a home.  A lot of time and effort goes into making each property outshine its competition.  The best way I can describe that feeling is by comparing de-staging to the holiday season.  In December, I can't wait to bring out all of our decorations and get our home ready for the holidays.  (I probably go a little bit overboard, but Christmas … (25 comments)