home staging tips: NH Home Staging Tip - Reclaim Wasted Space in Your Home
- 02/05/15 11:15 PM
With a little organization you can reclaim valuable space that is being wasted in your home. You won't believe how much space you can create by simply getting rid of stuff you no longer need, and designating a place for everything else.
" A place for everything, and everything in it's place."
Whether it's a drawer, closet, or entire room....if the space is limited it's best to make the most of it.
When "stuff" takes over, rooms feel smaller. Defining each room's purpose, and limiting what's in the room to that purpose, will make a room appear larger.
Easier said than done? Sure, but well worth the effort.
The key … (32 comments)
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home staging tips: You Can Give New Life To Old Decorative Items In Just 15 Minutes!
- 07/12/14 05:07 AM
Yesterday I posted pictures of my kitchen's new look....
but there was one small detail I left out.
I have a topiary sitting on a pedestal in one corner of the kitchen. I've had it for years....it was in the powder room in my last home. When we moved here it got placed in the kitchen, just the right size to add some detail to the space.
I've really liked it sitting there in the corner, but once I painted the cabinets white it just didn't seem to fit in anymore.
One day I decided to use the white cabinet paint to paint the … (20 comments)
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home staging tips: Houses Don't Kill Deals....Sellers Do! Prepare Your Home To SELL
- 06/29/14 10:05 PM
Home sellers are quick to pass the blame when their home is lingering on the market without any offers. The agent is the one who takes the hardest hit, but many sellers will also blame the house....stating location, or floor plan, or age as the reason potential buyers are not flocking to their door.
Yes, there are homes with "issues" that make them more of a challenge to market...however,
the majority of the time it's the sellers' lack of preparation that is behind the shortage of buyer interest. Most home sellers have little to no experience in the art of presentation or the … (106 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Staging Tip For Cleaning Glass And Much More - Holy Moly!
- 06/19/14 09:59 PM
I recently got a gift from my mom....a product she found at her local flea market in Florida. Mom loves this product so much she bought one for me. I'm so glad she did!
It's a glass cleaning cloth, called Holy Moly.
What makes Holy Moly so special?
You use ONLY WATER....no Windex or household cleaner is needed!
and
Results are lint free, dust free, and STREAK FREE!
You simply wet the cloth with warm water, wring it out, and clean.
It can be used on windows, mirrors, tile, and much more.
You can use it to detail cars, boats, & motorcycles.
What I'm most excited about is how … (39 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Staging Tip - Easy Way To Clean Stove Grates and Oven Racks
- 05/22/14 10:10 PM
Whether you are preparing your home for sale or not....this tip on how to EASILY clean your stovetop burner grates is invaluable! I've hated my stove since the day I moved into my home two years ago. It's a fairly cheap gas stove with porcelain covered cast iron grates. The grates always seem to look nasty and I've wasted way too much time and energy scrubbing them without the best results.
I finally got a new stove and it's time to sell the old one. I saw this tip on Pinterest for cleaning the grates using ammonia, and figured I would … (44 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Staging Tip - Mulch Adds Perceived Value To Your Property
- 04/13/14 09:40 PM
If your New Hampshire home is currently on the market, you can no longer use the snow as an excuse not to improve your home's curb appeal. That brutal winter is finally behind us and we are once again seeing our lawns and flower beds. Spring yard work has begun to take over the weekend agenda.
Even though the landscaping hasn't quite come alive yet, there is one way you can dramatically improve potential buyers' first impression of your property.
Mulch works miracles!
Mulch is to the exterior what paint is to the interior!
Mulch is like a background color.... It adds depth, definition, … (29 comments)
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home staging tips: Create A Positive First Impression For Every Room In Your House
- 03/16/14 08:48 PM
As a professional Home Stager in New Hampshire, I advise my clients that potential buyers will form an opinion of their home within 10 seconds of entering the front door. A buyer's initial reaction, be it positive or negative, is carried with them as they tour the home.
First impression, through the door, can be a very powerful thing. The same holds true when entering individual rooms in a house.
When preparing your home for sale make sure to stand outside each room and make note of the view from the doorway. What's the first thing people see as they look in the … (34 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Staging Tips For Reducing Odor In Your Laundry Room
- 02/23/14 09:16 PM
I've had many Home Staging consults where I've had to address unpleasant odor in the laundry room.
Usually full of dirty clothing, that sits behind closed doors for days, it's not surprising that these small areas develop an odor. Whether it's a musty smell coming from the washing machine or body odor from the clothing, it's not pleasant and a real turn off to potential buyers.
Most sellers that have odor in their laundry room are surprised when I mentioned it. People get used to their own environment and things like this go unnoticed. Potential buyers, however, will notice and they won't like … (63 comments)
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home staging tips: New Hampshire Home Staging Advice - Embrace More Open Space
- 02/09/14 08:10 PM
Most homeowners have too much furniture and accessories....something in every corner and pictures hanging on every wall. Many of my NH Home Staging clients get apprehensive when I suggest removing items....concerned the room will appear "too empty".
Less is More.....it doesn't matter if you are preparing your house for sale or simply going for a new look. Too much "stuff" is distracting. It causes uneasiness because your eyes are bouncing all over the room. Having some empty space allows your eyes to focus on and appreciate the positive features of the room.
Think quality, instead of quantity. Start with the furniture, just what … (21 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Staging Tip: Just Because It Fits Doesn't Mean It's Flattering
- 01/19/14 11:30 PM
There are many mistakes home sellers make that keep them on the market longer and ultimately cost them money. One of those mistakes is having too much furniture. Too much, as in both quantity and size.
Just because it fits... doesn't mean it's flattering!
Have you ever seen someone wearing clothing that is too tight and wondered how they could be seen in public dressed like that? That feeling you get as they pass by is the same feeling potential buyers get when they see a bad MLS picture online.
Oversized furniture may be more comfortable....you may need four recliners when you watch the … (47 comments)
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home staging tips: What You Should Know Before Burning Candles In Your Home
- 01/05/14 09:16 PM
This post was inspired by Kristin Johnston, who recently wrote about the dangers of letting a candle burn down too low. It's funny....as I was reading her post, I was sure it was an analogy.
"You want to get the most out of that pretty glass enclosed pillar, but the less wax in the jar, the more likely the flame is to brush against the side and the bottom. And, if the glass gets hot enough, it could shatter."
I really thought her post was going to be a "burn your candle at both ends" life lesson about the dangers of taking on too … (33 comments)
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home staging tips: Inexpensive Ways To Make Your Kitchen & Bath More Appealing To Buyers
- 12/01/13 08:10 PM
I wrote a post last week about things buyers use to justify a low offer. As one example I listed kitchens and bathrooms that need updating. Jeff Fritzson inspired me to write more on the subject when he left a comment saying "Getting a seller to upgrade their kitchen or bathroom might be a stretch".
There are many inexpensive, do-it-yourself ways to improve the appearance of a kitchen or bathroom.
Remove visual clutter. Remove most of the stuff on counters. Remove everything on the front and top of the refrigerator. Clear the space above cabinets. Remove dated curtains. In most cases, I recommend no window treatments in kitchen and simple … (29 comments)
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home staging tips: Creative Playtime Or Resourceful Home Staging - Think Recycling Bin
- 11/10/13 08:53 PM
When my kids were small I created a play grocery store for them in a corner of our family room. It all started with a toy cash register, grocery cart, and some plastic play food. Rather than buy additional toy groceries I decided to recycle (long before recycling was popular) the packaging from my real grocery items.
I recruited my mom, sister, and grandmother to help stock our shelves. We all became experts at removing food items without damaging their labels or packaging. It became a creative challenge to see who could come up with the most interesting store items! It was my grandmother … (31 comments)
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home staging tips: Before & After Pictures Of A Budget Friendly Home Staging Consult
- 10/20/13 10:09 PM
Home Staging is often misunderstood. The term is often associated with television shows that portray complete makeovers that involve major alterations and new furnishings. Although that is a form of Home Staging, it's not the only form of Home Staging.
My New Hampshire Home Staging business specializes in owner occupied properties. Most often I am working with sellers who are on a tight budget....major improvements and rental furniture are not always an option. Using what's at hand to create a more appealing listing can be challenging, but it's rewarding.
It's all a matter of repurposing, regrouping, and elimination. I can usually find enough … (26 comments)
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home staging tips: New Hampshire Home Staging Tip - Make Furniture Placement a Priority
- 08/08/13 09:04 PM
New Hampshire Home Staging Tip - Make Furniture Placement a Priority
Selling your home requires strategic marketing. Price, Preparation and Presentation are key to a fast sale. One very important element of presentation that is often overlooked during preparation is furniture placement.
Too much furniture makes a room feel crowded and appear smaller than it actually is.
Not enough furniture and a room feels cold.
If a room is not clearly defined for both space and function it causes uncertainty in the minds of buyers. Most buyers can't visualize so they take each room at face value....what they see is what they get. Don't expect a … (23 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Staging: Sell Your Home By Listing It's Negative Features
- 07/14/13 08:48 PM
When we sold our home last year our agent asked us to make a list of all the positive features of the house for use in marketing.
As a professional Home Stager in New Hampshire I believe it's just as important to make a list of all the negative features of your home prior to listing it. No, not for your agent and not to be used in marketing, but to be used by you as a home staging tool.
Nobody knows the house better than you do.
You have lived with it's flaws and you know all it's problem areas.
Make a list … (34 comments)
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home staging tips: Want To Reduce Clutter In The Kitchen? Start At The Top
- 07/07/13 08:44 PM
Do you want to reduce the clutter in your kitchen?The area over the cabinets is a great place to start.
It's common for people to decorate over their cabinets. All kinds of things are put up there....pottery, baskets, signs, plates, bowls, tea pots, all kinds of wildlife, and probably the most common.....fake plants.
Personally....I'm not a fan.
Adding fake plants and decorative pieces above the cabinets clutters a kitchen.
It's not decor..... it's dust-collecting, greasy, glorified clutter.
If your house is NOT on the market and you love stuff above the cabinets and it makes you smile, go for it!
If your house IS on the market, clearing away the clutter … (97 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Makeovers - Tips For Decorating Your Bookcase Shelves
- 06/23/13 08:59 PM
NH Home Makeovers Tips For Decorating Your Bookcase Shelves
Too often bookcases and built-ins become a convenient catch-all. They get over stuffed with books, magazines, remotes, dvd's, photos, and collectible figurines. The contents of the shelves remain there, not because of value or sentimental attachment, but because the homeowner doesn't have the time to sort through them and has no clue how to decorate the shelves.
Bookcases are not just for books, adding interesting and colorful pieces is a good idea. It's best to think "less is more" however. You don't want your shelves to look like a place where knick-knacks and tchotchkes … (78 comments)
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home staging tips: NH Home Makeovers - Making Use of Wasted Space
- 06/14/13 12:30 AM
NH Home MakeoversMaking Use of Wasted Space
Sometimes all it takes to gain space in your home is a little organization. Most homeowners have an area they use as a catch-all.
The way to start your NH home makeover is by getting rid of the things you no longer need, and then assign a place for everything you are keeping. Fresh paint and some reorganization transformed this laundry room into a craft room.
Rooms can end up feeling much smaller than they are because "stuff" has taken over. Simply removing all the small pieces of furniture and accumulated dust collectors made this dining … (22 comments)
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home staging tips: Fast And Simple Budget Friendly Ways To Update Window Treatments
- 06/06/13 10:25 PM
Fast and Simple Budget Friendly Ways to Update Window Treatments
Have you had the same curtains for years?
If they are covering valuable architectural detail, darkening the room, or dating the room...it's time to replace them.
Dated window treatments, regardless of how expensive they originally were, age your home.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to update window treatments.
The key is keeping it simple.
The window is the focal point...it only needs an accessory, not a whole wardrobe.
Switching to plain white shears is an inexpensive way to create a fresh, updated look.
Get panels long enough to almost hit the floor, rather than … (36 comments)
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With a little organization you can reclaim valuable space that is being wasted in your home. You won't believe how much space you can create by simply getting rid of stuff you no longer need, and designating a place for everything else.
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